Have you ever experienced “burnout” of are you currently battling this condition?

I’m sorry to say that I have found myself in this place too many times to count and have spent many years trying to figure out how to manage this predicament more effectively.

For me it feels like  “no more gas in the tank” …done…complete mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion. Does this resonate? How do you react when you get to this place?

If you’re like me, you may respond with temporary band-aids…. a spa day…vacation…shopping spree… new workout regime… new dietary supplement or vitamin. These aids may provide temporary relief but eventually daily pressures, expectations and realities come roaring back.

The concept of “burnout” was officially codified in two scientific journals in 1974, and associated with fatigue, exhaustion, and distress.  Today the World Health Organization defines burnout as “energy depletion and exhaustion coupled with increasing mental distance from a job and/or feelings of negativity/cynicism about a job and/or reduced mental clarity/cognitive function/efficacy.”

What we know now is that burnout is real. We also know that it can be overcome and prevented.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the fact is that our greatest strengths can quickly become our greatest weaknesses when overused and not managed effectively.

Think about your own journey. Have you ever fallen victim to trying to be a people pleaser, a perfectionist, a helper, overachiever, over-functioner or “nice” guy?  Have you ever secretly suffered, sacrificed, and pushed through crippling pain to cross the finish line?

Burnout becomes serious and can impact long-term health outcomes when it is chronic or becomes a lifestyle.

Here are the stages of burnout codified in Scientific American, 2006:

1. COMPULSION TO GO “OVER AND ABOVE” TO PROVE WORTH.

2. INABILITY TO STOP WORKING AFTER 50 HRS/WEEK.

3. AVOIDING CONFLICTS/PROBLEMS/CONCERNS.

4. NEGLECTING/DISCOUNTING PERSONAL NEEDS.

5. ALTERING VALUES/PRIORITIES FOR WORK.

6. DENYING AVOIDING, IGNORING EMERGING PROBLEMS.

7. WITHDRAWL PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY. HIDING.

8. BEHAVIORAL CHANGES.

9.  DEPERSONALIZATION – NOT SEEING SELF OR OTHERS AS VALUABLE including emptiness/numbness, clinical depression and ultimate mental/physical collapse.

Are these familiar? Recovery and prevention start with understanding the need for self-care; no one can be “on” 24/7 without sacrificing mental, physical, and emotional health. Take an honest look at your own routines for health eating, adequate sleep AND rest, exercise, prayer/meditation/gratitude and having fun/experiencing enjoyment with loved ones. Are you taking full responsibility for wellness in each of these areas or do you need a mentor/partner who can hold you accountable for healthy thoughts, beliefs and behaviors?

To proactively prevent and/or recover from burnout at work or home, the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health published following recommendations in March 2020:

At work:

Seek to increase and maintain control over your own job functions

Seek, increase, and maintain social support from co-workers and supervisor(s)

Seek to perform tasks that energize instead of tasks that deplete

Seek honest, constructive feedback that facilitates growth

 

At home:

Seek to increase and maintain both autonomy and social support

Reduce conflict

 

Personal:

Improve and maintain physical health (eat, sleep, hydrate, exercise)

Regularly engage in relaxation activities such as mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, massage, hot soaks

Maintain or establish daily well-being practice such as meditation, prayer, gratitude.

What opportunities are available to you to prevent or recover from burnout? What’s within your control and where do you need support? What could potentially keep you stuck in an unhealthy cycle or trigger an unhealthy response? What’s underneath your strivings and expectations; what do you really want?  What are possible next steps and how can you be held accountable to re-engineer and re-build the pieces that may not be working well for you right now?

We’ll be digging into this topic at our upcoming free webinar: Burnout Protection Recovery & Resilience: 8 Steps to Mastery Wednesday October 26, 2022, at 12 noon PDT. To register please visit www.bydesigncoachingcenter.com/events.  Free one-hour discovery sessions are available for those who would also like to learn more about coaching and training opportunities for you or your team seeking to manage stress more effectively. To learn more please email laura@bydesigncoachingcenter.com and please stay safe and well.