Burnout or work related exhaustion is not just just a theory anymore considering the fact that we live in an era where more and more companies are looking for results and benefits. Now more than ever, society is speeding up rapidly. Because of that, those involved in the working world will need to show a remarkable capacity to adapt to any work situation. Burnout prevention is therefore necessary because it would allow workers to speed up their performances and boost their creativity. This issue is merely known in Africa. It is rare indeed to find companies that care about this important part of the life of a worker and want to prevent any type of suffering and mental harm in the workplace. Yet there are many tools and protocols that allow to do that. But what are actually the causes of a burnout and what are the signs?

What are the causes of a Burnout in Africa?

Although merely known in Africa, we can describe this disorder called burnout as a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion characterized by the disengagement of a person toward his job. The risk of having a burnout or work related exhaustion is real for everybody with a job that requires a deep professional commitment. That is the reason why the first signs of burnout have been noticed in the nursing profession. Workplace exhaustion is so serious that it is ranked 2nd among the work-related issues . A burnout occurs when the worker has the feeling that there is a gap between his expectations, the way he sees his job and what the job actually is in reality. It is home to a constant and unbearable stress. Burnout is not classified as a mental health condition. It is a mix of multiple syndromes resulting from a damaged relationship with one’s job.

What are the signs of a Burnout?

The first sign of a burnout is an emotional, physical and mental exhaustion. The individual will feel extreme fatigue that will not be relieved even with the usual resting hours. As a consequence he will not be productive, and will not be able to do his job properly. In other words, occupational exhaustion will lead to disengagement toward one’s job in addition to an impaired self worth, a decline in one’s feeling of successful accomplishment of one’s work, a feeling of ineffectiveness. There are many people working in companies in Africa who are suffering from that disorder without it generating any type of interest from those involved in the working world.

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