How to Deal with Burnout | Adam Borland, PsyD

Summary

In this episode of the Health Essentials podcast, host Annie Zaleski interviews psychologist Dr. Adam Borland about dealing with burnout. Dr. Borland explains the major symptoms of burnout, including physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion, and discusses how burnout can affect various aspects of life beyond work. He highlights the importance of setting boundaries, engaging in self-care, and practicing mindfulness to combat burnout. The conversation also touches on the differences between burnout and depression, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on burnout rates, and practical tips for managing and preventing burnout.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Burnout is defined as physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion with decreased motivation, lower performance, and negative attitudes towards oneself and others.
• 💼 Burnout is commonly associated with stressful jobs but can affect various areas of life, leading to health problems.
• 📉 Symptoms of burnout include feeling exhausted, sluggish, overwhelmed by simple tasks, and quick to anger or frustration.
• 🔄 The causes of burnout often include difficulty setting boundaries between work and personal life, especially with constant accessibility through technology.
• ⚠️ Major signs of burnout include a lack of motivation, questioning the value of one's work, and feeling detached or depersonalized.
• 😴 Physical symptoms of burnout may include tension headaches, disrupted sleep patterns, and significant changes in diet.
• 🛑 Burnout differs from depression in that burnout is often linked to a specific stressor, whereas depression is a more general, diagnosable condition.
• 🔄 Recovery from burnout involves establishing a daily routine, maintaining boundaries, practicing mindfulness, and possibly seeking therapy.
• 🏃‍♂️ To prevent future burnout, individuals should recognize early symptoms, prioritize self-care, and maintain a balanced approach to work and personal responsibilities.
• 📝 Writing about feelings and breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable goals can be effective ways to manage and mitigate burnout.

Q & A

What is burnout according to the APA Dictionary of Psychology?

Burnout is defined as physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lower performance, and negative attitudes towards oneself and others.

Why is burnout prevalent in today's society according to the podcast?

Burnout is prevalent due to the incredibly stressful times we live in, which often leads to people feeling very tired, both physically and emotionally, with their 'gas tanks' on empty.

What are some major causes of burnout that Dr. Borland typically sees?

Dr. Borland sees people struggling to find necessary boundaries to manage life and work demands, with the uncertainty from the COVID-19 pandemic further depleting their physical and emotional reserves.

How does technology contribute to job burnout?

Technology makes people accessible 24 hours a day, making it difficult to disconnect from work, especially with the rise of telehealth and virtual platforms, leading to a constant state of running to address work responsibilities.

What are some signs of burnout that Dr. Borland observes in individuals?

Signs include a lack of satisfaction in work, questioning the purpose and enjoyment of one's job, and feeling like one is just going through the motions.

How can burnout affect individuals who are not experiencing job-related stress?

Burnout can affect anyone struggling to balance work responsibilities with other life aspects, such as parenting during virtual schooling, causing emotional and physical depletion.

What physical symptoms might one experience when burned out?

Physical symptoms can include tension headaches, changes in sleep patterns, and alterations in diet.

How does Dr. Borland differentiate burnout from depression?

Depression is a diagnosable mental health condition with more general symptoms, while burnout is often in response to a specific trigger and can improve when detached from that trigger.

What are some strategies Dr. Borland suggests to cope with burnout?

Strategies include deep breathing for mindfulness, establishing a healthy daily routine, maintaining boundaries, and engaging in physical exercise.

How can writing be a therapeutic outlet for dealing with burnout?

Writing can help by allowing individuals to express their feelings without editing, starting with 'I feel...' and letting the process of getting thoughts out be therapeutic.

What is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on burnout levels?

The pandemic has intensified burnout levels due to increased work demands, lack of a blueprint for new responsibilities, and the inability to maintain daily routines and boundaries.

What is the importance of acknowledging and communicating about burnout?

Acknowledging burnout helps individuals realize it's not okay and prompts them to seek help. Communication can validate feelings and provide relief by showing others are experiencing similar issues.

Outlines

00:00

🎙️ Introduction to the Podcast

Annie Zaleski introduces the episode of the Health Essentials podcast, featuring psychologist Adam Borland discussing burnout. She outlines the symptoms of burnout, such as exhaustion, overwhelm, and stress, and mentions that burnout can affect various life areas and health.

