One of the things I love about living in our area of Canada is the distinct four seasons we experience. My favourite is autumn. There’s something about the freshness, the bite in the air underneath the warmth of the autumn sun that is so invigorating. Being a lover of colour, seeing the trees change from their vibrant greens to bright gold, yellow, and rich reds produces a colour palette to inspire any artist.
I do a lot of thinking when out walking or bike riding. The way ideas surface with ease, bounce around and eventually take root seems to happen best when my brain is at rest with no expectations for being productive. Those are the days when I can breathe more easily, deal with the stresses of life, have a more balanced perspective, and quite frankly be a more positive person to be around. But life gets busy, meetings disrupt my early morning routines, and before I know it life calls for, no, demands, I get back to the routines that give me balance and perspective.
I recently did a workshop for a client on burnout. As I conducted extensive research on the relevant industry, talked with folks working in the industry, then combined the learnings from what I already knew, and personally experienced, I was once again reminded of the importance for leaders to be actively vigilant in creating routines and practices to prevent burnout. And, if you find yourself stretched beyond what is healthy, take action to work it through.
Please let me be clear, I am in no way the most qualified person to speak on this topic; I’m not a medical professional, social worker, or counsellor, simply a person who has walked the path of burnout and cares deeply about the need to speak to its prevention.
I am particularly concerned about this topic when considering flexible working. When we are not physically present with our colleagues it is more difficult for others to notice when things aren’t going well, when a team member is slipping towards burnout. Therefore the responsibility is even greater to be vigilant in self-care and care of our teammates.
The main areas of focus in the workshop were:
· Recognizing the difference between stress, fatigue, and burnout,
· learning how to identify burnout in ourselves and others, and
· talking about how to prevent it
Because words matter, here are the definitions I was working with:
Stress: “The body's response to frequent and/or continuous mismatches between an individual's demands and the individual's ability to cope with them.” National Library of Medicine
Fatigue: “Fatigue is a state of physical and/or mental exhaustion which reduces a person’s ability to perform work safely and effectively.” Safe Work Australia
Burnout: "Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Three dimensions characterize burnout:
feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and
reduced professional efficacy.”
World Health Organization (WHO)
When you access this article by WHO, you’ll note they state burnout is an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition. Interesting!
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Stress and burnout may be related, but there are differences in how they manifest. Generally, someone who is stressed tends to be over-reactive and hyperactive, whereas burnout presents more as disengagement and produces a sense of helplessness and hopelessness, with a loss of motivation and hope.
There is a great deal of information provided in each of the post links, and I encourage you to dig deeper to learn about stress, fatigue, and burnout. I also encourage you to reach out for help if you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms identified in the links.
When we discuss prevention, it is important to recognize that responsibility lies with both the employer/organization and the employee/individual. If you are a freelancer, it is vital for you to be self-aware and have a strong community of folks who will speak into your life to help you see your blind spots regarding mental health and burnout.
I invite you to reflect on the following questions. The answers may reveal some areas that call for your attention.
If you are an employer or team lead, consider the following in the prevention of burnout:
How satisfied are your people with the work they do?
Do they have respect for the organization?
Do they feel heard and cared for?
Do they perceive they are being treated fairly?
Are they clear on what is expected of them in their role?
Do you provide clear communication, feedback, and support?
Do you provide realistic deadlines?
When it comes to trust, do your people know you hold the whole team accountable to do their best work?
As an individual concerned about preventing burnout:
How are you doing with time management?
Have you set clear boundaries? Are you willing to stick to them?
Do you have solid relationships in place both professionally and personally?
Do you have a sense of fairness at work? Is there proximity equality? Do you courageously speak out when things are not right?
Do your values line up with organizational values?
How disciplined are you at taking regular breaks, both physically and mentally?
Do you have enough trust in your teammates (and leader) to ask for help when needed?
As you work alongside others, whether virtually or face to face, pay attention to how they are doing. If you observe something that just seems off, have the courage to reach out to them and check-in.
Deborah Bulcock provides 7 Tips for Managing someone with Burnout
Start a conversation
Don’t assume what they need
Ask how you can help
Encourage them to see a health professional
Ensure they have support outside of work
Explore the route to recovery
Check-in regularly
Life happens, and it’s not always positive, nor do we always have control of what comes int
o our lives. However, there are things we can take control of, namely how we build resilience and adapt routines that will provide us with the capacity to face the many joys and challenges life presents.
Remember to gift yourself with time to do nothing, even let yourself be bored (yup, it goes against everything we were brought up to believe). AND have more fun. Remember the old adage, laughter truly is the best medicine!
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