Right at the beginning of the year we’d like to start with a highly topical subject: Burnout. For many of us the new year has begun just like the old: a pile of work on the desk, the telephone ringing constantly, one meeting after the next… Add to that the fact that our private lives suffer as a result of a dominating job. That’s when one’s entire life can get out of control. Then it’s time to ask: how much more can I take? How long can this go on?

According to the Helpguide site, you may be on the road to burnout if:
- Every day is a bad day.
- Caring about your work or home life seems like a total waste of energy.
- You’re exhausted all the time.
- The majority of your day is spent on tasks you find either mind-numbingly dull or overwhelming.
- You feel like nothing you do makes a difference or is appreciated.

Burnout is THE malady of modern society. It doesn’t happen overnight, but sneaks up on you like a python which gently wraps itself around you. It is particularly common among society’s ambitious, the hardworking and the perfectionists. And it hits those who have been fired particularly hard, gnawing at their self-esteem, especially when one asks why one put in so much effort and overtime only to see it go down the drain! When executives are incapacitated by burnout it can cost the economy millions. Doctors have calculated that between 20 and 30% of all people of working age suffer from burnout in their lives. So there are lots of good reasons to do something about it. And: even small improvements in the workplace can help to stop this trend.

Many companies have already recognised the problem already and try to reduce the levels of stress of their employees. And that with some success. Information about the prevention of burnout as well as support for those who suffer from is on offer from a variety of associations, institutes, coaches and counseling centers. But each individual is also able to avoid burnout before it takes hold: by first signs of fatigue, lethargy and tension the emergency brake can already be pulled.

Tests, information and a list of workshops can be found in English at helpguide and in German at Burnout Institut Norddeutschland.

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