05:01

🧠 Understanding Burnout

Dr. Borland explains burnout according to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, defining it as physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion with decreased motivation and performance. He describes the practical manifestations of burnout, emphasizing the importance of refilling one's emotional and physical 'gas tank.'

10:02

⚖️ Causes of Burnout

Dr. Borland discusses the major causes of burnout, including the difficulty in setting boundaries between personal life and work. He highlights the impact of COVID-19 on exacerbating these challenges, leading to significant depletion of emotional and physical reserves.

15:03

📱 The Role of Technology in Burnout

The discussion turns to job burnout, emphasizing the challenge of maintaining boundaries in an era of constant connectivity due to technology. Dr. Borland notes that telehealth and virtual platforms make it hard for people to disconnect from work, contributing to burnout across various career stages.

20:04

🧩 Symptoms and Signs of Burnout

Dr. Borland identifies additional signs of burnout beyond exhaustion, such as questioning the purpose of one's work and feeling a lack of satisfaction. He mentions that burnout symptoms are common among both new professionals and those with long careers.

25:04

😔 Burnout Beyond Job Stress

Burnout can also stem from non-work-related stress, such as parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Borland explains how the depletion of emotional and physical reserves affects people's ability to manage various responsibilities.

🔍 Identifying Physical Symptoms of Burnout

Common physical symptoms of burnout include tension headaches and disrupted sleep patterns. Dr. Borland recommends engaging in physical exercise as a coping tool, despite the challenge of finding energy when feeling exhausted.

🏋️‍♂️ The Importance of Exercise

Dr. Borland emphasizes the benefits of physical exercise in managing burnout, noting that exercise doesn't have to mean going to the gym. Simple activities at home can also be effective in improving well-being.

🤔 Differentiating Burnout from Depression

Burnout and depression can have overlapping symptoms, but depression is a diagnosable mental health condition, whereas burnout is situational. Dr. Borland explains how therapy helps in distinguishing between the two by assessing specific life stressors.

🏖️ Situational vs. General Symptoms

Dr. Borland uses the analogy of a villa in the south of France to illustrate the difference between burnout and depression. Burnout symptoms may ease with a break from stressors, while depression persists regardless of the environment.

🏃 Maintaining a Healthy Pace

People often operate at a high pace, and Dr. Borland discusses the importance of finding a sustainable 'cruising speed' rather than constantly going at 100 miles per hour. Prolonged burnout can lead to serious long-term effects, including depression.

🌳 The Far-reaching Effects of Burnout

Burnout affects not only professional life but also personal relationships and overall quality of life. Dr. Borland mentions the feeling of depersonalization, where individuals feel detached from themselves due to high stress levels.

🛠️ Recognizing and Addressing Burnout

Recognizing burnout often happens late, once it has fully taken hold. Dr. Borland stresses the importance of regular self-check-ins and taking breaks to manage stress and prevent burnout from worsening.

🧘 Coping Strategies for Burnout

Dr. Borland recommends mindfulness and deep breathing as initial steps to manage burnout. Establishing a healthy daily routine, maintaining boundaries, and prioritizing self-care are crucial in coping with burnout.

🗒️ Organizing Daily Goals

Writing down tasks and breaking them into smaller, achievable goals can help manage stress. Dr. Borland suggests that having an organized approach to daily goals prevents feelings of disappointment or failure.

🗣️ Seeking Therapy

Therapy provides a safe space for individuals to talk about their stress without judgment. Dr. Borland notes the growing acceptance and need for mental health services and emphasizes the life-changing benefits of therapy.

📈 Improving Work-life Balance

For those unable to leave stressful jobs, communicating with managers about workload and seeking adjustments can help. Engaging in fulfilling activities outside of work, such as volunteering, can also alleviate feelings of burnout.

🎭 Balancing Activities and Self-care

While finding joy in activities outside work is beneficial, maintaining balance is key to preventing burnout from other sources. Self-care is not selfish; it is necessary to be the best version of oneself for others.

⏱️ Recognizing Individual Needs

Different individuals recharge in various ways, whether through solitude or social interaction. Dr. Borland acknowledges that preferences may change, and trial and error is part of finding what works best.

