By: Sara Carpentier, MSW, RSW
Today’s world is full of demands and expectations that are placed upon us. We are also responsible for placing additional requirements on ourselves. Whether its caring for others, managing a job, absorbing current events, maintaining relationships, the list of extremal stressors that puts pressure on us can be extensive. This pressure can be necessary to provide motivation and momentum toward goals, and its also important that we monitor it to ensure that these expectations are reasonable and can be managed successfully. It is very common for people to keep on pushing through the strain, without acknowledging its there. This can feel like the only option. In a situation where the demands are placed on us by others, it can be incredibly difficult to find the courage to view these as anything other than a requirement. Yet, it may be necessary to reframe how we think about these pressures to resist burnout from creeping in. Whatever the factors contributing to your overall stress level, a regular practice to keep you aware of when we might be approaching our burnout threshold is very important. In addition to developing a regular practice of self care with coping strategies that will proactively keep us away from that threshold.
Burnout is defined by Psychology Today as “a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. Though it’s most often caused by problems at work, it can also appear in other areas of life, such as parenting, caretaking, or romantic relationships” (2024). As this definition states, the impact of burnout is felt both mentally and physically. Sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, reduction in energy, motivation and concentration can occur, among many other symptoms. Burnout can look very different for each person, and ultimately its about whether or not you can effectively manage all of your responsibilities/pressures and whether you have hit or surpassed your capacity for coping well with your daily demands. When the demand outweighs your ability to cope, this is an indicator that you have reached burnout and something needs to change.
As a team here at Broadview, we check in with each other every week and rate our level of burnout on a scale of 1-10. We do this because we know that burnout happens to all of us. Its normal and can be especially common for those of us in the helping profession. We also do this because we too can be guilty at times of not being mindful and checking in with ourselves. This practice forces us to continue to monitor and be self aware. Which is what I am encouraging you to start practicing. Its important that we recognize and normalize that we all have limits. We all have a capacity that life will push us toward and above at times, we are not robots, we are feeling beings. An intentional routine of checking in with ourselves in order to monitor for burnout is critical to prevent us from getting to this state. Taking time to notice and observe changes in our daily patterns, in how our body feels, how we respond to others and stressors, naming and describing our emotional experiences are all part of the process of creating awareness around burnout. Perhaps use Broadview’s strategy and give yourself a burnout score routinely, which will highlight any changes. Or maybe ask yourself daily what you did to support YOU and if that met your needs. Anything that helps steer you away from that auto pilot mode, towards awareness is valuable. If you do notice that number getting high or a tendency to be a little short with a family member, then it may be time to explore some changes. Whether it be removing or reducing some things from your list of responsibilities, reaching out for support either through family, friends, colleagues or professionals, or stepping up your use of your coping strategies. There are many ways to address and prevent burnout, the important piece is that you recognize it. Sometimes seemingly small shifts can have great impact. We know that ignoring signs will only allow the burnout to remain, and likely grow. Remember, we all have limits.
References
Psychology Today. 2024. Burnout. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/burnout.