Keeping An Eye Out For Burnout

[Shadowhunter]

Have you ever been utterly exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally? Chances are, you've experienced burnout. Other symptoms include losing interest in what you're doing, rejecting your responsibilities, neglecting yourself, being obsessed with your responsibilities even when they aren't needed, feeling like what you're doing will not make any difference (detachment, ineffectiveness, lack of accomplishment), and wanting to give up or quit and feeling as though you cannot continue with what you are doing (cynicism, pessimism).

Though it sounds a lot like mild depression, it may not be. (This is secret code for: ask your doctor to evaluate you to confirm whether or not you are indeed depressed if you suspect depression. It could be, but it could also be burnout, and nothing more. But it could be...so...better safe than sorry!)

There is also a difference between stress and burnout:


[TABLE="class: table, width: 672"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2, align: center"]Stress vs. Burnout[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: subhead, width: 337, align: center"]

Stress​

[/TD]
[TD="class: subhead, width: 335, align: center"]

Burnout​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 337"]Characterized by overengagement[/TD]
[TD="width: 335"]Characterized by disengagement[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: odd, width: 337"]Emotions are overreactive[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, width: 335"]Emotions are blunted[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 337"]Produces urgency and hyperactivity[/TD]
[TD="width: 335"]Produces helplessness and hopelessness[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: odd, width: 337"]Loss of energy[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, width: 335"]Loss of motivation, ideals, and hope[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 337"]Leads to anxiety disorders[/TD]
[TD="width: 335"]Leads to detachment and depression[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: odd, width: 337"]Primary damage is physical[/TD]
[TD="class: odd, width: 335"]Primary damage is emotional[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 337"]May kill you prematurely[/TD]
[TD="width: 335"]May make life seem not worth living[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 672, colspan: 2"]Source: Stress and Burnout in Ministry[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]



Here are some telltale signs courtesy of Psychology Today:

• Physical and emotional exhaustion
• Chronic fatigue
• Insomnia
• Forgetfulness/impaired concentration and attention
• Physical discomfort, pain, or illness
• Change in appetite
• Anxiety and/or depression
• Anger, frustration, and/or increased irritability
• Cynicism and detachment
• Loss of enjoyment and/or pessimism
• Isolation
• Ineffectiveness and Lack of achievement
• Apathy and hopelessness (eg. "what's the point?")
• Lack of productivity and poor performance

Burnout can be experienced by anyone; I have experienced it as a student, an employee, a significant other, and a mom. My problem is that I often push myself or am pushed by others until I "crash", and I still feel as though I haven't done anything/enough, which then discourages me to get back out there in addition to the complete exhaustion. #formerperfectionist #mustdoallthethings

What do we do when burnout sets in?

Curl up on the couch and binge eat ice cream! (Not a practical choice. Do not listen.)

Orrrr.....(listen to this part)

Stop and do damage control. (ice cream?!?!) Constructive damage control. Acknowledge the burnout, accept it, try to pinpoint what the contributing factors were to address them accordingly, and work on your physical and emotional health to help get you back on your feet.

While you're figuring out what your greatest stressors are, especially chronic stress, check out this conveniently placed link to our thread on pick me ups and tips for stress relief.

Here's how to recover from and/or prevent burnout:

• "Me" matters too! Take some time for yourself. If you have no time for yourself, re-evaluate your priorities. You can't get things done if you burn yourself out, thus hindering your own progress. Having a life outside of obligatory responsibilities can bring many forms of relaxation and self-care.

• Get creative. For many people, expressing themselves creatively can be a great from of stress relief, self-care, and self-expression. Draw, write, paint, dance, sing, beatbox, design something, find an app etc. There's something for everyone!

• Identify your targets. If you can't name all your stressors in one sitting, keep coming back to add to it, or journal your activities for a day or two and include your emotions or stress levels. Once you can pinpoint the things that affect you most of all, you know what you're dealing with when you work on relevant coping methods or different ways of handling things. If work is stressing you, bring something in to calm you or relieve stress, try changing your environment a bit, or change how/when you do things. Address and clarify any issues if possible.

