Volume 2, Issue 3, March 2023
Welcome to Volume 2, Issue 3 of The Root.
In order to support our growth, we require a strong network of roots. They anchor us and serve as a conduit for nutrients to help us develop and deliver on our goals.
This month, we focus on the topic of Burnout. We hear about it everywhere. We see it in our social media feeds, we hear people around us experiencing it. Are we desensitized to this term?
Each month, I aim to highlight women authored books and podcasts related to the chosen topic. I hope you will find helpful information to identify and manage burnout before it overtakes your daily life.
The idea here, is that we recognize it, and care for ourselves and reach out to others we see may be experiencing it.
Thank you for following along our journey to Aspire to Grow.
Check us out at www.aspiretogrow.co <the .com domain was taken, but I like to think of it as “.co” for co-create>.
Off the Shelf – My Book Pick
Fixing Burnout: A Proven Plan to Recover from Burnout and Boost Your Energy, Olivia Winter
Fixing Burnout: A proven plan to recover from burnout and boost your energy , by Olivia Winter discusses the feeling of exhaustion that many of us encounter in our hectic everyday worlds. The describe burnout as the “result of prolonged and excessively emotional, physical and mental stress”.
After 2+ years of Covid and associated disruptions to our life and work – we can relate to that definition. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” per the ICD-11, the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases. ICD-11 defines it as a syndrome caused by chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
Since we have an ICD-11 definition, we know it’s real. We should take symptoms of this syndrome seriously (if you take home one thing from this newsletter, please recognize this). It’s real.
Three Dimensions of Burnout
The 3 dimensions of burnout are:
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
- Increased mental distance from one’s job
- Feelings of negativism or cynicism about one’s job and decreased professional efficacy.
Do any of these relate? (they did for me before I made a change for myself)
Unfortunately, in our productivity driven economy, stress can sometimes be seen as a badge of honor. Stress can be seen as a positive sign for those with high standards aiming for achievement and career success. We may just expect that if we are not stressed, maybe we aren’t trying hard enough?
What Are the Symptoms?
Burnout is a whole-body experience from our minds to our bodies. Most times, we don’t attribute stress to our physical symptoms —> but be mindful of your symptoms prior to full body shutdown. We know that there are three components to the impact of burnout: physical, mental and behavioral.
Physical symptoms include:
- GI problems
- High blood pressure
- Poor immune function — getting sick more frequently.
- Reoccurring headaches
- Sleep issues
- Aches and Pains
- Appetite changes
Mental symptoms include:
- Concentration issues
- Depressed mood
- Feeling worthless or not good enough
- Loss of interest
Behavioral symptoms include:
- Withdrawing from responsibilities
- Isolation oneselfProcrastinating
- Using coping mechanisms
- Skipping work, arriving late or leaving early
If you are wondering how burned out you might be, Winter includes the Sydney Burnout Method in her book. This is a scale that determines one’s level of burnout. How to Measure Burnout Accurately and Ethically (hbr.org) also includes a burnout scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).
Putting Out the Flame
While our jobs provided most of our adult identify, we may find it difficult to understand why they now contribute to our state of discomfort.
Let’s focus on how to turn this around.
Wild identifies 4 key areas of focus for recovery:
- Developing your purpose
- Building resilience
- Learning how to focus
- Redefining Productivity
The aim is to break through the endless cycle of burnout which consists of exhaustion, cynicism and inefficacy. (Do you recognize any of those?) In developing your purpose, also track your energy and time (See: the energy tracking worksheet from The Journey, No. 1 – Know your worth – Aspire to Grow (wpcomstaging.com) – consider doing an audit of how changes to your activities and boundaries may aid in your recovery.
Stream On – My Podcast Pick
Disrupting Burnout, No. 73, Am I Burned Out? By Dr. Patrice Buckner Jackson
To fit with this month’s theme, I researched podcasts for Burnout. I found A LOT. I listened to a few, but nothing made me feel so positively as listening to Dr. Patrice Buckner Jackson (she refers to herself as Dr. PBJ, which immediately brought me so much joy).
In No. 73, Am I Burned Out?, Dr. PBJ calls us together to consider the impacts of burnout. I just need to tell you that I need Dr. PBJ in my life — her energy and positivity alone, brightened my day. Please check her out.
The 3 Phases of Burnout
Dr. PBJ reminds us to be cognizant of our bodies and minds and ask ourselves how we are really doing, and look for the warning signs. She discusses the three phases we experience on our way toward the spiral of burnout: Surviving, Overwhelm and Burnout.
Surviving Phase
This phase is where we feel that we can’t stop. If people ask us how we are, we respond, “I’m fine”. We keep pushing ourselves as if to appear that we have it all together.
She brilliantly states, “You weren’t created to live fine, you were created to thrive”.
Fine is a sign
If we don’t pay attention to the feelings we have when we are in this stage, we will quickly move to the next phase, Overwhelm.
Overwhelm Phase
In this phase, we respond with “I’ve got it”, but our life is telling us it is too much, and we are afraid to accept help from others, as if they may see through our facade of having it all together.
This phase is when physical, mental, and emotional symptoms worsen or begin. We put up our best defense mechanisms, but we can feel it begin to spiral. If we do not ask and receive help, we spiral to Burnout.
Burnout Phase
At this stage, our bodies shutdown in order to keep us safe.
Helping Each Other & Ourselves
Dr. PBJ asks us to consider the following questions for ourselves and our friends.
- How are you REALLY?
- How are you in your mind?
- How are you in your body?
- How are you in your emotions?
- How are you in your relationships?
Mindful Moments
A Quick and Simple 5-Minute Meditation: Stress Relief for When You’re Short on Time by Elizabeth Scott, PhD
Make Time for Meditation
In Quick 5-Minute Meditation for Effective Stress Relief (verywellmind.com),Dr. Scott reminds us to take time for ourselves to help calm our minds especially during stressful times. Meditation can build resilience over time (one of the items mentioned by Olivia Winter above).
It is a beautiful practice to calm the mind, but sometimes we find it difficult to make time (really, just 5 minutes?) for ourselves.
To make this easy — click on this link 5 minute GUIDED meditation : relieve anxiety, fight stress , set aside 5 minutes and press play. The voices can be a bit to get used to.
After you give yourself these 5 minutes, how do you feel? How is your mind?
The article offers other great suggestions – by my hope is you complete the meditation for yourself. 🌿 5 minutes for yourself. Right now. You are worth it.
Continue to do great things.
Please pay attention to your mind, your body and your emotions. Check in with yourself. Ask the questions above. Check in with your friends and family.
If you are leader, check in with your teams.
Reconsider your purpose. Has it changed?
A consistent feeling of overwhelm can occur when we consider career impacts (work and stress), family shifts (worries and stress) and environmental factors. It’s okay to determine if your needs have changed. 🌿 Sincerely, Kathleen
