In a personal reflection on burnout, Zahaan Bharmal, a Google employee and NASA award recipient, explores how principles of physics helped him comprehend the emotional toll of job loss and the broader implications of workplace stress. After being made redundant in 2001, Bharmal faced a profound crisis that reshaped his understanding of success and the unpredictable nature of life.
Bharmal’s early fascination with physics, particularly Newton’s second law of motion, provided him with a sense of order. The equation “force equals mass times acceleration” symbolized a structured universe where effort yielded predictable results. However, losing his job shattered that belief. The redundancy was not a personal failure; it occurred within the context of larger economic forces, notably the burst of the dotcom bubble, which reverberated throughout the global economy.
Reflecting on this experience, Bharmal notes that numerous financial crises, such as the 2008 sub-prime mortgage crash and the 2011 eurozone crisis, share common traits. These events exemplify chaotic systems, where minor variations can lead to significant consequences. The “three-body problem” in physics illustrates this concept well. While two celestial bodies can be predicted with accuracy, the introduction of a third creates complexity that defies predictability. Similarly, life can present unexpected challenges that disrupt even the most calculated plans.
As Bharmal navigated his own burnout, he observed that many individuals respond to chaos by attempting to exert more control. This often leads to overwork, which paradoxically increases vulnerability. The UK faces a mental health crisis, with 91% of adults reporting high stress levels in the past year, as highlighted by a report from Mental Health UK. Young workers, in particular, frequently engage in unpaid overtime, with 65% of them working weekends to meet demands.
This societal pressure can create an environment where individuals operate at their limits, akin to a power grid running at full capacity. Bharmal emphasizes that systems designed without slack are prone to failure during unexpected surges. Engineers build resilience into power grids by maintaining a surge capacity. Similarly, individuals must recognize the importance of leaving room for the unexpected to avoid burnout.
Bharmal draws a parallel to the phenomenon of boiling water, which remains stable until it reaches a critical threshold. At that point, a rapid transformation occurs. Likewise, stress accumulates until it reaches a tipping point, leading to sudden burnout. This gradual buildup often goes unnoticed until the individual can no longer cope.
Over time, Bharmal has developed strategies to enhance his personal surge capacity. He advocates for leaving adequate slack in daily schedules and prioritizing recovery, viewing it as essential rather than indulgent. He criticizes a work culture that glorifies over-commitment and treats burnout as a personal failing rather than a systemic flaw.
Recent findings, including the alarming increase of individuals leaving the workforce due to mental health issues, underscore the need for a shift in perspective. Bharmal argues that the relentless drive for productivity without considering human limits is unsustainable. Until society embraces the idea that resilience requires inefficiency, individuals will continue to optimize their way toward burnout.
In conclusion, while Bharmal acknowledges the validity of Newton’s laws, he emphasizes that understanding when to ease off is equally crucial. The lessons learned from both personal experience and physics illustrate that navigating life’s complexities requires a balance between effort and self-care.
