the problem with burnout
Last month, I was invited to speak to 220 staffers at a nonprofit organization’s professional development day. They asked me to share strategies for self-care in an environment where they're overworked and overwhelmed.
After sharing the business adventures that led to my own burnout, I offered tip top tips on how to avoid it. In closing, I thanked everyone for listening and invited questions that I was sure to knock out of the park.
But the first person to raise her hand asked such an illuminating question that I froze.
“How did you know to acknowledge that you were ever burned out?”
I just stood there. I’d never even thought about it.
An eternity later, the spontaneous response I gave turned out to be the whole truth and nothing but the truth: you don’t know you’re burned out until you’re really, truly, severely burned out.
Burnout looks like irritation when anyone says anything to you, which can also be blamed on hormones, a bad day, or the kids. It’s hard to tell.
Burnout looks like exhaustion which can also be blamed on work hours, household stresses, or political madness. It’s hard to tell.
Burnout looks like giving up, which is often shrouded in shame. It can be felt deeply and is usually kept a secret for a very long time.
I’d taken a ride through each variety at various points in my career. Haven’t we all? But I didn’t admit it to myself because I didn’t know it was burnout. By the time I figured it out it had been a multi-year roller-coaster ride and it simply became too much to continue feeling the way I did.
Social media is steeped in self-care tips. AI can have a conversation with you about it. But first you need to understand that you need the tips or the conversation, which most of us have a hard time understanding.
Once I finally acknowledged my irritation, exhaustion, and lack of interest in anything at all I began to do all the things that sound easy but are the hardest things to do.
I started to slow down. I started to do less. I started to prioritize myself.
Looking back, I know one thing for sure. Admitting that you’re experiencing burnout could be the best thing that ever happens to you.
So, tell me…how are you feeling these days?
jill
Wow. What an important topic. For me I think it's a feeling of lethargy rather than spontaneous irritation (although that happens too). It's a lackluster interest in life or motivation to accomplish much of anything. Thanks Jill
This is so incredibly important. Great post, Jill. We may not notice that we are burned out, for the reasons you mention, but those around us may start to tell us something is up. We need to listen to them, and also to our own bodies.