Feeling the Burnout Blues?
Myra McNair
With so much happening in our world, we’re all feeling it. But how do we deal with it?
There’s been a lot of attention lately on burnout, quiet quitting and work-life balance. It’s understandable given how models of work have been all over the place the last few years. We’re seeing some shifts in people’s perception of work-life balance and what that means for them. Because more people are addressing work-life balance, the concept of burnout is surfacing more often. Let’s talk about what it is and what you can do to lift yourself up out of it if it’s happening to you.
What is burnout?
Even though we’ve been hearing the word more lately due to the additional stressors the pandemic has brought on, burnout is not new.
Burnout is marked by emotional, mental and physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress, and withdrawal associated with increased workload and institutional stress that is not trauma-related. Though it’s typically associated with the workplace, burnout can also appear in personal areas of life such as parenting, caretaking, or romantic relationships.
Burnout is not to be confused with stress.
The four stages of burnout
Enthusiasm: The “honeymoon” stage where you feel excited about your additional responsibilities, ready to take on the world.
Stagnation: This is the stage where you start to get bogged down in the details, which can lead to procrastination as you start to feel overwhelmed.
Frustration: The whole process starts to become a vicious cycle as you feel unable to pull yourself out of the overwhelm long enough to complete the tasks at hand, which leads to feelings of frustration and ineptitude.
Apathy: Finally, you start to displace yourself from the work that is causing you all these hard feelings and go into a denial/withdrawal mode. You may feel empty or depressed, and the exhaustion will really start to hit.
What causes burnout?
We’ve already touched on what causes burnout at a base level, but we’ll dig a little deeper.
Work: Being asked to do more than is in your job description, working extra hours on a consistent basis, or taking on projects you might not be ready for are all prime ingredients for burnout. Professionals in healthcare, education, and law enforcement are especially prone.
Caretaking: If you are responsible for your aging parents, an adult child with special needs, or any other caretaking duties that take up your time and energy, you may feel yourself starting to fray around the edges.
Parenting: Even typically developing children will go through ages and stages that will drive the most patient parent to frustration and exhaustion at times. Every parent has experienced burnout.
Best bets for minimizing burnout
There is no magic formula for minimizing burnout, but there are steps you can take to slowly pull yourself back into a healthy, fulfilling place.
Self care isn’t selfish – it’s a must. Remember how the flight attendant instructs you to put your oxygen mask on before helping others with theirs? Use this as a generalization for how to handle any stress in your life and those around you. You must take care of yourself first in order to be of any value to those you care about.
Healthy work-life balance is achievable. More and more folks are finding the value in balancing their time more equally between work and their personal lives. If you are in an employment situation that doesn’t currently support this, it might be time to look at your other options. And if you are in a flexible work arrangement, take advantage of it!
Learn to say no. You may have heard this messaging in different workshops and self-help books. It is one of the most valuable tools to have in your self-help belt. You cannot do everything nor should you. Let your values speak to you when considering whether or not to say “yes” or “no.” Your inner voice and body signals can be powerful indicators.
At Anesis Therapy, we believe everyone deserves to be seen and honored fully–not only as dynamic and nuanced individuals, but also as people who are shaped by, and are shaping, their communities, cultures, faiths and families. We meet our clients where they are, and together chart a course for healing that is supportive, accessible, creative and joyous!
Get to know our team and connect with us. We’re here to answer your questions and start your therapy journey with you.