Burnout: Information on Burnout and Overcoming the Effects of Burnout

October 20, 2008 – 11:22 am

PORTRAITS

Joann’s father had been placed in a nursing home last month. Her father often refused to eat and as a result Joann was constantly called by the home to go and visit. She suddenly felt herself becoming angry at all that she had to do. She felt that between visiting her father, caring for her children, and working at the school, she was always catering to the needs of everybody but herself.

Bill was barely ever home. He felt that since starting his new job, a majority of his life was spent traveling for work. He was so exhausted that even when he had the chance to be at home, he could barely muster up the energy to play with his one-year-old son.

Jessica is a great student. She’s involved in plenty of school activities, clubs, and is even taking advanced courses. Lately she has had difficulty sleeping, relaxing, and even focusing on her studies. She is beginning to think that nothing she does is ever good enough, so much that she doesn’t even want to apply to college.

DEFINITIONS & KEY THOUGHTS

Burnout is a stressful state that is characterized by emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion; lethargy; and chronic fatigue.

Symptoms of burnout may include feeling cynical toward life; having a strong desire to “escape”; experiencing a false sense of failure; experiencing negative feelings toward others; displaying emotional distancing, apathy, or numbing; becoming hypocritical; showing inappropriate anger or sadness; enduring a resulting physical illness; succumbing to depression; or abusing drugs or alcohol.

Burnout is most often experienced by people in the helping professions including doctors, teachers, social workers, police officers, or others who work extensively with people. It is believed to stem from the intense demands placed by others on their time, energy, and resources.

It can also be common among overburdened parents or caregivers of the chronically ill. These individuals may feel trapped by the excessive demands placed on them, isolated, or unable to find sufficient time for them selves.

Unfortunately, with increasing emphasis on the “pursuit of excellence” in our society, burnout has reached epidemic proportions.

ACTION STEPS

In the case of burnout, it is foremost important that any physical issues or concerns are medically addressed. The individual experiencing burnout should also gain some immediate, short-term relief from their responsibilities. Asking friends and family to help in sharing more of the load is very helpful. Oddly enough, individuals who are overburdened need help the most but are often the least able to ask other for it. One should note that when helping someone who is burned out, there are both short-term and long-term components that involve beginning to live a life in a way that burnout will not reoccur. Short-term components include helping the burned out individual with the essentials for relief- adequate sleep, exercise, and relaxation. Long-term components include helping the individual look at some of the lifestyle issues that essentially caused their burnout and how to prevent burnout from reoccurring.

Key action steps for an individual experiencing burnout to follow are:

Take control. Do not allow other’s to control your own schedule. Establish plans to alleviate yourself of some of your responsibilities by asking friends or family for help. Find your own balance between what you feel is important and what is not. Schedule your days more relationally, sanely, and humanely.
Say no. While some things cannot be dropped others can. There may be ways to incorporate less stress and more rest into your day by simply saying this powerful word.
Slow down. Make a conscious decision to slow the pace of your life and take the time that you need in order to replenish yourself and your resources.
Set priorities. You may get less done, but you will be doing the important things. When you look at what really matters, you will see all of your extra burdens for what they really are.