What Kind Of Exhaustion Is There?

Exhaustion can occur in different ways. Some of its forms have detrimental consequences long after they have stopped working, which is why it is very important to be able to identify burnout. Some of them are irreversible. Often the problem is that a person is so immersed in his work that he is not even aware of the existence of the problem. In this article, we will look at what kind of work exhaustion exists.

Exhaustion is a temporary inability to do work that a person has been doing for a long time. All forms of exhaustion, including work-related exhaustion, have physical, mental, and intellectual components.

Exhaustion varies in intensity and symptoms, which is why it can be classified in different ways. The classification is based on which area in the body it affects, as well as the origin of exhaustion. Thus, burnout can be approached from different perspectives. Next, we will discuss the most significant forms of burnout.

What kind of burnout exists: classification according to the cause

There are many possible causes of exhaustion. Sometimes burnout is caused by physical work, sometimes it can be triggered by mental tasks or high levels of stress.

• Physical burnout. Exhaustion caused by excessive strain on the psychomotor system is called physical exhaustion. It can be due to lifting too heavy goods, persistent poor working posture, pre-existing injuries, or movements that are harmful to the body.
• Mental burnout. Such burnout is often overlooked. It is caused by excessive strain caused by intellectual tasks or constant monotony of work. It often leads to health problems.

• Manual exhaustion. Such exhaustion is due to doing too mechanical tasks for a long time. Manual exhaustion includes cognitive and sensory substimulation .
• Sensory weakness. Sensory exhaustion is when one sense is overstimulated. People who constantly work in front of a display terminal often suffer from sensory exhaustion.
• Nervous system exhaustion. Such exhaustion is caused by repetitive tasks automatically.
• Psychological exhaustion. Psychological exhaustion is often suffered by people with a lot of work responsibilities because they have to make important decisions very quickly. Doctors and air traffic controllers are good examples of this.
• Information exhaustion. If the job description involves a lot of data processing, such exhaustion may occur. The amount of knowledge to be absorbed is too much for the psychic abilities to process it.

• Emotional exhaustion. The work of a nurse, teacher, or therapist can be very emotionally demanding. Such exhaustion can quickly lead to burnout if a person does not take sufficient care of themselves.

The intensity of burnout varies

Exhaustion can also be classified according to its severity or consequences. This classification is much more technical as it directly refers to the effects of exhaustion on physical and mental health.

From this perspective, there are two main forms of burnout. The first of these is physiological fatigue. This is normal fatigue after a long effort. Such exhaustion can be overcome by resting. Another type of work exhaustion is pathological exhaustion that does not go away at rest.

Pathological fatigue is classified as follows:

• Acute exhaustion. This state of extreme exhaustion comes from greater than normal physical, intellectual, or emotional effort. Rest alone does not help, as we have already mentioned. Treating acute exhaustion requires much more time.
• Chronic fatigue. This exhaustion increases over time. It requires deep and long-term rest. If left untreated, chronic exhaustion can even lead to death.
• Exhaustion of the mind. This is the most serious form of exhaustion. It is chronic fatigue with significant physical and mental symptoms. This exhaustion is irreversible and makes a person unable to continue their work.

So there are many kinds of burnout, which is why it is so important to understand their signs and symptoms. There is a reason for fatigue and a feeling of exhaustion. Don’t ignore the symptoms! You need to understand that overburdening yourself with work will not make you a better employee it will only endanger your health.