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What contributes to the development of what we call "burnout"?
First of all, it is important to state that only in particular cases is it possible to separate causes and triggers. However there are internal and external constellations which one finds very often amongst people who have developed burnout.
There are internal and external factors that contribute to the development of burnout.
External factors
Maslach und Leiter constructed six structural/environmental factors in the work place which can contribute to the development of burnout (Maslach C, Leiter MP, Dt.: Die Wahrheit über Burnout, Berlin: Springer 2001).
- Lack of fairness and mutual respect when interacting with others (emphasis on competition not co-operation)
- Lack of control of the effects of one's actions
- Breakdown of community and trust
- Overload of work
- Insufficient recognition
Internal factors:
There are personal and life-historical backgrounds that make us more susceptible for burnout:
According to choice of career and experiences the following factors can play an important role.
- Perfectionism
- Doubts about one's communicative abilities
- Exaggerated identification
- High expectations towards oneself
- Compulsivity
- Idealism
It's difficult for people with such a background to recognize the borders of their own possibilities and abilities. They feel responsible for more than they should. A person who recognizes their own needs and limits is usually not susceptible to burnout.
If one looks at occupations which are predestined for Burnout, it's striking that they all deal with grief, miseries or expectations concerning sequences of contacts. On the one side we have jobs where contacts occur in a more or less personal or intimate situation (e.g. doctors, nurses, social worker, architects etc.). Within a sector with a high risk level for burnout one contact succeeds the other. On the other side we look at occupations where individuals are confronted with a large group a people (e.g. teachers, flight attendants). Many authors also describe the burnout-syndrome within occupation without social contacts (e.g. housewife, motherhood, care for elderly relatives etc.).
Hans Finder und Edi Czamler
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