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How to assess your risk of burning out

Lots of people are chronically fatigued, burnt out. All the surveys, polls, research indicates this. One from 2022, a study by Asana, showed that 70% of 10,000 workers surveyed across seven countries had experienced burnout in the previous year. And there are countless others saying the same thing.

Too much work can lead to the build up of chemicals that can negatively impact brain functioning, leading to chronic fatigue. Taking ‘braincations’ can help, as research shows switching off stressors helps release neurotransmitters that improve cognitive function.

If you feel like you are about to ‘hit the wall’ it is important to act quickly and a tool being developed in Norway will help you gauge your risk level.

Professor Leon De Beer, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Department of Psychology, is part of the team working on the new Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) now being tested in 30 countries.

“Our studies show that BAT is a good tool for identifying the risk of burnout,” says De Beer, Associate Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology at NTNU. “We have found (using it) that approximately 13 per cent of Norwegian employees are at high risk of burnout.”

This makes early intervention possible but the team caution it is only an indicator of risk, not a diagnosis.

“For entertainment and educational purposes, interested parties can use this online tool to test if they are at risk of burnout,” adds Professor Marit Christensen of NTNU’s Department of Psychology. “Please note though that the tool only gives an indication of risk and does not provide any type of formal diagnosis or medical advice. If you are concerned about your levels of work-related stress, we encourage you to visit a health care provider to discuss the matter.”

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Written By

Susan is the co-founder of Innovators Magazine and a consultant for OnePoint5Media. Susan is also a member of the UNFCCC-led Resilience Frontiers Nexus group and the Chair of the APOPO Foundation UK board.

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