High sensitivity and risk of burnout in open space?

Burnout is increasingly present in our modern societies where the demand for profitability has become a priority and where caring of people is often relegated to second place .

Open spaces at work

French companies that have widely adopted the German concept of the brothers Eberhard and Wolfang Schnelle, who imagined an "open-plan office", without partitions and with discreet furniture, all decorated with green plants to encourage communication within the company itself, are today decrying these open work spaces .

Indeed, the noise pollution they generate but also the concentration disorders , stress and the feeling of being controlled by colleagues or collaborators can quickly lead you to this famous professional burnout that has become legion in recent years. I see it in my practice . And it is certain that these open office layouts , where we have often forgotten the presence of green plants, oops 😬!, while they were an integral part of the original concept, cause damage to people with high potential, high sensitivity and/or empaths .

Where does burnout come from?

Burnout is a process of deterioration of the relationship to work that leads the employee to exhaustion. Note that this can be caused by harassment from a superior , which can also sometimes lead to psychological influence.

However, it is often the result of an overload of work , an environment unsuitable for the employee, such as open spaces for hypersensitive people, an event with a high emotional charge experienced on a personal or professional level (bereavement, separation, harassment at work), or a combination of these three components.

Any of these situations, or all three together, can lead the employee to a state of prolonged stress, with the feeling of no longer having the energy necessary to accomplish what is asked of them in the allotted time.

Why am I more likely to burn out if I am high potential, hypersensitive or empath 🤔?

Depending on their personality, the hypersensitive, the empath or the high potential can be particularly prone to burnout due to their hypersensitivity because they can:

• be more easily invaded by the emotions of the people around him

• have more difficulty saying no and setting limits because of their empathy and this tendency to put the needs of others before their own

• have more difficulty concentrating in open spaces

• be more in demand to compensate for the shortcomings of his peers because of his efficiency in delivering work well done and on time

• systematically replace absent colleagues by accumulating a double workload covering both positions, for the reasons mentioned above

• be less effective if he feels observed , therefore he spends more energy managing this additional source of stress

• be easily disturbed and exhausted by noise pollution (telephones, discussions, etc.)

• being overstimulated by various external stimuli

• be more demanding of himself in his desire for perfectionism

• to do more than others because he likes to challenge himself and is constantly looking for learning

• not to pick up once home because cannot press the off button 🤯 (brain overheating, overflowing creativity)

• over-adapt and forget yourself

Symptoms of burnout

This phenomenon of deterioration in the relationship to work evolves gradually and results in the following symptoms:

• a decrease in professional efficiency

• constant anxiety about returning to work

• a drop in morale with sadness and easy tears

• irritability , can't stand anything anymore, can lead to violence

• resentment towards colleagues

• memory disorders

• addictive behavior : alcohol, cigarettes, kava...

• a loss of job satisfaction

• a disinterest in work

• a loss of reference points in terms of identity , does not recognize oneself

• a loss of self-confidence

• emotional exhaustion linked to an overload of work or emotions to manage

• physical ailments: back pain, stomach aches, migraines...

• insomnia

• constant fatigue

• dark thoughts

Non-exhaustive list.

How do I know if I'm burned out?

Burnout should be taken seriously because it can have significant consequences on the mental and physical health of the person who suffers from it. It can also be recognized as an occupational disease.

If you recognize yourself in this description, do not hesitate to consult a psychiatrist . You can already do the Maslach test which is a reference test used by doctors to assess whether a person suffers from burnout, I put the link here .

Mental and emotional fatigue can be a constant in hypersensitive people, zebras and empaths , and burnout , which represents the point of no return, should be avoided at all costs because it sometimes takes months, even years, to regain one's energy level and the consequences can be dramatic .

Six tips to help you quit and avoid getting to that point 😬!

As my mother used to say , prevention is better than cure ! I have made it my adage, which is why I am more focused on the principle of Chinese medicine which is to maintain the good circulation of our energies and I favor practices intended for this purpose.

So to avoid reaching the extreme of burnout, here is my advice:

1 - Think Balance 🧘♀️ . All the components of your life must be balanced. A time for work, a time for leisure, a time to share with your children, a time of pleasure with your partner, traveling companion and a time to dream and DO NOTHING

2 - To help you do nothing, you can, preferably in a natural environment, listen to your senses . Your body will bring you back to the here and now and help you recharge your batteries by recharging with Mother Nature.

3 - Learn to say no and set your limits, by listening to your needs. And if you can't do it alone, get help , I'm here for that 😉

4 - Listen to your body . It is the first to warn you when you are no longer in balance, so you will not wait until you have exceeded the limit of what you can bear to put actions in place.

5 - Be in contact with Mother Nature as often as possible , she costs nothing but will give you a lot.

6 - Learn to breathe to calm your nervous system and bring the energy down to the bottom of your body, into your belly yes

I hope you enjoyed this article and found it helpful.

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Yessss!

I am Marie-Claire, a holistic therapist specializing in supporting high-potential (zebra) people, hypersensitive people and empaths.

I help you find your place and reveal your full potential!

Take advantage of the free discovery call to chat with me and see how my different forms of support could help you!

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