Navigating Work Burnout
Companies everywhere are making sweeping & drastic layoffs- leaving those left behind to hold the work load. Leaving many with a glaring risk of burnout.
What is burnout?
The Mayo Clinic defines burnout as, “a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” Some symptoms can include: difficulty concentrating, sleepiness, quick emotional responses/lashing out or stonewalling, having irregular sleep habits, migraines, compassion fatigue, changes in your diet, or even similarities to depression.
How to deal with burnout?
HelpGuide.org refers to the 3-R strategy of navigating burnout: Recognize (signs of burnout), Reverse (seek support & manage stress), and Resilience (build your toolbox of skills to support your physical & mental wellness).
When you are in Resilience, it is time to check in with your coping skills:
Are you setting boundaries that protect your peace?
What self soothing skills help you decompress after work?
Are there negative cycles at work that need to be addressed?
What is your support system like?
Have you checked in about the marble metaphor?
What is the marble metaphor? Most people recognize the social metaphor “losing marbles” means losing mental wellness- the gist is that we have so many “marbles” in life. These “marbles” make up our energy related to: emotionally supporting ourselves, setting boundaries, time management, healing, self awareness, etc. When we have a healthy balance, we can give some “marbles” away: to work, family, big tasks/projects, emotionally supporting others, etc. If we BURNOUT- we are left without any “marbles” for ourself, therefor perpetuating this cycle of imbalance where you don’t have enough energy left.
Now that we found areas to work on, what is next?
Once you have identified where you are in need (of boundaries, time management, emotional support, etc) it is time to get it. Advocate for yourself and your needs! If you have difficulty with this, talk to your therapist.
A few examples may be:
Delegating work
Not working outside of work hours
Not conceding boundaries
Building your support system (eg. nanny, cleaning service, get that DoorDash meal for tonight, go out with a friend, build connections with colleagues)
Keep your wellness in check (eg. staying hydrated, eating well, having an self time each day, getting outdoors, etc)
Recognize that working yourself into the ground doesn’t gain you as much as living a balanced life.
Accept that sometimes things get dropped, life is not perfect-and the only way to make space for it to come back into play is if your energy is balance.
If some of these topics seems difficult for you to navigate alone, check in with your therapist. Creating a “semi”-balanced life plan (or pla- as Phoebe from Friends would say) can help lead to less incidences of burnout.
It is also important to note, sometimes we cannot get around burnout. For whatever reason- midterms, finals, a big work project, etc- there may be times when it is more about getting through than making changes. In times like this, self support should be very consistent even if it is basic- hygiene, hydrating, eating & sleeping. If the basics is all we have that is okay, for a certain amount of time. If this goes on too long, the burnout will continue. If you feel stuck in your cycle of burnout- check in with your therapist about creative ways that apply directly to your life circumstances.
