Burnout is becoming a more commonly acknowledged symptom that the majority of the workforce will feel at some point in their careers. Whether short-term or long-term, burnout can have significant repercussions on one’s personal and professional life. With this attentiveness to burnout’s effects, an undeniable interest in where it originates from has also come.

Countless health professionals have done studies into the causes of burnout, concluding that it is a result of being overworked, a loss of sleep, mounding tasks and worries, and little personal time, to name a few. However, one underlying cause sets this all into motion: a feeling of lack of control.

How Does This Cause Burnout?

When one doesn’t feel in control of their life, career, looming circumstances, and financial obligations, it can lead to immense stress. When not dealt with, this stress multiplies and weeds itself into other areas of your life that might not have had any association with the original cause of the tension. Over time, stress leads to emotional problems and can even cause physical health issues. Combining these symptoms can become too much for someone, leading to a severe case of burnout and a different feeling of a loss of control.

Feeling like you have little power over yourself and your circumstances can lead to a loss of identity and cause you to do uncharacteristic things that lead to poor work performance, disagreeable relationships, and a loss of motivation.

What Can People Do About This?

Burnout can feel like a hopeless corner once you’ve been backed into it, but managing burnout begins with dealing with its leading cause: a feeling of loss of control.

As you strive to leave burnout behind, you’ll need to focus on taking back the control that you felt you lost. Address your potential more effectively by looking at the areas you can regain control of. For instance, you may not be able to control your boss’s work tasks they give you, but you can voice your desires for growth and the type of work you’d like to achieve in the workplace.

At the same time, you must listen to your burnout as a sign to do some personal reflection. Do you feel stuck in your current career, or will this be something you can work through at your present job? Sometimes, burnout can lead to exciting career changes, but it takes listening to your desires to implement these transitions. As you realize this, you’ll come to regain control of your path and disconnect from the effects of burnout.