🔄 Recovery and Prevention

Recovery from burnout is possible through establishing routines and maintaining boundaries. Recognizing early symptoms and learning to communicate needs are essential to preventing future burnout.

🧘 Prioritizing Self-care

Preventing burnout involves sticking to routines, maintaining boundaries, and communicating with support systems. Therapy can help individuals learn to advocate for their needs and prevent burnout from recurring.

🔄 Lifelong Learning

Learning to be assertive and prioritize self-care is an ongoing process. Mindfulness and gratitude practices help individuals stay connected with their emotions and recognize the positive aspects of life.

📝 Therapeutic Writing

Writing as a therapeutic outlet can help manage stress. Dr. Borland shares an example of a patient who used writing to cope with anxiety before stressful weekly calls, illustrating the benefits of this practice.

🗣️ Communicating and Validating

Sharing experiences of burnout with peers can be validating and reassuring. Dr. Borland emphasizes the importance of communication in realizing one is not alone in facing these challenges.

🏥 Seeking Professional Help

Dr. Borland encourages using the term 'burnout' and discussing it openly. Acknowledging burnout is the first step towards addressing it, and seeking professional help can provide valuable support.

📢 Normalizing Burnout Discussions

Talking about burnout helps reduce its stigma. Dr. Borland highlights that recognizing and addressing burnout, especially in stressful workplaces, can lead to positive changes and better support systems.

🔗 Conclusion and Resources

Dr. Borland concludes the discussion by emphasizing the importance of recognizing burnout and seeking help. Listeners are directed to Cleveland Clinic's resources for more information on managing and preventing burnout.

Keywords

💡Burnout

Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion often accompanied by a decrease in motivation and energy. In the video, it is the central theme, discussed as a prevalent issue in today's stressful times. The script mentions that burnout can affect many areas of life and cause health problems, highlighting its significance in the current context of work and life stressors.

💡Stressful Job

A stressful job is a significant contributor to burnout, as it can lead to constant tension and a lack of work-life balance. The script emphasizes that while job burnout is common, it's not the only cause, and the impact of technology making us accessible 24/7 further exacerbates this issue.

💡Boundaries

Boundaries refer to the limits we set to distinguish between work and personal life, which are crucial in managing stress and preventing burnout. The script discusses the difficulty people face in establishing these boundaries, especially in the current work-from-home and always-connected culture.

💡Depersonalization

Depersonalization is a feeling of detachment from oneself, as if going through the motions without genuine engagement. The script mentions it as a symptom of burnout, where individuals may feel disconnected due to the heightened stress they experience.

💡Coping Tools

Coping tools are strategies or activities that help individuals manage stress and prevent burnout. The script suggests physical exercise as a beneficial coping tool, emphasizing that it doesn't have to be at a gym but can be incorporated into daily life in various ways.

💡Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment. The script recommends it as a method to deal with burnout, suggesting deep breathing as a way to achieve mindfulness and focus on the present.

💡Daily Routine

A daily routine is a set of regular activities that structure an individual's day, including aspects like sleep, diet, and work. The script highlights the importance of establishing a healthy daily routine to manage burnout by creating a balance between work responsibilities and self-care.

💡Gratitude

Gratitude is the act of acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects of life. The script suggests focusing on gratitude as a way to combat the negative effects of burnout and to shift one's perspective towards the positive.

💡Pandemic Fatigue

Pandemic fatigue refers to the exhaustion and frustration people feel due to the prolonged stress and changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The script connects this concept to burnout, noting that the pandemic has intensified work responsibilities and disrupted daily routines, leading to increased burnout.

💡Self-Care

Self-care involves activities that individuals engage in to take care of their mental and physical health. The script emphasizes the importance of self-care in preventing and recovering from burnout, challenging the misconception that self-care is selfish and highlighting its necessity for overall well-being.

💡Communication

Communication is the act of expressing thoughts and feelings effectively. The script underscores the importance of communication in addressing burnout, both in seeking help from others and in discussing one's feelings to gain a sense of shared experience and support.

Highlights

Introduction of Dr. Adam Borland, discussing burnout with psychologist Annie Zaleski.

Definition of burnout according to the APA dictionary of psychology.

Common causes of burnout, including difficulty in managing life and work demands.

Impact of technology on job burnout due to constant accessibility.

