第1558期:How to avoid burnout

Whether it’s studying for exams, working on a project or struggling with a dissertation, we’ve all been under immense stress at some point. When it gets a bit overwhelming, we can reach a level of exhaustion that is unprecedented – the dreaded burnout. However, that feeling of exhaustion is not just physical; it can be mental as well.

无论是准备考试、做项目还是写论文，我们都曾在某些时候承受过巨大的压力。当它变得有点压倒性时，我们会达到前所未有的疲惫程度——可怕的倦怠。然而，这种疲惫感不仅仅是身体上的；它也可以是精神上的。

According to ‘Psychology Today’, burnout isn’t just caused by working long hours; it is more about prolonged or repeated exposure to a stressful situation. The result can be feelings of cynicism, depression and lethargy. A feeling of loss of control in a work scenario can create a conflict with the sense of self – which can lead to burnout. Suffering from burnout can stifle our creativity and productivity. Ironically, this means that striving to be more efficient can result in a reduction in our productivity.

根据“今日心理学”，倦怠不仅仅是由于长时间工作造成的；它更多的是关于长期或反复暴露于压力情况。结果可能是愤世嫉俗、抑郁和嗜睡的感觉。在工作场景中失去控制的感觉会与自我意识产生冲突——这会导致倦怠。精疲力竭会扼杀我们的创造力和生产力。具有讽刺意味的是，这意味着努力提高效率可能会降低我们的生产力。

But what can we do to avoid the evils of burnout? Well, there are some tips that may help you. Psychologist Albert Bandura’s idea of self-efficacy – which is the theory that you should believe in your ability to complete a task at hand - may assist you. A feeling that the task is achievable and that you are capable of succeeding means that a difficult task might be less gruelling.

但是我们能做些什么来避免倦怠的危害呢？好吧，有一些提示可能会对您有所帮助。心理学家阿尔伯特班杜拉的自我效能观念——即你应该相信自己有能力完成手头任务的理论——可能会对你有所帮助。任务是可以完成的并且你有能力成功的感觉意味着一项艰巨的任务可能不那么累人。

Finding ways to express your creative side may help. Not everyone has creative aspects to their jobs, and, therefore, they need to find other outlets. They could paint, write or take part in local theatre. All of this may help to detach them from the overwhelming stress that may exist in their working life.

寻找表达创意的方式可能会有所帮助。并非每个人的工作都具有创造性，因此，他们需要寻找其他出路。他们可以绘画、写作或参加当地的剧院。所有这些都可能有助于他们摆脱工作生活中可能存在的巨大压力。

Looking after yourself and your surroundings can also be beneficial. The consequence is that you are surrounded by a cleaner and more positive environment. This, in turn, leads to another tip, which is to have healthy and positive thoughts. Being negative can be incredibly draining. Having a positive mental attitude towards everything you do means that you may feel more capable as well.

照顾好自己和周围的环境也是有益的。结果是你被一个更清洁、更积极的环境所包围。这反过来又引出了另一个技巧，那就是要有健康和积极的想法。消极会令人难以置信地消耗精力。对你所做的每一件事都保持积极的心态意味着你也会觉得自己更有能力。

Burnout is a common condition associated with the pressures of the modern world. It’s not just a physical condition; it has psychological effects that can impact heavily on your work and life in general. Taking steps to avoid burning out can benefit not just us, but our bosses and families.

倦怠是与现代世界的压力相关的常见状况。这不仅仅是身体状况；它具有心理影响，总体上会严重影响您的工作和生活。采取措施避免精疲力竭不仅可以使我们受益，还可以使我们的老板和家人受益。

词汇表

stress 压力
overwhelming 难以承受的
unprecedented 空前的
dreaded 令人畏惧的，可怕的，
prolonged 长期的，持续很久的
cynicism 愤世嫉俗，冷嘲热讽
depression 抑郁，惆怅
lethargy 无精打采
sense of self 自我感知
stifle 扼杀
strive 奋斗，努力
self-efficacy 自我效能
achievable （工作或任务）可完成的
capable 有能力的
gruelling 折磨人的，使人精疲力尽的
outlet 施展的机会
beneficial 有益的
draining 使人心力交瘁的
positive mental attitude 积极心态