Getting to grips with burnout

It’s a term that’s been used with far more frequency over the last few years, making headlines as more and more studies show high rates of burnout across all countries and careers. But if it’s so insidious, how can we avoid it? And if we’re feeling the symptoms, how can we recover from it?

“Burnout is best described as a feeling of having nothing left to give. It’s an absolute depletion of all your energy,” says Judy Klipin, a Martha Beck certified Life Coach based in Johannesburg. “It’s a systemic disease that really affects all areas of our lives–people are running out of steam in their relationships, emotionally, physically, and of course in the workplace.”

Counterintuitively, however, Judy believes that burnout doesn’t stem from doing too much – but doing too much of the wrong thing for us. “I know plenty of people that are incredibly busy, but aren’t burnt out. Burnout could be caused by working in a job that doesn’t align to our values, holding a role that doesn’t have job clarity, or has an unmanageable workload, or even being promoted to arole above our skillsets with little support – and in our personal lives, it could be caused by looking after children or aging parents in a way that is not sustainable.

“Without question,” says Judy, “there’s been an enormous increase in people suffering from burnout. It was already on our radar in 2019, but when the pandemic came it completely exacerbated it and shone a light on the problems that already existed. People had more responsibilities in their jobs, working from home had more stressors, work/life balance was thrown out of whack with no dedicated office space.”

What are the symptoms?

The most obvious symptom is craving sugary, starchy foods and energy drinks packed full of caffeine. Waking up feeling tired and unrefreshed, with no enthusiasm for the things you used to love, and a concentration span that’s not as intense or as long as before are also visible symptoms. Burnout could also present as being more emotional and weepy, with a feeling of being overwhelmed and constantly questioning the choices that one has made.
While burnout and depression can often present similarly, Judy says that for her,there’s a key difference. “Both are exhaustion, but burnout is being tired from or by life, while depression is being tired of life. While burnout is something that we can address on our own it’s not possible to tackle depression by ourselves, and those that are feeling depressed should get help immediately by phoning the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG).”

How do we recover?

While it’s possible to recover from burnout, it’s certainly not as easy as going on a holiday – as I’m sure many realised when you returned to work this year. “Burnout is a disease of boundaries and not being able to say no in order to look after ourselves,” says Judy. “And tackling burnout requires a significant shift – not to who we are, but how we are in the world. One must be mindful of how you’re spending your energy. Your energy is a finite resource, like money in the bank – if you’re spending too much without topping up your balance, you’ll soon go into overdraft. And returning to a healthy balance takes a lot longer when you’ve been on a spending spree.”

Judy suggests using the SPANNER approach when trying to prevent or recover from burnout:

Self: Discover your needs and honour yourself with care, compassion and love.

Peace and Quiet: Spend some quiet time resting and relaxing.

Ask, Accept and Allow: Allow yourself to ask for help and accept advice, compliments and feedback.

Nourish: Eat and do things that nourish your body, mind and soul.

No!: Don’t put yourself in a position of feeling overwhelmed with a too-full plate–remember that ‘no’ is a full sentence.

Exercise: Gentle exercise helps you sleep better, improves your appetite and releases stress from the body.

Relationships, Rest and Relaxation: Invest in the relationships that nourish you, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep and relaxation to recharge your batteries.

This article was originally published on Purely Local.

Tags: burnout | burnout recovery