Major signs of burnout, such as feeling like your tank is empty and questioning the point of work.

Physical symptoms of burnout, including tension headaches and sleep pattern changes.

Differences between burnout and depression, highlighting situational triggers for burnout.

The role of therapy in managing burnout, including deep breathing and mindfulness exercises.

Establishing a healthy daily routine to manage and prevent burnout.

Importance of setting boundaries and attending to self-care.

Communicating with support systems and seeking therapy as methods to handle burnout.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on burnout, with increased responsibilities and lack of a blueprint.

Short-term and long-term effects of burnout on physical and emotional health.

Writing as a therapeutic outlet to manage stress and burnout.

The importance of recognizing and using the term 'burnout' to address and manage it effectively.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello and thank you for joining us for

this episode of the health essentials

podcast i'm your host annie zaleski and

today we're talking with psychologist

adam borland about dealing with burnout

if you're feeling exhausted and sluggish

and even simple tasks feel overwhelming

to complete or you find yourself so

stressed out that you're quick to get

angry or frustrated you might be

experiencing burnout while frequently

associated with a stressful job burnout

can also affect many areas of your life

and even cause health problems

dr borland is here to talk about the

major symptoms of burnout and provide

some tips on how both to deal with

burnout and prevent this condition from

developing in the future

dr borland thank you so much for being

here

my pleasure thanks for having me so

let's talk a little bit about first what

burnout is according to the apa

dictionary of psychology burnout is

defined as physical emotional or mental

exhaustion accompanied by decreased

motivation lower performance and

negative attitudes towards oneself and

others

so in practice what does this mean

in practice this means that i'm seeing

a lot of people who are very tired

physically emotionally tired um we often

talk about the idea of our gas tanks

being on empty

and what we do in therapy is really try

and focus on how to refill that tank

because we are living in incredibly

stressful times these days and burnout

is incredibly prevalent

well i think that's you know what are

some of the major causes of burnout i

mean i think we can probably guess a few

of them but what are you typically

seeing

i'm seeing people that are having a very

difficult time

finding the necessary boundaries in

order to manage life personal life and

all the demands that that requires and

then also work demands

and finding that balance it has proven

to be extremely difficult we throw in

the uncertainty regarding kovid and it

is really taking the the

physical and emotional reserves that we

usually hold on to and really depleting

them

so you know you mentioned work um you

know why is job burnout so common then

specifically

well i think we have a difficult time

saying no

we have a difficult time maintaining

necessary boundaries

especially given the technology that

plays a significant part in the work

field today

we are accessible 24 hours a day

and especially now with uh telehealth

and all the virtual uh platforms it it

takes our ability to disconnect from

work and makes it all the more difficult

so people are essentially running

constantly uh in order to address work

responsibilities and i see people across

all

stages of their career who are really

saying i need to do a better job finding

this balance in order to preserve my

physical and emotional health

and it sounds like what you're

describing are both physical boundaries

you know maybe you're looking at your

phone your computer and then also

emotional boundaries that stress you

know i need to check my email maybe i'm

going to miss this message is that

pretty fair to say

that's that's unfortunately what we deal

with on a day-to-day basis

so you mentioned you know feeling like

your tank is basically empty then you

know and being really tired you know

what are some of the other major signs

that you're experiencing burnout

you know a lot of the individuals that i

work with there's kind of this question

of

what's the point

is the work that i'm doing

is it really making a difference do i

even really enjoy what i'm doing anymore

or am i just kind of going through the

motions and that obviously is indicative

of kind of a lack of satisfaction in the

work that people are doing and again

these are people that are new to their

field or maybe right out of college and

then we're talking about individuals who

have maybe been in their field for 30

plus years and all of a sudden they're

questioning i don't know how much longer

i can do this or i want to do this

now are you seeing similar symptoms with

people who maybe aren't feeling job

burnout you know depression is i would

guess a sign or symptom of if you're

experiencing burnout then um is that

only from jobs can that be from other

things as well

yeah we're seeing a tremendous amount of

burnout particularly since uh covet 19

pandemic

began

in that

individuals are really having a hard

time trying to balance the work

responsibilities and then for instance

parenting responsibilities trying to

deal with children and virtual schooling

and trying to navigate situations where

frankly there's no blueprint for any of

this

and so again those emotional and

