Symptoms Of Burnout in PR

Symptoms of burnout in PR

Both individuals and organisations that I work with often ask about the symptoms of burnout in PR. No one wants their staff to burn out, and overwhelmed or stressed individuals are often keen to know if what they are feeling is, in fact, burnout. “Burnout” has become one of those buzz words that’s often bandied around, but what does it really mean?

What are symptoms of burnout in PR?

The first place to turn is the World Health Organisation who classes burnout as:

“Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
• Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
• Reduced professional efficacy”

• Time off work
• Illnesses – a reduced immune system means they will pick up everything going. Meanwhile they may also be suffering from sometimes stress related health conditions like headaches or stomach issues
• Lack of engagement with work, colleagues and clients. Their attitude to and enthusiasm for work will have changed
• Performance takes a downward turn
• Disruptive behaviour and negative impact on morale. Perhaps they are the first to spread discord. This can be openly or behind closed doors.
• Substance abuse and addictions. This doesn’t always have to mean alcohol and drugs. Mainlining on sugar and caffeine can be common too, as can gambling.
• Brain fog with an inability to think clearly or make decisions. Staff who were previously very creative may lose that skill

What causes burnout in PR?

As you can imagine, stress is a major factor. I think anyone who works in PR would agree that it is a stressful job. Whether it’s trying to calm an out of control social media thread or directing photographers and videographers on a shoot, PR has plenty of opportunities for us to feel stressed. A certain amount of stress is a good thing. Our brains respond to stress by releasing the chemicals adrenaline and cortisol which enhance our performance. This is why we can suddenly feel fired up with the energy to direct those suppliers or rise to making the new client pitch. We call this Eustress.

However, many PRs experience these stresses multiple times a day – from the moment when the alarm clock shrills its strident alarm to the battling for a space on the tube after work. Our days may be full of moments where we have to perform, stay creative, smooth over relationships and face rejection. There are often long hours to add into the mix. Some may find they excel in these circumstances . It’s important to note that many people thrive in this kind of environment and may not even see these things as stressful. However, for some the cumulative effect results in chronic stress, or distress. This is when it becomes normal for our bodies to be hijacked by Cortisol and adrenaline. We then see the symptoms of burnout.

There’s something else in the mix too, especially with those PRs who have a lot of interraction with clients or perhaps run events. This is Surface Acting, where we put on a mask of being jolly and positive whilst hiding what’s going on beneath. As you can imagine, that’s quite a strain on our brains and a further stressor. I also work with clients who find multi-tasking, something else that’s common in PR, highly difficult.

It’s not all in the workplace

We are pointing the finger at PR and marketing workplaces here, but it’s not always the workplace that’s the stressor. I have worked with clients who are almost literally burned out from life. They may have young children and all the stresses of parenting. Then they suffer a bereavement, break up with a partner, and a health condition comes up. Quite suddenly, they don’t have the same capacity to deal with the stresses of work and are more susceptible to burning out. It may not be totally caused by work, but you can see the symptoms at work.

Can burnout in PR be fixed by time off?

It can help, yes, but it’s not the whole answer. The key ingredient in burnout is that the stresses pile up. Adrenaline and cortisol hi-jack the brain and that becomes the norm. There is literally no break to diffuse them. So, a break from stress can help, but if work is just the same when we return then it’s only a temporary holiday. So, what’s the answer? I’ll be looking at that in my next post.

Meanwhile, if you think you’re suffering from burnout in PR, or would like to address it in your workplace, you can contact me or book in a call to discuss how I can help. I offer executive coaching, training and therapy for the PR industry.