Self-Care Is Not The Permanent Solution to a Burn-Out
Burnout is a workplace issue, not a work/life issue, according to the World Health Organization, which was quoted in an article from the American Journal of Health Promotion. This unavoidably impacts how we must prevent and address the issue.
Self-care has the potential to be an important source of assistance for burnout sufferers. However, because burnout results from unfavorable working conditions, self-care is unable to address the underlying issue.
In many instances, it is more practical to put the burden of resolving burnout and its symptoms on the individual rather than for a business or employer to provide that person with what they require.
Self-care ultimately won’t help with burnout because it doesn’t deal with the underlying problem. While self-care techniques may offer a moment of serenity or temporary relief, they cannot stop someone from going down the path of burnout on their own.
Addressing the Root of Burnouts
The burnout self-care pillars listed below will assist you in managing your burnout—not curing it.
Do Take A Burnout Seriously
Workplace burnout can have detrimental impacts on one’s health, just as persistent stress, which may accompany burnout, can. It can be challenging to consider these before it’s too late. The sooner you acknowledge them, the better.
- High blood pressure and heart disease
- Gastrointestinal (GI) issues
- Respiratory problems
- Prolonged fatigue
- Headaches
- Depression symptoms
Burnout affects more than just your well-being. The study also discovered that persons who experience burnout may experience job discontent, absenteeism, and a new disability pension as potential professional repercussions.
Beyond Your Work Environment
Create a go-to phrase or set of affirmations that you can use whenever you feel overwhelmed, depending on the specific problems that are stressing you out.
Creating a mindfulness or meditation practice is another approach to helping oneself. Once you figure out what works for you, you may plan these into your day to make sure you do them frequently.
Sleep is often found to be protective against burnout. Make sleep a priority as at least one modest step to reducing burnout.
Social support, breathing exercises, and pleasant pursuits like art, yoga, music, sports, and dancing are other methods for reducing stress in the body and mind.
Reduce Compassion Fatigue
When those in helping professions put forth too much effort to “do a decent job,” compassion fatigue sets in. Self-care is just not a viable solution to burnout, especially for individuals in service sectors who experience compassion fatigue and low job satisfaction.
Prioritize yourself and give yourself space to reflect. It might seem simpler to suppress feelings and “power through” exhaustion. But ultimately, it is not simpler to put off thinking about your experience. It doesn’t make you or your body feel better, and it won’t improve the quality of your work over the long term.
Don’t Let Meetings Get To You
You might notice your stress levels increasing during staff meetings, regardless of whether you’re already burned out or just on the verge of it. If you don’t safeguard your energy during these situations, burnout may result.
Determine what causes you the greatest stress or drains you the most during these encounters. Then, figure out how to survive it while doing so. In general, avoid allowing periods of high stress to last the entire day. Take some time for yourself whenever you can, and concentrate on what you can manage while letting go of what you cannot.
Overcoming Burnouts
To avoid future burnout, a person may occasionally need to make long-term changes. However, by taking baby steps, burnout can also be avoided. You could decide to:
Set boundaries for both you and other people. For instance, you might decide to stop returning calls or responding to emails that are related to work during business hours or on the weekends. Hold to it. Depending on your particular job, whether you are on call, etc., this may change. Whatever the situation, make every effort to ensure that your downtime is truly enjoyable.
Request assistance: It’s acceptable to request assistance from your coworkers, medical professionals, or your support network (e.g., friends and family).
Ask for adjustments if necessary: Some folks might need to request a modified shift pattern, particular days off, or an entirely different workplace or job. If this describes you, you are not alone, and changing your route is certainly acceptable.
Conclusion
People frequently link personal responsibility and burnout, as though if you’re burned out, you mustn’t be helping yourself. On the contrary, overcoming burnout is not your responsibility. Burnout is a workplace issue, not a personal one, as was previously stated.
However, if you are unable to alter your workplace environment, your objective should be to manage burnout symptoms as they manifest. Find a reliable buddy you can turn to for advice if you need it to achieve that.