• Get people-ing. Whether you join a group, volunteer, meet up with old friends, or strike up conversations with stranger, avoid isolating yourself. Engaging with others can often be a positive and rewarding experience, and that's not counting the positive effects of social support. If what you've tried hasn't worked, try something else! Just don't be a stalker. Weirdo.

• Step away from the screen. (After you've read this post, that is.) Take time to unplug and cut down on your screen time every day. Many of us are dependent on PCs and phones at the very least. Find ways to entertain yourself and relax outside of social media, TV, and IMing. Not only will your eyes thank you, but eventually your stress levels may as well. But what do I doooo Shadow? Do a word puzzle, repurpose some furniture, clean your room, go for a walk *gasp* outside, talk to *gasp* a person in real life, read a book, volunteer somewhere, plant a seed, watch paint dry, *shrugs* all good fun. Ish.

• Set boundaries. Sometimes we take on too much by assuming other people's responsibilities and need to realize we are causing our own problems. Sometimes too much is imposed on us and we need to realize when someone else has crossed that line with us. Learning to say "no", whether to ourselves or to others, can sometimes be a big factor in terms of stress relief and self-respect. Sometimes it's someone else, but sometimes it's you. Recognize healthy boundaries so you can identify when a line is crossed and address it accordingly.

• Listen to your body. Pay attention to your body so you can recognize the signs of burnout earlier on and address it before it fully sets in. Note how you respond physically, mentally, and emotionally and when you see those red flags, try one of the methods listed above or others that have worked for you to reverse the burnout before it starts. Show a friend this thread and ask them to keep an eye for you too; you can have each other's backs.

Don't be stuck like this:

Try this sometime:
[video=youtube;d-diB65scQU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU[/video]​

 

[nirtime]

This is article worthy! A lot of people feel either stressed or burned out and never realise what it is. One thing however, engaging in hobbies is very rewarding and sometimes if you're not a very sociable person but you like to do your thing or feel accomplished using yourself to do the research then to actually do something yourself, this very act puts you in a different dimension, it isolates you from everything in the world if you love it enough and it is one of the best feelings ever when you can "pause" your stress/burn out and look at it partially from a third person perspective.

By engaging in the hobby it essentially pauses the world for you assuming you are passionate/love it enough. In this time it would be wise to switch off the wi-fi on the phone, cut the data and just leave the phone on the desk so there is more focus on what is being researched/done hobby wise. It creates a very relaxed feeling where you become one with your inner self.

However, I am yet to fix a burn out. I have hated school from inception but since starting my degree I have felt nothing but lack of motivation and unwillingness. It feels like a chore and I forcefully pull myself through every semester that runs by.

I suppose "work hard, play harder"

 

[Shadowhunter]

Thanks!

I like learning but in certain settings it can be a draining, soon-to-be-dreaded experience. I think if you've found things that bring you relief, peace, positivity, and ignite your passion; (and it sounds like you have) by all means make those things a priority. That down time or "play harder" time could prove to be very effective when you can concentrate and feel the drive and willingness to do things again, rather than face all the downsides of the burnout again and again, which we know too well can keep us back and drag us down.

I'm an introvert, so for me, it's more relaxing to engage in volunteer activities as an individual in a lot of little comfortable ways on my own terms. I still interact in person with the people I volunteer with or help, but having a little more control over the settings makes it less daunting for me and easier for me to connect. Quite the opposite might be a more efficient relaxation method for someone else. I also consider communicating online as social interaction though lol We each have our own methods and techniques to them as individuals, which could be very well worth discovering in the long run when it keeps us afloat where we may have otherwise burned out and crashed.

 

[LadyDeath]

You can also sleep as well. Sleep rejuvenates the mind, body and soul. I find when i get a good night's rest i am less cranky and ready to face the day lol .

Thanks for this thread S

 

[grimreaper009]

lol it is said that should get atleast 8hours sleep