Do you ever feel exhausted and overwhelmed? Are you having difficulty finding your motivation up against what feels like a never ending to-do list? It can be challenging keeping up with today’s fast-paced world. Occasionally feeling exhausted is normal, feeling burnt out on the other hand, is another level of exhaustion worth being aware of. The silver lining is that with intentional management, we can reduce our symptoms and regain the energy and enthusiasm that we once had.
Understanding Burnout: What's Really Going On?
Burnout isn't just feeling tired. It's a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged or excessive stress (Khammissa et al., 2022). Symptoms can include:
- Emotional Exhaustion: Feeling drained and depleted, and lacking the energy to engage with people or regular routines.
- Depersonalization: Developing a cynical or detached view of work and relationships.
- Reduced Personal Accomplishment: Feeling ineffective and lacking a sense of achievement.
Knowledge is power. Being able to recognize these symptoms allows an individual to take action towards recovery. Ignoring burnout can lead to or worsen symptoms of anxiety, depression, and physical health issues.
Practical Strategies for Managing Burnout
Now that we have a better understanding, what can you actually do about burnout? Here are three evidence-based strategies we recommend.
- Setting Boundaries: Learn to say "no." It's okay to decline extra requests or commitments if you're already overwhelmed; this could be a task from a supervisor, or a friend asking for a favour. Setting boundaries protects your time and energy. Asking yourself, “Can I reduce, decline, or delegate any current requests or responsibilities?” can be a great first step. Even taking one day off work can yield positive results. If you think to yourself, “I don’t have time to take a break” be mindful of the sustainability in your approach.
- Clarifying and Prioritizing: Now might be the time to clarify and prioritize what really matters. This builds on setting boundaries by clarifying what’s left on your to-do list after reducing, delegating and declining. Once you are clear on what must still be done, a prioritization strategy can help you determine what is urgent vs. important.
- Increase Self-Care: At first glance, this sounds counterintuitive. Why would someone who feels exhausted engage in more things? The key difference is that these are intentional choices that are completely within your control. Often, we feel powerless to change our work hours or the way a professor grades our assignments. The antidote to overcome this is by actively engaging in activities on our own time that we have control over (Adnan et al., 2022). Self-care looks different for everyone. It could be taking a walk, prioritizing rest, reading a book, practicing mindfulness, starting a passion project or learning a new hobby. Even small moments of self-care can make a big difference.
- Challenge Negative Thoughts: Burnout can be accompanied by negative self-talk. Some thoughts might sound like “I am not good enough” or “This will never end.” CBT teaches us to challenge these thoughts. Ask yourself, "Is this thought an opinion or a fact?" or "What evidence do I have that either supports or negates this?" Replacing negative thoughts with more balanced and realistic ones keeps us focused on the outcome we desire: recovery.
Team Voices: Here is what one of our providers at Cognito has to say:
“For me, taking a short midday nap makes a big difference. I’ve learned to use cycles of rest to recharge. As someone who is neurodiverse, my mind is constantly active and going. So even a quick cat nap can really help prevent cycles of burnout. It actually took me a while to give myself permission to rest like this, but I’ve come to realize it’s completely okay to do whatever we need to support our daily well-being and function!” - Brittany Bercier, CBT Care Provider
Recharge and Reconnect: Building Resilience
Managing burnout is an ongoing process. It's about building resilience and creating sustainable habits. The sooner you intervene, the sooner you can recover. Take some time to think about what you would need to unwind. Do you need to take time off work? Reduce, delegate, or eliminate a current responsibility? Reach out to friends or seek professional help?
Remember, you're not alone, and it's okay to ask for help. Managing burnout is about finding balance, prioritizing your well-being, and reconnecting with what you value. Listening to what you need and taking small steps forward, will pay off over time. The link below has been added, as it may be able to assist you in questions about whether a resource like Cognito could further support you through your journey.
https://www.getcognito.ca/faqs
Written By: Danial Mirsajedin
References
Adnan, N. B., Dafny, H. A., Baldwin, C., Jakimowitz, S., Chalmers, D., Aroury, A. M., & Chamberlain, D. (2022). What are the solutions for well-being and burn-out for healthcare professionals? an umbrella realist review of learnings of individual-focused interventions for critical care. BMJ Open, 12(9). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-060973
Khammissa, R. A. G., Nemutandani, S., Feller, G., Lemmer, J., & Feller, L. (2022). Burnout phenomenon: Neurophysiological factors, clinical features, and aspects of management. Journal of International Medical Research, 50(9). https://doi.org/10.1177/03000605221106428
.png)
