Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in emotionally demanding situations.
It can affect social workers at any stage of their careers, and recognising the signs of burnout is critical to being able to prevent it or from it getting worse.
Social work can be a challenging, but rewarding career that requires a great deal of emotional and mental resilience. However, prolonged exposure to high levels of stress and difficult situations can sometimes lead to burnout.
Speaking from personal experience, burnout is not fun…not fun AT ALL. It is definitely possible to experience burnout in your profession and come through the other side, still able to work in the field. However, this is not always the case.
I wrote this article about burnout because it is, unfortunately, a very real threat in our job. I believe that organisations could provide more effective support for workers, but in reality – it the burden of responsibility falls on the individual that has experienced the burnout.
So, here are 7 signs to look out for, regarding burnout.
1. chronic fatigue and exhaustion
As a Social worker or other professional working in a demanding job, you may feel constantly tired and have difficulty sleeping, even when you think you have had enough rest.
You may be lacking in energy or motivation to perform your job duties.
Chronic fatigue and exhaustion can negatively impact on your ability to make decisions, think critically, and maintain your emotional well-being.
I remember experiencing burnout when I worked in Child Protection services, daily life was basically, work, eat, sleep (crash) repeat. I had zero energy to put into anything else, including my friendships, relationships, hobbies, even basic cooking for myself. Face planting on my bed was my main ‘hobby’ on the weekends.
2. emotional exhaustion
Given Social work involves working with individuals and families facing complex and challenging situations, and we are often exposed to intense emotional stress.
Social workers who experience burnout may feel emotionally exhausted and drained, struggling to remain empathetic or compassionate toward their clients.
They may also feel that their work is thankless, leading to a sense of depersonalisation and cynicism. My experience of this was in the form of compassion fatigue, which I discussed in another article.
3. decreased job satisfaction
If you are experiencing burnout, you may notice that you begin to feel less satisfied with your work.
This may feel like a lack of fulfillment, loss of interest in your job, and a sense of hopelessness about your ability to make a difference.
Decreased job satisfaction can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and turnover. As I am sure you are already well aware, there is a very high staff turnover rate in jobs like Child Protection or Youth case work in Residential care facilities.
I believe organisations could do a lot more for staff members to prevent burnout, which in turn could also prevent job dissatisfaction and high turnover of staff.
4. physical symptoms
Burnout can also manifest as physical symptoms, such as headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and chronic pain. This was basically me, for I don’t know how many years…too many!
Social workers may also experience changes in appetite or sleep patterns, weight gain or loss, and a weakened immune system. Anyone else get sick as soon as they take time off?
Physical symptoms can exacerbate the effects of burnout and make it more challenging to manage.
5. decreased performance
Social workers experiencing burnout may have difficulty focusing and maintaining attention, leading to a decrease in performance and work.
You may struggle to complete tasks, meet deadlines, and maintain productivity. Decreased performance can lead to negative feedback from your supervisors or colleagues (or clients), further exacerbating the stress and anxiety associated with burnout.
This can also become a major ethical or legal issue when it comes to decision making, report writing, etc in crisis-driven social work jobs.
6. increased isolation
You may begin to feel isolated from your colleagues and support systems when experiencing burnout.
Maybe you feel that your colleagues do not understand the stressors associated with your role, leading to a sense of alienation. This can happen in multidisciplinary settings, where another profession may not be under the same amount of stress as you in the Social Work profession.
Increased isolation can exacerbate feelings of hopelessness and contribute to a further decline in mental health.
7. increased stress and anxiety
This is probably the easiest tell-tale sign. You may feel overwhelmed by your workload, struggling to manage your time effectively.
You may also feel that your job is never-ending, leading to a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. Increased stress and anxiety can further exacerbate the effects of burnout and make it more challenging to manage.
I hear you, the work is actually never-ending. It isn’t just a feeling we have, there is always more things to do no matter how many hours you put in each day.
But this is the point I’m trying to make – no matter how many hours you put in, no matter how many times you come in on the weekends, start work early and finish late, there will always be more to do. So, how can you achieve a better balance?
In summary
Burnout is a serious concern for social workers, and others in the helping profession.
Recognising the signs is critical to preventing it from it getting worse.
If you are experiencing any of these signs, please seek support and take the steps you can to manage your burnout. If you’re thinking, ‘I have no time, I have too much work to do’, just remember that taking care of yourself is part of the reason why you are able to provide quality care to your clients.
Talk with your supervisor, therapist or coach about a realistic plan for yourself…or I’d be happy to provide you with Supervision or Coaching, just head over to my contact page.
