Perfectionists are more likely to develop burnout, also known as “professional exhaustion”.
- Exposure to the risk of burnout can concern the professions of help, care, teaching, etc.
- To prevent burnout, it is advisable to ensure that the organization of work and its constraints do not overload employees.
Work overload, lack of fairness, low rewards… Several factors can promote the occurrence of burnout. According to Australian psychiatrist, Gordon Parker, perfectionism can also be responsible for general overwork. This is what he revealed in work described and published in a new “comprehensive guide to self-help” titled Burnout: A Guide to Identifying Burnout and Pathways to Recovery (Routledge, 2022).
Perfectionists “set unrealistic and unrelenting standards”
In a statement, the specialist explained that burnout syndrome is very common among high performers in their workplace. However, it is increasingly common in private life. “Most people think of burnout as a work-related disorder. In fact, we found that stress felt at work or at home can set the wheels of burnout in motion,” said Gordon Parker.
“Our analyzes indicated that burnout can also develop due to predisposed personality traits, including perfectionism. Perfectionists are generally excellent workers, as they are extremely dependable and conscientious. However, they are also prone to burnout because they set unrealistic and unrelenting standards for their own performance that are ultimately impossible to meet,” explained the psychiatrist.
Adults affected by burnout “suffer from cognitive dysfunction”
Gordon Parker indicated that the symptoms of burnout were “very extensive”. “Most people think of burnout as extreme fatigue. But those affected also suffer from cognitive dysfunction, sometimes known as ‘brain fog’, and disconnection with friends and family, as well as reduction in performance at work and in domestic tasks”he continued.