Stress and burnout: differences and risk factors

We’ve all heard – and said – it: “I’m so stressed”, “I’ve so much to do and aren’t getting anywhere”, or even “I just need a break”. This is because in the world we live in, dealing with stress is pretty much inevitable. However, there comes a point where the level of – or exposure to – stress moves beyond the positives and begins to bring about a more negative impact – chronic stress and, if left unmanaged, burnout.

The words ‘stress’ and ‘burnout’ are used interchangeably and it’s important we understand the differences between the two.

Stress: The Body’s Natural Alarm

A certain amount or type of stress is positive, and there’s a name for it: eustress. Stress is the body’s natural response to any demands that are placed upon us; these can be physical, emotional, or psychological. In times of stress, your brain triggers the stress response, which means your body floods with stress hormones. These hormones bring about several temporary changes to prepare you to deal with the stressor or threat.

The stress response is supposed to be short-lived. In prehistoric times, the stress response prepared you to either fight or flee from predators and threats. Once the danger passed, stress levels returned to normal.

Modern stressors are mostly very different – a critical deadline, delivering a presentation, sitting an exam, dealing with conflict – but they still trigger that primal stress response, with the same impact on your body.

When you think about it, stress in moderation can help. The stress response sharpens your focus, boosts productivity, and enhances performance: eustress. This is the case only if the stressor is temporary.

When stress is chronic, it has significant and profound effects on your physical and mental health - because the stress response becomes extended. Which is why it’s so important to listen to your body. If you are suffering from stress-related health problems, it’s vital you actively manage the stressors in your life, to avoid tipping into burnout.

Burnout: When Stress Reaches Breaking Point

If chronic stress stays unmanaged, burnout is a real risk. Your body is continuously placed in stress-response mode – the supposedly temporary response becomes your body’s new normal – which isn’t normal, or sustainable, at all.

Burnout is insidious. It creeps into your life gradually and occurs on top of the signs and symptoms of chronic stress. I covered the signs and symptoms of burnout in more detail in my earlier post.

Looking back, I was so focused on work, I’d become used to all my chronic stress symptoms - I assumed they were normal. I didn’t notice burnout creeping in until it was too late, and I literally could not function.

So, how do you spot the signs of burnout, compared to stress?

1.      Stress is temporary and linked to triggers. Remove the trigger or have a break, and stress lessens. In burnout, symptoms continue even when you have a break

2.      Stress symptoms include headaches, muscle tension, irritability, and anxiety. In burnout, you also experience physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, as well as apathy, poor memory and poor decision-making.

3.      Stress can either impair or enhance performance in the short term, while in burnout performance will deteriorate, both at work and across life with a negative impact on relationships.

Are You Susceptible to Burnout?

Whilst burnout can affect anyone, several factors can make you more susceptible. If you feel you may be at risk, thinking about how to better manage these most common factors can help prevent burnout:

1.    Personality traits

If you are a perfectionist, extremely conscientious, or have a strong sense of duty, you could be more susceptible. Be mindful if you tend to always go above and beyond, for work or others… or if you are someone who doesn’t like to delegate or ask for help. Setting high standards for yourself and constantly trying to overachieve can lead to self-induced chronic stress.

2.    History of mental health issues

A history of anxiety or depression could leave you more susceptible to burnout.

3.    High workload and pressure

Excessive volumes of work, tight deadlines and unrealistic expectations, or a culture of last-minute.com with low levels of collective accountability are common factors. And, if you answered ‘yes’ to point 1 – being a perfectionist – this becomes a dangerous combination.

4.    Lack of control and autonomy

Being micro-managed or not having the power to make decisions contributes to feeling powerless. Similarly, bureaucracy or excessive oversight hampers your autonomy, erodes confidence, and affects stress levels.

Job insecurity, risk of redundancy, and other similar factors also create prolonged stress.

5.    Poor work-life balance

In an ideal situation, we would have balance throughout our lives. If you work long hours, are fitting in extra work at home, or adopt an ‘always on approach’ - forgoing aspects of home and family life for work, you are blurring the boundaries with your personal life. These, combined with a failure to prioritise self-care reduce your resilience and increases your risk.

6.    Poor company culture

A healthy work environment is essential – one that is safe, free of conflict and negative relationships, and that is fair and supportive. Miss any of those factors and stress will be present.

Finally, a critical area often forgotten: value alignment. We all have our personal values and if there is a misalignment between those and the actual values and behaviours within the company (not just the values the company says are important), then the sense of disconnect you will be experiencing can also lead to burnout.

7.    Lack of recognition or reward

If you feel undervalued and your contributions go unnoticed, it diminishes your motivation, satisfaction, and enthusiasm.

8.    Lack of social support

Feeling or being socially isolated, lacking support from or closeness to others – both at work and in your personal life – can worsen loneliness and stress.

Conclusion

While stress is a normal part of modern life and is often beneficial, if we do not manage stress effectively it can lead to burnout, which is a serious and often debilitating condition.

I’m guessing most of you reading this will recognise at least one or two of the risk factors. That’s okay because recognising and understanding them is the first step in managing your stress and avoiding burnout – or recovering from it. By addressing these factors proactively, both as individuals and employers, we can strengthen our resilience and improve work-life balance to a more sustainable and fulfilling norm.

Please do one thing for me. Take some time now to carefully reflect on the risk factors and consider how many apply to you. Be honest with yourself and focus on the facts, rather than trying to justify. This isn’t about self-criticism, it’s the first step to becoming more self-aware of your situation. Write down the specific stressors in your life that relate to those factors and think about what is in your control to do differently.

If you need support to unpack and address any of your risk factors to bring about a stronger and more resilient you, my burnout coaching packages might be right for you. Take a look here, or book in for a free 30-minute discovery call to find out more.

In my next post, I’ll start to talk about some of the techniques I’ve found most useful in my burnout recovery. The good thing about them is, that not only do they support recovery from burnout, but they are truly effective in managing stress and preventing burnout, to begin with – which is the ideal place to be.