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Burnout

All, Mental Health, Self-Care

by Tori Roalef
July 18, 2023

When you started your work, maybe you felt like a tall candle. You stand proud and eager to light the workplace with your passion, energy, and work. But eventually, the flame burns away at the candle. If you don't renew the candle, you'll end up with a low flame and a worn-out wick.

This week, we're looking at the burned-out wick and how we can recover from it so we have a bright, long-lasting flame.

The Idea of the Week

Let’s begin with the basics: What is Burnout (a 6-minute video)? Burnout is a reaction to prolonged stress characterized by exhaustion, cynicism or detachment, and less efficiency in your work tasks. So, if you find that you’re constantly exhausted, you hate your job or dread going to work, and feel less efficient and capable at work, then you may be experiencing burnout.

Practice of the Week

Dr. K from HealthGamerGG shares his story about productivity and burnout in this 19-minute video. Dr. K begins with the fundamentals: what does “work” mean? Then, he builds from the idea of energy management to acknowledge that not all work is the same: some forms of work will invigorate you, while others will drain you.

How do we develop a work lifestyle and routine that works with our energy levels, not against them? In this 17-minute video, Rowena Tsai shares her productivity system: energy management.

If you feel like a burned-out candle wick, then let’s look at ways we can recover from burnout. In this 4-minute video, Kati Morton guides us through prompts to explore what type of break we need to recharge. Plus, PsychologyToday shares 7 Ways to Recover from Burnout in a 4-minute article:

Start with your body. Nourish your body and engage in your self-care routines.
Pinpoint which of these six areas is causing your problems: workload, control (or lack thereof), rewards, fairness, community, or values.
Look to the future. What would it take for you to be engaged with your work?
Try to make a better match.
If improving your current job doesn’t work, make some big decisions.
Delegate.
Diversify your time. Take time to do the things you want to do, not just what you should do.

Remember: recovery from burnout can be a long process. You may not recover from burnout in a week’s vacation time. Rather, it may take weeks, months, or even years to recover from burnout. This is why it’s important to incorporate frequent breaks and rejuvenating self-care activities into our routines.

What are your self-care strategies for recovering from or preventing burnout? Share your tips and creativity with us on our Instagram or Facebook page!