Burnout may look like fatigue (physical, emotional), feeling overwhelmed, exhaustion, and feeling detached, cynical, or less empathic. Forbes suggests that 75% of people in the workforce experience burnout, but burnout can exist in other areas of life: relationships, for parents and caregivers, school, and recovery. Burnout prevents us from being present in conversations and relationships, enjoying activities, and is linked to a decrease in self-care and self-compassion.
The T.H.R.I.V.E method can be an effective way to bounce back from burnout.
Time Alone –take a break and reconnect with yourself. Set boundaries with others.
Help—accept or ask for help or resources from others.
Recharge – your batteries with activities that energize you (hobbies and interests).
Ideal day – Invision what things would look like if they were going well, and you felt less burnt out.
Values – what are your top 3 values and how can you live more in-line with them?
Expectations – adjust them! Are you placing unrealistic expectations on yourself?
What is Self-Compassion?
Self-compassion is showing the same kindness, understanding, and permission to be imperfect that you would show your loved ones to yourself. It is recognizing that your situation or an outcome may not be directly linked to your abilities or value as a human. Failing to have compassion for ourselves is something that can lead to burnout.
Self-Compassion is broken down into 3 components:
Self-kindness vs. self-judgement – being warm and understanding towards ourselves when we feel inadequate, rather than criticizing ourselves or ignoring our pain.
Common humanity vs. Isolation – recognizing that suffering and failure are part of the shared human experience.
Mindfulness vs. over-identification – taking a balanced approach to our emotions, observing negative thoughts without being swept away by them.
– Stephanie Riordan, LPC, LCADC
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