Burnout: Are You Sleepwalking Through Life?
Burnout: Are You Sleepwalking Through Life?
Are you sleepwalking through life full of apathy, lost your motivation for your work or other areas of your life? Burnout is physical and psychological exhaustion, depletion, being worn out, strained etc., like compassion fatigue. When you feel like you are going through the motions, that what you do makes no difference and you have nothing to give, you may be experiencing burnout. You may also be experiencing depression. If you're not sure seek professional help to determine what it is so you can overcome it.
Causes of burnout:
1. Doing the same type of work with little variety, especially if the work seems meaningless
2. Giving a lot and getting little in return, such as appreciation or positive reinforcement/lack of rewards and recognition (Remember give to those who give back)
3. Lacking a sense of accomplishment/meaning in work/purpose
4. Pressure to perform certain duties or obligations
5. Working or interacting with difficult people
6. Conflict and tension among staff at work, family at home, lack of support from co-workers, lack of teamwork and lack of social support outside of work
7. Lack of trust between supervisors and staff or between friends and significant others
8. Little opportunity to try new things, when initiative is discouraged
9. Unrealistic demands on time and energy
10. Having a job that is emotionally draining without opportunity for supervision, continued educational or in-service opportunities
11. Personal problems such as relationship and health problems that interfere with the ability to focus on work
12. Lack of control or autonomy
13. Incongruent work ethics, i.e., supervisors and employees have different values. Parents having different parenting styles
14. Being the type of person who seeks constant approval from others, especially superiors/lovers
15. Type A personalities who tend to bite off more than they can chew
How to combat burnout:
Know that burnout is common and treatable
Recognize when you might be experiencing some signs of burnout
We must take care of ourselves, that's the point of this article
We must also take responsibility and not blame others for our feelings of burnout, when we accept our role in burnout, we are more capable and empowered to fix it. For instance ask yourself, what can I do to change the situation to make it better for me? Do you stay and find other ways to feel fulfilled and gain autonomy or do you move on?
Preventing burnout:
Evaluate goals, priorities and expectations to see if they are realistic and getting you what you want Know that you are an active agent in your life
Find interests outside of work or if you don't work, interests outside of your home life Find ways to bring variety into your work and home life
Learn to monitor the impact of stress at work and home
Get enough sleep, exercise, relaxation/meditation and eat well
Develop/nurture relationships that balance giving and receiving: Give to those who give back
Ask for what you want, while knowing you may not always get it
Find internal rewards for yourself
Retain hope
Take time outs, also, when kids are given sit outs or are taken to time out, they are usually agitated or stressed, at those times ask yourself if you need your own time out (ex: smoke break, meditation break, take a walk, just closing the door to take a moment to breathe and regain your center)
Find meaning though play, travel and new experiences
Avoid doing other people's work, for ex: if we are more concerned for a client/friend/lover/supervisor than they are for themselves, we might want to reconsider how we are investing our time
Get more education via classes, workshops or conferences
Change your schedule to reduce stress Learn your limits and set them with others: Manage your time better
Form a support group with peers to share frustrations and find ways to cope better
Engage in hobbies that are pleasurable
Ask for help when needed /Seek counseling
Ask yourself on a regular basis, "Am I striving to do what I encourage others to do?"
In sum: Try to balance giving/getting, stress/calm, work/home
Burnout: Are You Sleepwalking Through Life?
By: Laura Umfer, Psy.D.
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