what is burnout?
Working with new clients and diving into their experiences of burnout and stress management always makes me reflect and revisit so many of my unanswered questions.
Why are we burning out?
What can I do better in this space to support more people to avoid burnout?
I always come back to the same things, the need to educate and share. Keep getting the message out there, keep talking about the burdens we carry, the importance of self care, rest, recharging. Working with employers to really understand the inherent stressors in their workplace's and the importance of having targeted strategies to support their employees. So!! Here I am again highlighting Burnout!!
What is Burnout?
Basically it's a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged exposure to stress, both at work and in our personal lives. The World Health Organisation came to the party recently and changed it's definition to:
“a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed"
They also talk to the 3 symptoms of burnout:
1. Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
2. Increased mental distance from one’s job or feeling negative towards one’s career
3. Reduced professional productivity
IMO they are pretty bland symptoms of burnout!!! I want to add in, constant fatigue, zero motivation, self doubt, irritability, easy to anger, cynicism and feeling isolated. At times outright confusion about what the heck is going on with my brain and just feeling like I could be wearing someone else's skin!
Not to mention the physical manifestations like headaches, nausea, back pain, shingles, palpitations or stomach issues. Does this resonate with anyone?
There is so much literature coming out around Burnout and yeah sure, there are the common elements that are present for all, but the breadth of individual symptoms, the behavioral, physical and emotional its HUGE!!
Thankfully along with all the information coming out in the recognition of burnout is also the prevention and coping strategies. I discuss these in-depth with my clients as some have greater significance depending on how their burnout or stress presents.
Here are a few strategies to consider.....
NUMBER ONE - Self-Care: You need to prioritise your well-being by being really clear on your priorities and boundaries. This is about ensuring you are topping up your cup. You are no good to anyone on empty..
NUMBER TWO - Get support: Whatever looks like for you. Friends, family, employers, health professionals. We all have a role to play - Reach out.
NUMER THREE - Review your workload. Links with NUMBER ONE. What are your priorities. Delegate. Write your "To Don't" list. What do I actually need to do now, and what can wait.
NUMBER FOUR - Strategies. What are you doing to reduce your stress? What are your stressors? What can I control and what is out of my control. What supports me to calm my nervous system.
NUMER FIVE - 5 Pillars. Consider your sleep, nourishment, movement, balance and connection. What's working and what's not.
Burnout prevention and burnout recovery can look quite different for different people. There is no one size fits all on what you can do. But doing SOMETHING is the first step in both scenarios! If your keen to explore what that something may look like for you or your organisation, reach out, I’d love to chat.