Burnout

Burnout feels like one of those topics people mention a lot but few people take the time to understand, kind of like trauma or NFTs. We throw the word around, we have a general sense of the meaning, but we (ironically) don't pause to dive in. So, here's my short treatise on burnout, because it's pretty interesting and very applicable. 

From a clinical perspective, Burnout came of age in the 1980s when researchers identified three core elements of burnout:

1. Emotional exhaustion: no more f**ks to give
2. Depersonalization: cynicism or low care for "them"
3. Diminished accomplishment: feeling ineffective or losing confidence

Burnout sucks. It sucks for the people going through it; they feel like failures and empty shells. Burnout is this sense of constantly being out of synch at work, where no amount of effort can dig you out.

Burnout sucks for organizations and teams as well. There are many correlates between burnout and workplace success. For example, burnout scores in teachers predict educator-coworker harassment, student misbehavior, and the quality of the teacher-child relationship. Similarly, professional accomplishment is related to job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Exhaustion and cynicism are related to turnover and work-to-family interference.

It usually takes a long time for us to find our way into burnout, and it can take a long time to recover, restore, and make our way through it. But it can be done! We can find our way to the other side of burnout. Here are a few things that can help with burnout at work - we may not be able to do all of these things, but we can all do some of them:

• Workload — negotiate the amount of work to be done in a given time.
• Control — find or advocate for the opportunity to make choices and decisions, solve problems, and contribute to the fulfillment of responsibilities. 
• Reward — increase financial and social recognition for contributions on the job.
• Community — raise the quality of the social context at work.
• Fairness — create consistent and equitable rules for everyone; ensure the quality of justice and respect at work.
• Values — identify what matters to the individual in their work. Find ways to increase the degree of consistency between personal values and the values inherent in the organization.

Burnout is directly linked to our performance and enjoyment at work. We can do something about it, one day and one decision at a time. 

What’s your most powerful tool in protecting against burnout or recovering from feeling burnt out? For me, it's all about control. If I feel like I have a voice in decisions that affect me, then I can make it through almost anything. But if I feel like a pawn in somebody else's chess game, that's a fast path to burnout. What works for you? 

What is Enough?

When I stopped working (for money) last November, I experienced a wild mix of emotions. I was thrilled to move on to this new chapter of life, excited to actually do what I had spent the past two years prepping to do in my master's program, curious about how I would spend my days and how my life would change, looking forward to more time outside, and, of course, plenty of fear that I wouldn't have enough. 

I was in a privileged position. We had been planning for this transition for years. Both Steve and I were capable of working full-time if that's what we needed to do. We had been saving a chunk of our income for our entire careers. And, still, it was easy to slip into fear. 

To stop the swirl, I found it very grounding to pause and define "enough" for myself. And when I stopped to list out what was enough, it was a pretty short list: 

• 
  Close and growing relationships with spouse, kids, and a couple of friends
• Time to move my body outdoors
• A faith community where I am learning and serving
• Daily quiet time to read, listen, reflect, and ask
• Enough money to not stress about food or shelter
• A way to invest my skills and gifts
  

When I start to spin out in fear or concern, I can return to this list and recognize that I have more than enough. 

What's on your "enough" list? How does it make you feel to return to this list?

My Ideal Schedule

I am in a unique time in my life. I am enjoying the rewards and blessings of years of structured work and have more schedule flexibility than I have ever experienced. I'm loving it, and I am committed to learning more about the most fulfilling ways to spend my time so I continue to savor this season.

A friend gave me a copy of Do Nothing, and one of the exercises suggested in the book is to write out your ideal schedule. Frankly, it seemed like a dumb thing to do. I was already enjoying my time, so why bother? But it seemed painless, and I gave it a try. 

I have two basic types of days: work days (where I'm basically at my counseling site from 9 am until 8 pm) and home days (where I may have a few things scheduled, but essentially have full control over my day.

I have been delightfully surprised by how much I enjoy sticking to this schedule! Let's be clear, the point isn't that each day will look like this. I have appointments and other scheduled activities just like everybody else. But understanding what my ideal day feels like has nudged me to preserve these daily patterns. Time outside in the morning is a highlight of my days. And knowing that I have 12-3 reserved for homework and other computer tasks helps me mentally let go of those tasks, knowing that there's still ample time to do them.

Here's your challenge - within the constraints of your "normal" life, what would an ideal day look like? The point isn't that you have the full power to sculpt every day this way, but you probably do have opportunities to nudge your days to look more like your idea.