physical reserves that we often depend

on are fairly depleted

besides fatigue then are there any other

major physical symptoms that tend to you

know crop up if you're feeling burned

out

yeah a lot of times people will talk

about

feeling tension headaches uh i hear a

lot of my patients deal with with pretty

significant headaches we're always

always going to

look for sleep patterns

are there any significant changes in

diet

you know these are things that the kind

of baselines that we'll always look at

um

you know i will always recommend

engaging in physical exercise regardless

of how much energy that person may have

on a given day i think if we can get

some sort of physical exercise that's

always going to be a helpful coping tool

you know and that's i i can totally see

how that would be so difficult

somebody's if you're just feeling like

all i want to do is take a nap the

thought of exercising that's like the

last thing you want to do but i you know

you hear it so often just what a great

panacea exercises for anything almost

yeah and reminding ourselves that

exercise doesn't have to mean going to

the gym right we can get exercise in all

sorts of different ways

at home and so really

just taking a few minutes every day to

get some physical exercise

so you mentioned that you know a lot of

the symptoms of burnout you know might

resemble some other physical conditions

then how do you tell that burnout from

other things that there might be

something else going on

yeah oftentimes burnout and depression

um

can

mirror each other um and

you know what we have to remember when

it comes to depression is that that is a

diagnosable mental health condition

whereas burnout is not

um you know depression

it doesn't have to be in response to one

specific trigger whereas burnout is

often in response to something that we

can point to and say oh this person is

working more hours than usual or there's

something specifically in their life

that's causing this type of burnout

depression tends to be a bit more

general

in terms of its symptoms

one way that i've always explained to my

to my patients in terms of the

difference is

let's imagine we took someone who was

experiencing depression and put them in

a in a villa in the south of france

the reality is those depressive symptoms

are going to accompany them on that trip

whereas if we take the person who's

dealing with burnout and put them in

that same villa

once they're kind of detached from that

work or whatever it is that's causing

the burnout they're going to be able to

enjoy

that vacation

they're going to be able to relax

whereas the individual who's feeling

depressed most likely will not

that's a really good way of looking at

it it looks like that it's more

situational and it's something almost

external to you um you know that's

that's that's a good way of looking at

it yeah

i think when we're looking at depression

as well we always have to look at kind

of self-esteem and is the individual

feeling a sense of worthlessness a

feeling of helplessness in terms of

changing aspects of their lives again it

tends to be more broad in general

whereas

with burnout we can really pinpoint uh

kind of what what is causing these types

of symptoms

so you know how do doctors you know you

said that they can't there's no medical

diagnosis of burnout then how can

doctors determine what is going on

yeah i think it's really an assessment

of kind of what

what is the person dealing with on a

day-to-day basis if someone comes in and

tells me i'm not sleeping because i'm so

worried about this presentation and all

i've been doing is focusing and

preparing for this presentation at work

and like i said i'm not sleeping i'm not

eating um i'm having a terrible time

concentrating i'm not communicating with

my family or i'm isolating myself we can

pinpoint that and say okay it's this

presentation that's really causing this

person to feel burned out

whereas depression we're looking at

other symptoms more of the underlying

symptoms

and that's interesting because i think

sometimes people might not even realize

that they've reached a burnout phase you

know that maybe they're just so

you know there's you know people are

just so focused on i need to get this

thing done i need to get this thing done

at my job and they don't realize that

they've just reached kind of a tipping

point as well into burnout

it's not

uncommon for people to

operate at such a high baseline

that

if they take a step back i often use the

example of

miles per hour so if someone is used to

going 100 miles an hour

and then all of a sudden they take their

foot off the accelerator and now they're

going at 85 which is still a pretty

good clip they may feel that that's

somehow not good enough

because they are so used to going at 100

miles an hour

and so what we really want to work on is

helping them find

a healthy cruising speed with the

understanding that yes there will be

times where you have to go a little

faster but we can't sustain that 100

miles an hour all the time

well and you know and obviously you know

something being in that kind of that

heightened stage for a long period of

time is not good for you what are some

of the long-term physical and emotional

effects of burnout

well i think

eventually it can lead to depression so

that's something we always want to keep

an eye out for um you know

individuals that are dealing with

prolonged burnout i see

just

the the quality of life their their

level of interest in things the things

that that have been enjoyable to them

they're just kind of going through the

