If you’re a mental health therapist, someone in the medical field, or you work in law enforcement odds are you’ve heard of burnout. You may have even experienced it. Burnout can happen to any one but it typically occurs with first responders, human service workers and teachers. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, burnout is defined as “to cause to fail, wear out, or become exhausted especially from overwork or overuse”. Stress and burnout can affect your home life, work life and/or social life. It can even lead to sickness and long-term health issues such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Emotionally, it can drain you, leaving you to feel helpless and exhausted. Symptoms of burnout include a lack of concentration, easily irritable & impatient (especially with co-workers), cynical, a lack of ambition and satisfaction, sleep changes, substance use/abuse, frequent headaches and digestion issues.
So what exactly causes burnout? Well, it could be numerous things but they almost always pertain to your place of employment. Work/life imbalance, an office bully, feeling isolated with no support at home or work, having little to no control over your schedule, poor management or a monotonous job that leaves you feeling unfulfilled can all contribute to burnout. Work/life imbalance is something many people struggle with. Say your working extremely long hours and then when you are home, all you want to do is sleep or you weren’t able to get a project finished at work, so you brought it home to finish. Work/life imbalance not only affects you but everyone around you, including your loved ones. Burnout can lead to feeling empty and void.
How can you overcome burnout and feel happy, healthy and whole again? Well, first things first, you can hit that pause button. This is the time to stop and recognize your symptoms and their causes. Second, reach out. It could be a co-worker, a family member or a therapist. It doesn’t matter who you reach out to, what matters is that you do because burnout could lead to suicidal ideation (Firth, S. 2021). So again, reach out and seek help. Find someone who is empathetic and an active listener (fully present and nonjudgmental). You could join a community or support a cause. Surround yourself with positive people (not energy suckers). Take the time to be kind. All it takes is opening a door for someone to help reduce your stress levels. Do something relaxing or go get some exercise, whatever that may be to you. It could be as simple as a bubble bath or a quick connection with nature. Shinrin Yoku, or forest bathing (yes, I said forest bathing) which is basically a walk in the woods or a park has been proven to reduce blood pressure, lower stress, lower blood sugar levels, improve concentration and memory, lift depression and even boost the immune system. Third, re-evaluate your current situation. Is it possible for you to change jobs? If not, is there a way to look at your job from a different perspective?
Burnout can be managed but you will have to put forth some effort in order to see change. Keeping an open mind and finding healthy coping skills can make a huge impact on your mood and increase your overall happiness. Some things to try; mindfulness, walking, doing something creative, practice deep breathing, shut off the phone, or get a good nights sleep. There is a wealth of information on the internet, so find something that works for you before your candle burns out.
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