Confessions of a burnout
Like many folks in Ontario on March 17th, 2020 I could not work for 3 months while the entire province faced it's first lockdown for COVID-19. It was the first time in my life I sat at home without work, it was the first time I didn't fill my days with errands and tasks. It was the first time I didn't rush to make it on time for plans with friends, it was the first time I felt like I had enough time in the day for me.
The silver lining of my lockdown experience was that I realized as a caregiver, both in my work and my personal life, I had overextended myself. This pattern of behaviour had gone on for much of my adult life when I sat down and took the time to reflect. I filled my days with things I was once passionate about, but due to the excessive nature of emerging myself constantly, I found myself no longer passionate about anything I was doing. And it wasn't because of a lack of integrity or caring, I was simply burnt out.
Burnout is much more common in modern day society than many of us are aware of, especially now with the added stress of the Coronavirus pandemic and lock down situations. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. The layered affect of burnout is that it can affect: your physical and mental health, your daily functioning at home and at work, and the care you give to situations and to others in your life.
Some of the suggestions to me that I found helpful for combating burnout were:
Seek support. Whether you reach out to co-workers, friends or loved ones, support and collaboration might help you cope. If you have access to an employee assistance program or resources at your workplace, take advantage of relevant services.
Try a relaxing activity. Explore programs that can help with stress such as yoga, meditation or breathing exercises.
Get some exercise. Regular physical activity can help you to better deal with stress. It can also take your mind off work. Walking outside is a great distanced activity whether you do it alone or with a companion.
Get some sleep. Sleep restores well-being and helps protect your health. Make sure to reset your bed after use so that it feels inviting and sleep inducing.
Mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act of focusing on your breath flow and being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling at every moment, without interpretation or judgment.
Learn to say NO. Saying no when you cannot or do not want to do something indicates respect for yourself and the other person(s) involved. Because you are being honest and authentic, those qualities cultivate healthy relationships at both home and work.
Many people find massage therapy to be useful tool in combating stressful situations like burnout. Massage engages both the physical and mental health proponents of our bodies with therapeutic touch. It can help people to feel centered and engaged with their physical selves; it can also be a mindful practice where you set aside your appointment time to focus solely on the here and now and be in the moment.
I hope however everyone is dealing with this unique period of time, they are staying safe and grounded in themselves.
