Are you under immense workload pressure?
Constant workplace stress – manifesting as physical and mental fatigue – can lead to burnout.
In May, the World Health Organization recognised burnout as “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”
This prompted researchers from the Yellowbrick young adult treatment centre in the US to uncover the factors behind burnout among the Millennial workforce. The study found 96% of respondents grappled with burnout in their everyday life.
Nearly three in five workers (57%) between the ages of 23 and 38 reported experiencing mental exhaustion either daily or multiple times per week, while a similar number (60%) said they felt physically exhausted at the same frequency.
READ MORE: Millennial workers most likely to contemplate suicide
The top causes of burnout the respondents cited ranged from pressures in their career to issues in their personal life:
- Work – 72%
- Finances – 46%
- Socialising – 33%
- Cleaning home – 30%
- Credit card debt – 29%
- Arguments with a partner – 27%
- Student loan debt – 26%
- Politics – 25%
- Errands – 21%
- Commuting – 20%
Workplace stress among Millennials
While less than half (48%) consider themselves to be workaholic, about seven in 10 Millennials (68%) suffer from so-called “workism,” in which they identify themselves and gauge their self-worth through their profession, the researchers noted.
Many feel pressured to have the “perfect job” (63%), always be accessible online (62%), and work longer hours (61%), the study found.
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To manage these pressures, young workers reportedly turn to entertainment on streaming platforms (16%), sleeping (10%), exercising (10%), meditation (8%), surfing the internet (7%) or connecting with family and friends (5%). Others drink alcohol (9%) or take substances (8%) to cope.
But Millennial workers are also “taking big steps when it comes to avoiding burnout,” the researchers said. “More than 60% of respondents said they are either planning or considering making a major lifestyle choice within the next year to reduce symptoms of exhaustion and stress.”