burn·out
/ˈbərnˌout/
Burnout is a form of exhaustion caused by constantly feeling swamped. It’s a result of excessive and prolonged emotional, physical, and mental stress. In many cases, burnout is related to one’s job. Burnout happens when you’re overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to keep up with life’s incessant demands.
Ok. Now that we know what burnout is, let’s look at the stages. They say there are five stages of burnout:
- Honeymoon – you are feeling your job. Maybe it’s new or has just always had you doing jazz hands, but either way you’re energized when thinking or talking about it. You’re ending most days feeling productive and satisfied. You’re motivated and innovative.
- Onset of Stress – workload is creeping. Optimism fading, you find yourself easily irritable and having difficulty focusing on tasks at hand.
- Chronic Stress – Irritability and difficulty focusing become your new norm. You may find yourself socially withdrawing or buffering more than usual.
- Burnout – Your stress levels skyrocket. You and your loved ones notice significant changes in your mood and physical being.
- Habitual Burnout – Chronic fatigue and depression. Apathy sets in. You are not the former version of yourself.
Where do you think you fall in the stages? Are you excited and motivated by your work? Are you occasionally irritable after a particularly difficult work day or week? Is every day a slog? Or do you dread going to the (home)office every day?
I used to have something I called my bicyclist test. I live in Long Beach, CA, and it’s an incredibly bike-friendly town. We love to “Share the Road”. In my past, when driving to/from my office, I could gauge my stress from my level of irritation around the bicyclists riding in front of me. From thinking things like, “Look at these beauties getting their spin on! How inspiring!” all the way to “I absolutely ABHOR all people who bicycle. Don’t they know how much they’re slowing me down??” The more frustrated or irate I was with these innocent riders just moving their bodies and possibly save the planet, was entirely indicative of my mental state. Over the years I had some very dark thoughts about other people. Now, I see so plainly, those thoughts and feelings stemmed from habitual burnout.
If you’ve found yourself in stages 3-5, you know it’s devastating. Whether you have frequent stress, or are living daily in stage five of habitual burnout, there are tools that can help. I can tell you that after my own self-care journey and some much-needed time off, I am officially out of burnout. These days, I spend most of my time in the first honeymoon stage. I am still human, and of course, can float into stages two and three form time to time, but for the most part, my cup is full. It becomes especially clear to me when I’m witnessing someone else in burnout. I relate, and in that moment, I’m eternally grateful to be free of burnout for now.
As someone who, with the help of my therapist, my coaches, and other tools, has pulled myself out of the depths of burnout, it is my dream to help those of you regularly finding yourselves in stages 3-5 get the help you need to beat your burnout and feel better on a regular basis. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by chronic stress and/or burnout, please reach out and schedule a free discovery call here. Join me and let me help you get your cup full, too!