New research highlighting the prevalence of burnout in the accountancy profession underscores the importance of understanding the symptoms and reaching out for help, writes Cristian Holmes
Being a Chartered Accountant is a highly respected and rewarding career choice, and there are a great many people who are incredibly happy in their role.
However, for some, long working hours and tight deadlines can make for a high-pressure environment, which can sometimes lead to severe physical, emotional and behavioural symptoms we often associate with burnout.
New research shows the concerning prevalence of chronic stress and other burnout-related symptoms within the profession.
Findings of new research
Based on a study of more than 300 Chartered Accountants from a range of accountancy bodies in the UK, our research has found that 74 percent have experienced some form of burnout in the last 12 months.
Thirty-six percent reported suffering from insomnia or disrupted sleep, 32 percent had been diagnosed or self-identified with depression, and 29 percent had experienced regular panic attacks.
Within their working lives, two in five said symptoms of burnout had impaired their ability to do their job or prompted them to take time off.
Excessive workload was cited as the number one cause of burnout (46%), followed by work-life imbalance (45%), monotonous or unchallenging work (32%) and a lack of support from supervisors (31%).
10 signs of burnout
Burnout occurs when we feel overwhelmed emotionally and physically – so much so that it becomes almost impossible to function in our work or personal life or both.
Burnout affects people in different ways. Stress is often an early warning sign of burnout and one of the main symptoms, but here are a few other signs to look out for:
1. Brain fog
Because our brains are worrying about so much, it can impact our ability to think clearly. This can lead to you struggling to understand instructions from your manager and complete basic tasks.
2. Joint pain
Our brains interpret physical and emotional pain in the same place – the amygdala. This means that prolonged emotional pain can also lead to physical pain, ranging from sharp, shooting pains to constant aching and pulsing pains.
3. Tiredness
Feeling fatigued because your energy levels are low can result in you wanting to sleep longer because you’re trying to regain the energy you’ve lost from working so hard. What’s more, operating with less energy can also be more draining.
4. Poor motivation
When you’re burnt out, it can be a challenge to do the things you usually don’t mind doing. You may find you’re struggling to get out of bed in the morning, finding cooking a chore and avoiding team meetings and work outings.
5. Irritability
Low energy levels and the lack of sleep brought on by burnout can also result in people generally having less patience and getting aggravated by things that wouldn’t usually irritate them.
6. Detached outlook
Being pushed to the brink can lead to feeling detached from everything around you. It may be that things you used to enjoy no longer appeal to you, or, in more serious cases, you stop caring about yourself (e.g. personal hygiene) and those around you.
7. Digestive issues
Our digestive system can be heavily affected by our body’s fight-or-flight response. Issues such as diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea and indigestion are some of the ways stress can impact our digestive system.
8. Anxiety
A constant feeling of dread, and there being no apparent reason for that dread, can be a sign of burnout or generalised anxiety disorder. The disorder can be aggravated or caused by long-term stress and burnout.
9. Constant overdrive
You may find yourself worrying about work, even when you’re taking part in fun activities, such as family days out. When you can’t switch off, it’s not uncommon for you to constantly be worrying about what could happen, even when it might not.
10. Feeling overwhelmed
When you hit a certain point, you may find that you feel overwhelmed emotionally, even if there isn’t much going on. You may have a lighter workload than usual but are struggling to get through it because you have less energy and motivation than usual.
Reach out for support
We would urge anyone struggling with feelings of burnout to reach out – whether it be to a loved one, a friend or a member of their community.
You will find that no matter how low you are feeling, there is always someone there to support and guide you. You are never alone.
Cristian Holmes is Chief Executive of the Chartered Accountants Benevolent Association, the occupational charity for members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and their close families