As students, professionals, and everything else in-between, we all deal with feeling burnt out at some point. This short article will discuss the idea of burnout, what it is, its effects and how to deal with it.
What is burnout and how does it affect you?
‘Burnout’ was coined by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger to describe a “state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress”. It can result in reduction in productivity, energy and can have negative effects on your mood.
Tips to deal with feeling burnout:
1) The “Three R” approach: Recognising the signs of feeling burn out, e.g. fatigue, stress and overall negative feelings. Reverse try to manage your stress by seeking support from friend, family, or colleagues. Resilience take care of your physical and emotional health by setting boundaries and practicing self-care.
2) Speak to someone.
3) Try to find some value in your work. Don’t look at your schedule and think ‘oh gosh I’ve got so much to do’ instead think ‘oh wow I have so many opportunities to learn new things’. It is all about your perspective, do you see the glass of water half full or half empty?
4) Sleep! Our bodies are constantly working hard to keep us alive; we need to give ourselves and our bodies the time to wind down and recover from intense periods of stress.
5) Schedule regular breaks. A way I found very useful to remain productive without feeling overwhelmed or burnout is to do a single task for 45 minutes, and then take a 15-minute break to rewind and digest the information you have just absorbed.
6) Allocate ‘me-time’. Self-care is so important for our mental health. Me-time does not have to be every single day, it can be something extra special to look forward to on the weekend. However, it is very important that you look out for yourself and for what your body needs. Here are some self-care suggestions:
Staying hydrated
Take a social media detox
Facemasks/skincare
Watching an episode of your favourite TV show
Exercise
Listen to your favourite playlist
If you are struggling please reach out to somebody.
Samaritans – call 116 123 – email jo@samaritans.org
CALM – call 0800 58 58 58
SOS Suicide of Silence – call 0300 1020 505 – email support@sossilenceofsuicide.org
Shout Crisis Text line – Text “SHOUT” to 85258
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