When people think of burnout, they tend to think of too much overtime, enormous pressure and exhaustion at work. But people can also burn out from social relationships, as experts explain. Therefore it is good to just stay at home and have some me-time while enjoying 22Bet UZ.
When people hear the word burnout, they think of people who are literally burnt out by their workload: Overtime, extra workload, the feeling of immeasurable exhaustion. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized burnout as “chronic stress at work that is not successfully managed”. However, burnout can also affect other areas of life: private life. This is known as social burnout.
Brunch on Sunday, dinner with the parents on Monday, a sports class with friends after work on Tuesday and two more dates towards the end of the week. In an article for Psychology Today, psychologist Amelia Aldao explains why some people feel overwhelmed by their social contacts.
Expert warns of a kind of spiral in burnout
According to Aldao, some people feel the urge to attend social events – especially after the easing of coronavirus measures. This creates pressure. “We either keep our appointments or we cancel them but then feel guilty,” explains the expert.
She warns that anyone who feels overwhelmed by a lot of interpersonal contact is at risk of falling into a kind of burnout spiral. The more burnout a person feels, the less cognitively flexible they are, which is why they throw themselves even more into social contacts in order to keep up. However, this in turn increases exhaustion.
According to the WHO, the symptoms of burnout are a feeling of exhaustion or lack of drive, an increasingly mental distance or negative attitude, as well as a reduced ability to perform, which manifests itself as a lack of concentration, for example. However, the WHO points out that the term burnout should only be used in a professional context and not “for experiences in other areas of life”.
“Exhaustion comes from dysfunctional relationships”
Doctor and burnout consultant Mirriam Prieß considers this to be problematic, as she explains to Die Zeit. She says: “Exhaustion comes from dysfunctional relationships – and these exist in the private sphere just as much as at work.” What the expert means by this is that if people spend too much time with other people or doing activities that are not good for them, they run the risk of becoming socially exhausted.
According to Prieß, it is critical when people make their self-worth dependent on other people – in many social contacts – or their own job. If any of these things are lost, those affected often feel lost. Prieß advises that people in therapy should “enter into a dialogue with themselves again.” However, their own needs also need to be communicated and nurtured externally – for example with friends or family. “Burnout is never just the problem of the people who burn out and maintain the façade, it also affects those around them.”
Possible strategies against too much leisure stress
Aldao also recommends setting yourself “flexible expectations”. This means, for example, questioning how long certain social events actually need to last. Or whether you would prefer to meet up with individuals rather than in a large group. Expectations are also critical: “Not every activity will be a 10/10 in terms of fun and excitement,” writes the expert.
It can also help to visualize and prioritize the number of activities for a week: What really needs to get done? What would give you pleasure? And what can be postponed? Nevertheless, you should give yourself leeway if plans change.
