Today, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern has announced that she is resigning stating that,

I’m leaving, because with such a privileged role comes responsibility — the responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not. I know what this job takes. And I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice. It’s that simple.”

We at ScreenMe of course see this as a truly saddening loss of a great leader. However, while this a great loss to the political community, we are glad that Ms Ardern felt empowered enough to step down when she felt that she could no longer perform how she wanted. Therefore, we want to take this opportunity to instead take a look at the wider picture and interrogate whether Ms Ardern’s resignation was a reflection of wider workforce burnout.

What is burnout?

Burnout was recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2019 as an occupational phenomenon, being defined as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It is characterised by the 3 dimensions of:

• Feelings of exhaustion or reduced energy
• Increased mental distance from one’s job
• Reduced professional efficacy

But is this even relevant to me?

Burnout is increasingly a problem not just in the UK, but around the globe, but in case you don’t believe us, here are a few statistics to convince you:

• 46% of UK workers are close to burnout
• 42% of UK workers feel more exhausted in 2023 than ever before
• 13.7 million workdays are lost every year in the UK as a result of symptoms of burnout including stress, anxiety and depression. T
• £28.3 billion annually is lost in the UK through productivity losses.
• 39% of UK adults state that work is the biggest cause of stress in their lives — topping money concerns, family, health, and friends.

What are the causes of burnout?

Burnout is not a result of simply being overworked or under a lot of pressure, but relates to chronic stress at work, which is not appropriately managed. Therefore, causes include:

• Lack of support
• Lack of control
• Unhealthy work environment
• Issues with time management

Ok… what can I do to reduce my risk of burnout?

For a detailed look into small changes you make to reduce your stress (&cortisol) levels, then check out our blog on such here. But there are also some other important points to consider when dealing with burnout in particular:

• Speak to your employer
  • While this can seem scary, speaking to someone in HR or your boss realistically how to help solve the root cause of this issue. At the end of the day, it is in both yours and your employer’s best interests that you are happy, healthy, and therefore productive. (Also, your boss is human too — they will want you to feel your very best!)
  • Start simple, inform someone at work how you are feeling, and then try to figure out a plan with them to make sure that this changes. It may take only a few small changes to attitudes, pressures, or workload that can make a huge impact on your wellbeing.
• Take time to yourself
  • Take time to do what you actually enjoy and properly unwind. Comparison through social media often makes it seem as if we are not doing enough or that everyone else is much busier all of the time. However, try to not compare yourself to others and really focus on yourself. There are a few good tips to start doing this on our blog here.
• Understand your body
  • It’s no secret that nutrition, lifestyle and exercise all have a huge influence on how you respond to stress, your moods, and your general wellbeing. Making small changes to your diet and lifestyle such as eating ‘gut friendly foods’, or ‘working out to sync with your period cycle’, can help you to feel more balanced.
  • If you want to optimise your nutrition, or still feel like something is off — we recommend taking one of our Nutrition & Wellness Packages.
    • These test 21 different health markers including vitamins, cholesterol, liver function, thyroid & much more.
    • ScreenMe’s packages come with a free consultation with one of our experts, so you are able to be guided through your results, and construct tailored plans, substitutions, supplements & more, which are best suited to you and your needs.
• Share
  • Burnout isn’t something that you should be ashamed of. Like Ms Ardern, it is not a problem to speak up when you feel exhausted, and make sure that you give yourself and your body the treatment you deserve.
  • Communicate how you are feeling to others. Speak to a friend, family member, or anyone that you feel comfortable sharing this with. If you would like to speak to a professional, we recommend speaking to your local GP, or seeking private services.

Burnout isn’t something that should be a ‘2023 trend’. It is time to start putting our wellbeing first, and investing in our health. Overall, our workplaces will only thrive as a result of this, being inclusive places that can foster collaboration, productivity, communication, and much more!

Jessica Hobbis

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