Burnout Syndrome and Yoga
Mehtap Kavumaci*
Nursing Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey
Submission: January 17, 2023; Published: May 18, 2023
*Corresponding author: Mehtap Kavumaci, Nursing Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey
How to cite this article: Mehtap K. Burnout Syndrome and Yoga. J Yoga & Physio. 2023; 10(4):555791. DOI:10.19080/JYP.2023.10.555791
Abstract
Burnout is a syndrome that initially shows its effect on an individual level. But over time it exceeds individual dimensions. Burnout, which causes loss of health, mental problems, behavioral disorders, interpersonal conflicts, and family problems, also has negative effects on working life. One of the most important effects of burnout on working life is the reduction of job satisfaction. Nowadays, new, low cost and more effective techniques are being used in addition to these known methods to prevent burnout and increase job satisfaction. One of these techniques is yoga, which is one of the mind‐body interventions. In this article, the effect of yoga on burnout syndrome and job satisfaction is discussed.
Keywords: Burnout; Job Satisfaction; Stress; Yoga
Burnout Syndrome and Yoga
The concept of burnout was first introduced by Freudenberger in 1974 and was defined as emotional exhaustion, which means that people are unable to fulfill their job requirements as a result of overwork. Burnout, the dictionary meaning of which is “weakness, lack of effort, exhaustion, powerlessness”, is the mental and physical exhaustion of energy that develops after work-related stress [1]. Job satisfaction, on the other hand, is the material benefits obtained from the work and the happiness provided by the employee’s co-workers with whom he/she enjoys working and creating a work [2,3].
Job satisfaction or dissatisfaction is an important attitude in working life and is a product of employees’ feelings, thoughts and behaviors towards their work life or colleagues. People with high job satisfaction have good physical and mental health, few psychological problems, strong bonds with their colleagues and a high level of adjustment. High job satisfaction within the organization also reduces the tendency of employees to seek new jobs and their burnout. On the other hand, job dissatisfaction can lead to reasons such as not going to work, not paying attention to work, indifference to work, being away from work and leaving, and experiencing burnout [3-5].
Therefore, various coping strategies and behaviors are used to reduce or control job dissatisfaction, burnout, and stress. One of these techniques is yoga, which is one of the mind-body practices. Yoga is the oldest known discipline system in the world that helps people cope with stress. The earliest archaeological findings regarding the existence of yoga date back to the 4th century BC. It goes back 3000 years. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root “yug” and means “to unite or integrate”. Yoga is one of the oldest methods of personal development that fully trains the body, mind and spirit and allows one to know oneself. Yoga; consists of breathing exercises, asanas, relaxation, and meditation exercises [6-8].
Yoga gives us tools and techniques to become aware of patterns and habits that cause stress. With these techniques, it strengthens the skills of coping with stress by providing a complete recovery in the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels of the individuals. It provides a unifying framework in which stress can be understood and eliminated. With the spread of yoga from India to the world in the 20th century, yoga has been the subject of much research. Studies have shown that yoga reduces stress, anxiety and depression and is effective on individuals’ burnout and job dissatisfaction [6-10].
Kavurmacı et al. [11], in their experimental study, determined that yoga reduces the burnout of nurse academicians and increases job satisfaction [11]. Cocchiara et al. [12], in their systematic review, determined that yoga is an effective method in the management of stress in healthcare workers [12]. Latino et al. found that an 8-week yoga practice provided teachers with greater physical and emotional awareness and prevented their professional burnout [13]. The literature suggests increasing the number of studies on the effect of yoga on burnout and repeating these studies in different occupational groups and with larger samples. These studies to determine the effect of yoga on burnout will increase the level of evidence and enable the use of yoga in wider areas.
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