motions at this point

people often talk about this feeling of

depersonalization when it comes to

burnout and that's a feeling of just

kind of being detached from yourself

almost like you're just kind of going

through the motions

due to that heightened level of stress

wow and those are very serious things

you know i would imagine those can also

have an impact on not just your job but

your personal life your relationships

and you know your just day-to-day

existence absolutely you know burnout

can absolutely affect

uh personal relationships i often hear

of individuals whose marriages or

relationship with significant others are

being affected and so it you know the

branches that come off this tree can be

quite expensive

now does burnout you know could it have

a serious effect on it very soon or is

it only prolonged burnout that can have

an impact you know i guess maybe what

are some of the short-term impacts you

tend to see

yeah i think

well

i think we have to remember that a lot

of times with burnout people don't

necessarily recognize it at its early

stages it's usually once burnout has

really kind of taken hold

that's when they say boy something is

really off here because i think we are

again so used to going at that that 100

mile an hour um

clip

so i i think it's important that we all

kind of do a daily

maybe even hourly check-in with

ourselves to kind of just see how am i

doing emotionally how am i doing

physically you know that that's one

thing that i'm always going to recommend

as a coping tool for burnout is we have

to be able to take breaks

we have to be able to step away from the

computer or step away from whatever that

that source of stress is

in order to attend to our health and

well-being

and i mean that's what i was going to

ask you is that when you when you

suddenly come to the realization i'm

burned out i have burnout what can you

do about it you know obviously i think

taking break is excellent and you know

and stepping away from your computer and

other screens is also a good thing what

else can you do

you know

i'm sure individuals have

i'm sure everyone's heard of kind of the

concept of mindfulness right the idea of

trying to be as emotionally present as

possible and one way to achieve that i

always recommend to my patients is doing

some deep breathing the great thing

about doing deep breathing is it causes

it it forces us to focus on that one

inhale and that one exhale

and in doing that we are focusing on

this very moment

so that's something i always recommend

for my patients as as kind of um

a first step

in terms of prioritizing at the moment

i think it's really important to

establish a healthy daily routine

when it comes to sleep when it comes to

diet when it comes to

saying okay i've put in a hard day's

work now i need to press stop and i need

to attend to

social aspects of my life things that

are just fun and relaxing and so you

know creating maintaining boundaries

that that's something that takes work

takes work but it's extremely beneficial

i mean the the first thing especially

it's it's so within your reach you just

take stop and take a breath and i think

that's really nice because it could feel

very overwhelming to even know where to

begin if you if your life has just

gotten to a point where you're go go go

all the time

it is and it's something that i remind

people it's

it's easy to do it doesn't require any

equipment people don't even necessarily

know that you're doing deep breathing

but the positive effects of it can be

can be

wonderful now establishing a daily

routine you know is it one of those

things where maybe you want to write

down in a notebook what you have to get

done or you maybe set an alarm to you

know say all right it's time for me to

stop i need to do things you know or are

things like that helpful or are there

any other methods or techniques that you

you tend to recommend to people

i think what you just mentioned is a

great way of approaching it i think when

we write things down and then we break

them down into small achievable goals

that's a wonderful way to approach

things so that we can cross those things

off during the day

right and in order to do that again we

have to take a bigger um a bigger goal

and break it down because sometimes if

we don't achieve that bigger goal we can

view it as a disappointment or a failure

so i think that that's a very healthy

way to approach it and to have feel like

there's some organization to that goals

to those goals

i would imagine that also speaking to

someone as well and maybe you know

talking to someone if they're a

therapist or someone else to try to also

help you get in the mode would also be

helpful to kind of give you some outside

perspective on what's going on

you know thankfully

therapy and mental health are finally

starting to be destigmatized

there's a tremendous need for mental

health services these days um and people

are seeking it out at record

record numbers um

i'm obviously a little bit biased

but

you know having that safe place to talk

with someone who is not a family member

or a friend or a co-worker or a neighbor

but someone who comes in impartial and

is trained to give clinical feedback

it really can be life-changing

especially during these stressful times

that we're living

well and you know job burnout you know

specifically can sometimes be so tricky

because you might not be in a position

to quit your job if it's causing you

stress

you know what can people do in

situations like that

it can be

tricky obviously if someone has

