Understanding stress and burnout

Defining Stress

Stress is the body’s response to a demand placed on it. It can be a response experienced by almost everyone throughout their life. Stress is not a mental illness, although it can sometimes be confused with symptoms of mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders. 

Stress can be a powerful motivator. It can help you focus on your priorities and get things done. However, too much stress—or stress that is ongoing—can impact both physical and mental health. It can result in things such as headaches, digestive problems, tiredness, sleeping problems and nausea. 

Prolonged periods of stress can have significant, long-lasting and harmful health implications such as cardiovascular diseases and immune deficiency.  

Acute stress versus chronic stress 

There are two main types of stress: 

• Acute stress occurs in short spurts. Most people recover reasonably easily from an episode of acute stress if the events creating the stress are effectively managed.
• Chronic stress is prolonged and may be the result of exposure to a long-term challenging situation or the ongoing impact of a difficult event.  

Common signs of harmful stress 

People are affected by stress in different ways, but some of the most common signs of harmful stress include:

• feeling overwhelmed or unable to cope
• feeling on edge or unable to stop worrying
• feeling exhausted
• difficulty concentrating
• difficulty sleeping
• changes in mood, irritability and/or anger
• withdrawal from friends and family
• reliance on alcohol or other substances to cope
• changes in appetite
• thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

There can an overlap between the signs of mental ill-health and signs of harmful stress. In both cases, people need to be supported to speak up and seek support.

Causes of workplace stress 

In general, poorly managed work-related stress is the second most compensated illness or injury in Australia, after musculoskeletal disorders. Psychosocial hazards that can result in workplace stress include:

• job demands
• low job control
• poor support 
• lack of role clarity
• poor organisational change management
• inadequate reward and recognition
• traumatic events or material
• remote or isolated work 
• poor physical environment. 

For more on psychosocial hazards, visit Safe Work Australia.

Work can be stressful. Workplace stressors that are ongoing or poorly managed are not good for people's physical and mental health. These stressors are also not good for workplaces, affecting productivity and performance. 

The impacts of stress at work 

There are many ways that stress can impact people at work, including: 

• diminished performance 
• lack of engagement at work 
• reduced productivity and efficiency 
• increased absenteeism 
• increased harm or injuries 
• poor interpersonal relationships. 

What is burnout? 

Professional or occupational burnout occurs in response to persistent stress. It most frequently happens when a person becomes emotionally and or/physically drained, depleted and unable to meet the demands placed on them (by others and/or themselves).

The World Health Organization defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon (not a medical condition). It describes burnout as a syndrome that results from chronic workplace stress that is not successfully managed.

Burnout encompasses a wide range of signs, including: 

• low energy, motivation or mood
• feeling isolated or trapped
• feeling cynical or disengaged from work
• decreased life satisfaction
• procrastination
• irritability
• feeling exhausted or drained
• experiencing disrupted sleep
• physical responses like headaches and body pain.

As with stress, you may notice an overlap in signs between burnout and mental ill-health. It is important to understand that although professional burnout, stress and mental ill-health can be uniquely different, they all require providing appropriate care and support to the individual.

Burnout can reduce productivity and lead people to feel helpless, hopeless and resentful. If burnout continues, people can get to the point where they feel like they have nothing left to give.

Burnout is best managed through prevention by effectively managing the factors contributing to ongoing stressors.

Work stressors that are ongoing or not managed can lead to burnout. It's easier to prevent burnout from occurring than to address it once it happens.