What are your self-care practices for the fall? I’d love to hear about them! Tell us in the Thriving Lotus Oasis Community Facebook Group!
2021 is starting to wrap up! What does that mean for you? For your family? For work and/school? What do the last months of the year have in store for your life?
One common concern during anytime of the year, but especially this time of year, is Burnout.
Burnout can now be diagnosed by medical professionals, if you report the following concerns in relation to your job:
Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
Increased mental distance, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
Reduced professional efficacy
The popular book Burnout further describes the phenomenon as:
“Emotional Exhaustion: Fatigue from caring too much, for too long.”
“Depersonalization: The depletion of empathy, caring, and compassion.”
“Decreased Sense of Accomplishment: An unconquerable sense of futility; feeling that nothing you do makes any difference.”
The current consensus is that Burnout is a workplace issue, and something that needs to be addressed from the top, down.
In other words, what can managers and supervisors do to ensure that employees have reasonable workloads and feel supported? Even further, what structural practices can be shifted in order to facilitate high morale and good health?
[Side Note: In my opinion, I do believe that students can and do also experience burnout!]
You may be thinking to yourself, “Okay, Jessica, that’s great but what about me?” What you can do if you are wondering how to avoid Burnout?
Here are some tips to try for preventing burnout:
Appreciate
Make time everyday -even for a few minutes- to practice gratitude for the things in your life that are outside of work.
Your job isn't everything! This semester has an end date!
Giving yourself the chance to focus on those elements of your life, and give thanks for what is going well outside of work or school.
Boundaries
With Self
Know your limits and do not push yourself past them!
Be kind to yourself and carve out time for the things that help you to feel your best.
On the other hand, that also means scheduling enough time for the things you know that you need to get done so that you’re not feeling overwhelmed by piled up tasks.
With Others
Last but certainly not least, learn to say no, as a way to preserve your energy. Over-extending consistently over time can quickly lead to burn out.
Community
Lean on your people.
Do fun things with friends.
Get emotional support from family (or your chosen family).
Laugh. Cry. Dance. Play.
Burnout References:
International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11)
Burnout by Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA
I hope that these tips are helpful, if you do tend to feel more overwhelmed at the end of the year.
As Always, Be Well!
Jessica
Your Virtual Mental Health Oasis
Learn. Connect. Thrive.
Thriving Lotus Oasis is an online Mental Health Resource, just for you. Take a wellness break from the “desert” aka Life and its daily challenges. Here, you’ll find everything you need to ensure that you’re replenishing yourself in our “oasis”.
Thriving Lotus Oasis provides you with resources and support as you navigate life, while balancing the care of your mental health and overall wellness. We are passionate about educating individuals about mental health, and assisting you with prioritizing your mental health.
Our “Oasis” is the community portion of Thriving Lotus Oasis, and is now open! This is a FREE Facebook group.
Thriving Lotus Oasis Community Facebook Group
~Connect with other like-minded individuals through discussion
~Watch videos with relevant topics
~Participate in live virtual wellness events
Resources:
Text Crisis Line: Text “HELLO” to 741741
Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services) Hotline: 1-800-662-4357