the opportunity to communicate with

their boss with their manager with

someone higher up in the organization

and explain to them some of the

difficulties that they're dealing with

that's ideal and hopefully find some

sort of schedule or some

change in responsibilities change and

daily routine that that could help but

not everyone has that opportunity

so we have to go in and try and remember

that my health and well-being matters

here as well i have to attend to the

balance of the day and if things are

really out of whack

i have to figure out how to do something

for myself

a lot of individuals who don't

necessarily feel that type of

satisfaction from work

oftentimes will look for things outside

of work

whether it's a volunteer opportunity

whether it's some involvement in a club

or organization for some individuals it

might be a religious um dynamic

to to maybe fill some of that void that

they're feeling that that they're not

getting from their job

i mean that's you know and that's always

so great because it's like that's your

break and it's something you enjoy and

it's something that can bring you joy

you know it can you know can that

sometimes go too much though can it

still be like you know you're almost

burning yourself out on your thing to

help you combat burnout you know is is

that a thing at all

i suppose

i suppose it is um i and again i think

it really comes down to that balance

right and and i think

oftentimes we misconstrue this idea of

attending to our self-care as somehow

being selfish

yeah and it's it's not the same

it's really not and oftentimes i i

remind my patients that you know in

order to be the best

friend or spouse or parent or child or

whatever it might be

you have to attend to your self-care

if your tank is empty you can't be the

type of person you want to be to these

other others in your life

and it stands to reason that you know

some people when their tank is empty

they just need to kind of go off by

themselves and maybe read a book or

sleep or rest and other people maybe if

they're more extroverted need that kind

of recharging by being around other

people it just it just really varies by

personality it does

it does and some it may not be

consistent

and that's okay you might it might have

to be a bit of trial and error

so you know is burnout something that

you can recover from and and if so you

know what does that look like and how

does that feel

burnout is something that i believe you

can recover from it it takes work

and i think it really again comes down

to establishing meaningful daily routine

um

creating and maintaining these

boundaries so that you can attend to

your health and well-being while also

attending to the responsibilities of

your job or your personal life

but i absolutely think that it can

improve

now once you recover from burnout you

know can you prevent it in the future

and if so you know how can you is it

just kind of sticking to what you your

routines and sticking to what you had

kind of implemented or are there

additional things you can do as well

well i think you know once you recognize

the symptoms

then hopefully you become more aware of

them and say to yourself you know what i

know

how bad this felt last time

i dealt with this and therefore i need

to do a better job of maintaining that

balance and attending to my self-care

and those boundaries so that i don't let

it get to that point that it did last

time

communicating with support systems

making sure that you don't feel like

you're going through this alone

is always going to be important um

and and i think that's another aspect of

therapy is that individuals often learn

how to communicate they don't

they're not internalizing these emotions

perhaps like they once did

and that's great too because yes some

people

you know this really could use some help

on how do i advocate for myself how do i

stand up and say i need this that could

be so difficult for people to do

sometimes

it really can be like learning a new

skill in order to be assertive in order

to to put your own needs higher up on

the priority list

well it's a lifelong thing that we're

all we're all trying to learn especially

when we're being pulled in many

directions i agree

you know

mindfulness too i imagine to be

something that's good when you kind of

cut off my you know burn out at the past

before it even develops that if you're

paying attention to what's going on like

you said you know when you're really

staying in touch with you know your

inner self and your emotions that also i

bet would be something that's very

helpful

and one thing i often

encourage my patients to do is focus on

gratitude especially nowadays it's very

easy to look through a lens of um

negativity pessimism

what how are things not

uh working for me the way that i would

like for them to work

and instead focus on the good things

and that does take work but i think

you will see the benefits pretty

pretty quickly um because there are

wonderful things out there that

unfortunately we tend to overlook yeah

so are you know are there any tips you

know that are good for avoiding burnout

that you haven't mentioned that you feel

are important to mention or might be

helpful to people yeah i've had um

a number of individuals who've

kind of experienced the benefits of

writing

writing as a therapeutic outlet and what

i recommend in that situation is don't

edit yourself don't worry about spelling

or grammar or anything like that just

start with i feel

and see where it goes

and when you're done with it it doesn't

