Burnout
Photo by Sage Friedman on Unsplash
With increasing work demands, keeping up with life’s responsibilities, and surviving a global pandemic, many people are at their last straw and simply burnt out. Whatever your situation, burnout can come with overwhelming feelings of exhaustion, hopelessness, and defeat.
What are common responses we hear when we express feelings of burnout?
1. “Take a vacation.”
2. “Do some self-care.”
3. “Get a good night’s sleep.”
Although well-intentioned, these responses don’t exactly get at the heart of the issue of burnout. What exactly is burnout?
Burnout is a condition that wounds our minds, hearts, bodies, and nearly every part of us. It impacts our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. It’s the feeling that if anyone asks any more of you, you feel you might break. Or maybe you’re already at your breaking point and doing the bare minimum to survive each day already feels like too much. Taking a vacation might offer temporary relief, but it still doesn’t feel enough.
Some questions I ask my clients who are facing burnout are:
How full are each of your energy “tanks”? Physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual, etc. Which “tank” feels like it needs attending to first?
What fears do you have surrounding your work/life responsibilities? e.g. “If I don’t succeed at this project, I am a failure. If I say no to doing this task, I will disappoint this person. If I ask for help, I will be a burden to others.”
How can you meet your fears, needs, and desires with self-compassion and gentleness?
If you’d like to see if this approach to therapy can work for you, set up an initial call with us. We are looking forward to hearing from you!