“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you”
March 2021
Anne Lamott
CARES
...about Burnout
Burnout in the Pandemic Era: How to know when to pull the plug It has now been over a year of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and its ongoing grief, uncertainty, and multiple strains and consequences on all areas of our lives. Undoubtedly, the changes we are collectively enduring have taken a toll on our physical, spiritual, and mental health and quality of life. We have been flung into a worldwide situation that has required us to continually pivot and adjust and take on tasks and roles we were never prepared to do. Teachers that reprimanded students for staying off their screens in the classroom shifted to engaging students through screens in online environments. Parents who sent their children to schools suddenly became tasked with teaching themselves without the tools or necessary education to support their learning adequately. Work environments and communities got turned inside out. By now, most of us are likely to be running on an empty tank and feeling burnt out; our resources need to be replenished. However, this is not always doable, as resources are limited, and many of our go-to activities have been restricted by safety measures. Thus, it is essential to be mindful of burnout signs and not misinterpret or dismiss them.
What is burnout? Definition: Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion with bodily, psychological and behavioral symptoms. It has also been rightfully termed “battle fatigue.” Burnout can look like: • Emotional exhaustion and feeling easily overwhelmed • Depletion of one’s internal resources; running on empty • Cynicism and detachment from work • Decreased efficacy and work ethic; increased self-doubt • Reduced concentration, memory, and executive functioning- ability to make decisions & forgetfulness • Irritability, hopelessness, and apathy
What burnout is not • Simply being tired • Depression that is unrelated to work • The same as being stressed out • Equivalent to a lack of motivation or being lazy • A sign of weakness because you cannot keep up • It is not solely grief
Some factors that can lead to burnout
How to Identify the Sıgns of burnout
• Chronic stress • Unstructured and undefined work hours and/or roles • Repeated boundary violations • Low reward, fairness, appreciation, control, and the community at work, along with high workload and misaligned values • Persistent work-life imbalance • Low psychological capital (hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism)
• Feeling drained • Excessively tired • Headaches • Stomachaches • Difficulty sleeping and/or restless sleep • Lacking motivation • Difficulty focusing • Decreased productivity • Self-doubt • Feeling a sense of detachment from others
Tips for Coping with Burnout • Be alert of the signs and personal causes of burnout • Set professional and personal boundaries; value your personal time • Make time for yourself and develop a regular self-care routine • Community care: building a culture of care that facilitates the
differentiation between work and personal life and promotes reflection and collective meaning-making • Engage in physical exercise and make it a priority, even when you are just not in the mood • Take care of your body, mind, and spirit • Get out and away from your screen(s) • Limit your daily obligations and expectations • Identify what your actual needs are and act on Contributors:
fulfilling these first. Often, these are related to SPAN (Sleep, Purpose, Activity, and Nutrition) • Cultivate a strong support network • Communicate your thoughts and emotions openly to people you trust • Remind yourself that you are not alone • Develop and maintain practices to calm yourself • Give expression to your emotional state through creativity, movement, and/or music • Engage in a new or long-abandoned activity • Limit your consumption of unnecessary and dispiriting media • Let go of perfectionism; sometimes a done job is a good job • Re-Identify what you love about your job • Overcoming burnout is not your sole responsibility; it may require meaningful organizational changes and support- advocate for yourself • Plan for the future to maintain motivation, vision and hope • Stop comparing your state, coping and productivity with others • Know when to seek professional help.
Adriana Janicic, Psy.D., janicica@acs.gr Manos Kougioumzoglou, Ph.D (c), kougioumzogloue@acs.gr Natalia A. Maravegias, MSc., maravegiasn@acs.gr