matter what you do with it you can keep

it you can

reread it you can delete it throw it

away it doesn't really matter it's just

the process of getting it out

i worked with a patient years and years

ago who started off

her week with a very stressful

phone call with her boss every monday

morning she knew that at this time there

was going to be that phone call

and so what we worked on was before that

phone call she would take 10 15 minutes

and just write

just write out how she was feeling what

she was worried about the good things

that she had done the past week that she

could explain to her boss and we found

that it really helped her in terms of

approaching that call it didn't take

away the stress 100

and that really wasn't the expectation

but it helped her kind of

loosen that that vice grip that she was

holding on to things with

that's such a great example because

that's a concrete uh you know example of

something that's like i know i have it

every week how do i deal with it how can

i solve this problem and make it easier

for me even a little bit you know i

can't change it but i can respond to it

and help myself that's excellent and i

think that's a great point that you you

just brought up is the idea that we

can't change these situations

necessarily it's always up to us to

remind to say to ourselves how can i

respond to it that's what i have control

over my responses my behaviors and when

we recognize that it can be pretty

powerful to remember that we have a

choice in all of this

re just reframing it reframing the way

you look at things and that that is very

that kind of unlocks something when you

realize you know say that i can't you

know i can i have things in my life i

can control i'm going to focus on those

and making those better that can be very

very powerful

and that's what therapy

that's a way in which therapy can be

effective is by having someone help you

reframe

what it is that you're dealing with

now one of the things i'm sure that you

know has come up in the last couple

years too is you know covert fatigue you

know we've talked a lot about as well

about pandemic fatigue people are just

you know i've just had it i guess for

lack of a better word you know how do

they kind of inform each other and is

there a difference between you know

feeling burned out from the pandemic and

general burnout

well i think the demands that that

people have had put on them

since march of 2020 when the pandemic

started um

have really

gotten intense

um as i said before there's no playbook

there's no blueprint for any of this

we're kind of adapting on the fly um and

as a result

people's um

responsibilities

have changed and

a lot of people are doing a lot more

work than they did in the past

um and because of that burnout has

become more prevalent the ability to say

no the ability to keep those boundaries

to maintain a daily routine

really got flipped upside down once once

covid hit

and um so

that's something that i see quite often

in my practice

and as far as the fatigue

you're right i mean people are

pretty sick of this

and you know especially this new wave i

have a lot of patients who come to see

me that

they're feeling really angry

and and rightfully so

because

people

they're sick and tired of this

and it affects all areas of life so

well hopefully and then hopefully soon

maybe next time when we talk it'll be uh

things will be in a better place we can

all cross our fingers fingers crossed

absolutely

well is there anything else you want to

add about burnout that we haven't talked

about that you feel is important to

mention

i think it's important to be able to to

use that term burnout

to not shy away from it you know i think

thankfully in this generation

we're seeing that people are are

recognizing these symptoms and saying

you know what this isn't okay

whereas frankly in past generations it

was just kind of this mentality of you

put your head down and you work and you

don't complain and

whatever symptoms you dealt with on the

side well

it was a byproduct of it but thankfully

people are now

talking about burnout and maybe aren't

as apprehensive to admit you know i'm

dealing with these symptoms

and that's great because you know

acknowledging it and you know many more

people saying hey i'm dealing with this

you know we'll kind of bring it into the

you know lexicon i guess and hopefully

improve things like if you're in a

workplace that's very stressful even

acknowledging that can be you know it

can be very freeing to have someone say

hey you might be burned out you know

let's try to help solve this for you you

know that could really be a relief for

many people

yeah and i think if individuals can

can communicate with co-workers with

peers

to say hey this is how i'm feeling how

are you dealing with it

there it can be very validating if a

co-worker says boy you know i'm having a

hard time with that as well

right so we don't feel like i'm alone on

an island feeling these feelings

so

communicate communicate communicate wow

well dr berlin thank you so much this

has been so valuable and i think the

advice that you've shared today is

probably going to help a lot of people

in a very tough time

you're welcome my pleasure thanks for

having me

burnout is the result of ongoing stress

can have a serious impact on your mental

and physical health

if you'd like to find out more

information about how to deal with

burnout or learn about coping mechanisms

to prevent burnout from occurring visit

clevelandclinic.org behavioral health

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