Identify and Manage Burnout
Burnout happens when your body undergoes ongoing stress. This can be a result of try to juggle too many tasks at once. There are 3 stages of burn out:
(1) Wired: Feeling constant mild stress, that raises our cortisol (stress hormone), making us feel anxious and restless. This is a coping stage that can last a long time and often is not recognized as burnout.
(2) Tired & Wired: Our body loses resiliency to cope with ongoing stress. Our brain continues to release cortisol, but our cortisol receptors are wearing out, making us feel tense and tired.
(3) Tired: We feel both emotionally and physically exhausted/overwhelmed. Our cortisol levels lower, making us lack motivation and putting us in a poor state of mental health.
When we experience burnout, we can feel exhausted both mentally and physically. Common symptoms of burnout include:
- Feeling detached from others
- Constantly feeling tired no matter how much, you rest
- Feeling unfocused, overwhelmed or anxious
- Physical symptoms like headaches, brain fog, sore muscles, or digestive problems
Burnout is something that can easily sneak up on us when we don’t stop to take care of ourselves. The first step in preventing burnout is acknowledging that you feel burnt out. It’s not a sign of weakness to accept that you need to take things slower. Acknowledge all that you’ve been able to do so far while feeling burnt out.
Small acts of kindness that you can show yourself include:
- Take deep breaths before leaving the house for the day.
- Take 2-3 minutes to yourself and sit in the car quietly after you park it.
- Stop scrolling on social media and listen to a short inspiring podcast instead.
- Stand outside, feel the sun on your face, even if it is only for a few minutes
Longer term strategies to manage burn-out include:
- Set your boundaries. Say ‘not right now’ to things that do not NEED to be done right away.
- Ask for help from others. You don’t need to do everything on your own.
- Talk to a therapist. Visit PsychologyToday.com to find one that suits your needs, or try connecting to a counsellor through the Magna Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP – code: magna)
