The Many Pages Of Work-related Exhaustion

Work-related fatigue comes in various forms. Some types have consequences that last long after you leave the workplace, which is why it is so important to know and understand how to identify them. Some are impossible to reverse. The problem is often that you are so immersed in work that you do not even realize that it is a problem.

Exhaustion is the temporary inability to do a job after doing the said job for an extended period of time. All different types of exhaustion, including work-related exhaustion, have physical, emotional, and intellectual components.

Work-related fatigue varies in intensity and symptoms, which is why it is divided into different classifications. The classification is based on which area is affected, as well as the origin of exhaustion. As a result, you can approach the many aspects of work-related fatigue from different perspectives. The most important are the next thing we will discuss.

Work-related fatigue: Cause-based classification

Fatigue has many potential causes. Sometimes physical work causes fatigue. Other times, mental tasks or high stress levels can be triggers.

• Physical exhaustion. Exhaustion that is caused by excessive effort in the psychomotor system is called physical exhaustion. It can be due to lifting too much weight, having persistent poor posture, injuries that are already there or unhealthy movements.
• Mental exhaustion. This is a kind of work-related exhaustion that often goes unnoticed. It is usually intellectual overload or excessive monotony that causes it. It often leads to health problems.

• Mechanical exhaustion. This type of fatigue is triggered by performing excessively mechanical tasks over a long period of time. Mechanical exhaustion involves cognitive and sensory understimulation .
• Sensory exhaustion. Sensory fatigue is when one of the senses is overstimulated. People who work in front of a screen all day often suffer from sensory fatigue.
• Fatigue in the nervous system. This type of exhaustion is triggered by repeated automatic tasks.
• Psychological exhaustion. People with a lot of work responsibilities often suffer from psychological exhaustion because they often have to make important decisions very quickly. Doctors and air traffic controllers are good examples of this type of job.
• Information exhaustion. If your job involves handling a lot of data, you may experience information exhaustion. The information you take in overwhelms your mental ability to handle it all.

• Emotional exhaustion. Being a nurse, teacher or counselor can be extremely emotionally demanding. This type of exhaustion can quickly lead to burnout if you do not take good care of yourself.

Varying intensities

You can also classify the different aspects of work-related fatigue based on their intensity or consequences. This categorization is more technical since it refers to the effects on physical and mental health directly.

From this point of view, there are two main types of work-related fatigue. The first is physiological fatigue. This is the usual exhaustion that you feel after a long effort. All you need to do to get rid of this kind of exhaustion is to rest. The second type is pathological exhaustion, but it does not go away with rest.

These are the variations in the category of pathological exhaustion:

• Acute exhaustion. This state of extreme exhaustion occurs after a physical, intellectual or emotional exertion that is greater than usual. We mentioned above that a simple rest does not help. Resolving acute exhaustion requires much more time.
• Chronic fatigue. This is exhaustion that builds up over time. It requires deep and prolonged rest. Failure to treat chronic fatigue can even lead to death.
• Mental exhaustion. This is the most severe type of fatigue. It is chronic fatigue with significant physical and mental symptoms. This type of exhaustion is impossible to reverse, and it prevents the person from continuing to do their job.

We can conclude that there are many types of work-related fatigue, which is why it is so important to understand the signs and symptoms. You feel exhausted and tired for a reason. Do not ignore your symptoms! You need to understand that overworking yourself does not make you a better employee. It only endangers your health.