As a society, we are in a strange time of adjusting to the new normal after a long and arduous couple of years. I know that the term burnout has been tossed around a lot and even just reading it can be triggering, but I wanted to take some time to go over what the symptoms are and what the antidote can be. Burnout symptoms can include, an overwhelming feeling of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion, detachment from work, and poor performance (InformedHealth.org, 2020). Exhaustion can seep into your bones and permeate all areas of your life. Detachment from work can cause even the simplest of tasks to seem overwhelming and daunting, decision making can be impaired, and you may feel unable to continue to manage your normal workload. The inability to perform at a normal level can affect work, home, and social life. You may become excessively negative, have poor concentration, and feel a sense of brain fog which is pervasive and lingers (InformedHealth.org, 2020). Each of these things can contribute to physical symptoms such as tense muscles, headaches, increased agitation, exaggerated startle response, gastrointestinal problems, and a decreased desire to perform normal physical activity (Informedhealth.org, 2020). If you are feeling these symptoms and are struggling and not understanding where the sense of apathy is coming from, it can be helpful to know that burnout is a natural reaction to what we have all faced with the global pandemic and all of the times we have had to pivot and change over the past few years.

The most effective way to help lessen the risk of burnout and begin to repair (if you are already in a state of burnout), is to honor the process of rest and recovery. There are things that cannot be changed in life, so it is important to focus on the areas where you can lower stress levels. This could include saying “no” and having boundaries in place to prevent furthering stress levels. Offloading tasks on other members of the household or workforce, and potentially even taking some time off work (even a few days) to help rest and recuperate are good options as well. It can be difficult to ask for help, but your wellness is worth it!

Small things which can be implemented immediately include trying to get 7+ hours of sleep per night, any movement of your body (walking, dancing, working out), as well as connection with another person who you can let down your guard with and have your feelings validated. Each of these things may not cause a life altering change immediately, but they can help you begin to restore wellness.

Finally, keep in mind that you are not alone in all of this. There are many others who are struggling right now, reach out to a counselor if you feel you need professional help. Reach out to a friend for coffee, and if I can encourage anything else- shut down social media. This seems like a way to build connection, but it is often something that increases feelings of loneliness and disconnect. Burnout did not occur overnight, so it may take time to work through, but there is no better time than now to do this work. Your wellness is important and deserves to be prioritized.

References:

InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Depression: What is burnout? [Updated 2020 Jun 18]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/b...

Deborah Stowie | MA, LLC