“Burnout is always serious.” Stress expert Elke Van Hoof on why you should never underestimate a burnout.
With burnout, things that were once self-evident suddenly no longer work. People plan a visit to the bakery to the best of their ability, but cannot find the energy to get dressed. Stress expert Elke Van Hoof explains why the term “minor burnout” does not actually exist. Stress is like an elastic band that stretches but snaps back when you rest. Burnout is an elastic band that has lost its elasticity; it remains stretched, even with recovery. It is not a matter of resting for a while and being recharged.
In the workplace, it certainly does not help to say “everyone is tired sometimes.” Treat warning signs like a smoke detector: do not ignore them, but do not panic either. Check where the smoke is coming from and intervene before a fire breaks out. The message in this episode is: stress is normal, burnout is always serious. While stress recovers with rest, burnout often requires months, sometimes years, of recovery.
