By Madison Gardner, BS, MA (in progress)
What is Burnout?
Burnout is a response to long term stressors related to interpersonal interactions. It manifests through physical and psychological symptoms related to the source of the stressor. Though originally studied and defined as a phenomenon occurring through work, more recent areas of study have included parenting, caretaking, and other roles in the lives of individuals.
What are the signs of Burnout?
The Maslach’s three key dimensions of burnout include overwhelming exhaustion, feelings of cynicism and detachment, and a decrease in the feelings of personal accomplishments.
Signs of burnout could include:
- Exhaustion
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Changes in diet
- Irritability and mood swings
- Feeling distracted
- Feeling a need to escape
- And more…
What can you do?
Short term changes
- Organizing schedule to prioritize your activities
- Setting boundaries with tasks or others
- Talking to friends and practicing self-compassion (being kind to yourself)
Long term changes
- Changing health habits, like exercise and eating healthy foods
- Talking to a therapist or joining a group
- Evaluating needs and making changes where needed. For example, finding a new position in the same field or changing careers.
Madison will be co-leading a 6-week online course for adults in any caretaking role that will address the overwhelming amount of burnout that parents, teachers, healthcare workers, and other caregivers have been experiencing. In Self-Care for the Caretaker you will learn how to manage the effects of burnout and compassion fatigue, practice mindfulness and self-care in each of the different domains, and create a plan to build resilience to protect you from becoming burned out again.
