What are your strategies to avoid burnout?
Monday, 17 April 2023
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Do you have a strategy to make sure you avoid burnout?
Burnout is a slow-developing condition that can result from prolonged exposure to stress. Typically, an individual on the path to burnout will experience a cycle of exhaustion.
ECU Psychological Counselling Support provides various tip sheets to help tackle some of the common challenges students face.
Burnout is a common issue for which people seek support, which can arise from excessive self-imposed or external demands, such as family, work, education, social circles, values, or societal pressure.
Who is more likely to experience burnout?
People who are in nurturing roles, caring for others in their family/work, or who are isolated and feel a need to fill their lives with others to feel accepted and valued, can be at particular risk for burnout. People who are perfectionists or who are struggling with issues of their own identity may also be at high risk.
What are the signs?
Burnout doesn’t just happen overnight – it is a cumulative process with small warning signals along the way, which, if left unattended, may develop into a more serious psychological concern.
Signs of burnout can include:
1. An intense compulsion to prove (strive for control)
2. Withdrawal from others, observable behaviour changes
3. Depersonalisation, emptiness, depression
4. Exhaustion
5.Denial - estrangement from own feelings
6. Stress, anger, frustration, irritability, neglected needs, moodiness
7. Guilt and low self-esteem
8. Interpersonal problems
9. Health problems – colds, flu, sleep problems, headaches
10.Possible substance abuse in attempts to self medicate the increasing anxiety and depression
11. Declining study or work performance
12. Feelings of meaningless
How do you beat it?
Coping successfully with stress is the key to avoiding burnout.
The most common functional methods include:
1. Being realistic - developing a realistic picture of yourself and setting realistic goals
2. Knowing what you’re feeling and why
3. Recognising your individual symptoms of stress and burnout
4. Asking for help when it’s needed
5.Developing a structural and personal support system, e.g. a supportive routine and friends you can go to when needed
6. Maintaining an active personal/ social life outside of study
7. Taking ‘time-outs’ when you need them
8. Maintaining a regimen of proper nutrition and physical exercise
9. Developing self-therapies, such as meditation or relaxation methods to regularly discharge stress and anxiety
10.Learning to say “no” to additional demands on your time and emotions
11. Reassessing your values and pacing yourself
Download the tip sheet on avoiding burnout and checkout others in the series. You can also make an appointment to chat to a member of the Psycholigcal Counselling Support team.