Burnout Syndrome: Bish, Don’t Kill My Vibe!
Two words: Burnout Syndrome! They’re two words I’m dangerously familiar with. Two words that have hit me more than enough times & sent my life into a tailspin. Two words that I’m very close to being acquainted with again soon if I don’t have an intervention.
What is Burnout Syndrome?
Burnout syndrome is defined as symptoms you experience as a result of not managing chronic stress at work. It affects your energy levels, mood, level of commitment, performance, health, & attendance. Some signs include:
- Chronic fatigue, exhaustion, or tiredness
- Negativity & irritability
- Feeling helpless
- Easily angered
- Isolation
- Frequent illness
- Headaches
- Decreased performance, focus, motivation, or creativity
- Frequent absences or tardiness
- Depression
- Trouble sleeping
- Appetite changes
- Increase in drug or alcohol use
Me Versus Burnout Syndrome
I’m a workaholic. There’s no other way to describe it. Work ethic was ingrained in me as a child, & I inherited the constant need to be in grind mode from both of my parents. Even in retirement, they can’t sit still. Mom un-retired twice to go back to the medical field, & Dad got his doctorate & insurance licenses post-retirement. All of my sisters stay on go mode; working, running businesses, &/or achieving professional degrees & licenses. I worked on my Masters while being a mother, wife, & working a job or two. Working is just a part of our lives, simply because we want more for the generations to come.
Not only do I work (either at my full-time job or on Intentional) every day literally, I strive to make sure my work is quality. Work ethic is EVERYTHING! I refuse to allow my track record to include anything less than stellar. I believe when you’re gone, your work speaks for itself, & I’m not with leaving a negative impression behind. It’s a gift & a curse though.
That perfectionism is a beast, & that mentality has driven me to burnout a few times in the past. I’ve either been to the point where I was cynical & would make any excuse not to go to work, or I was sick to the point I couldn’t move literally. When I got to those points, I knew it was time to dial back or find something new to do. Not to mention, I’d get a stern word from my parents or hubby about going too hard for too long.
Put the Gloves On & Fight
In all transparency, I love the job I have now, but I need to start dialing back so I don’t have to leave. I’ve turned into an Angry Bird over the last year, so I know I need to change some things. Adding starting a company & developing content & products didn’t help either. But the love of behavioral health & self-care keep me pushing. Those two industries take a lot out of you! I just know it’s time for me to re-establish boundaries & reinstate my self-care routine. Fatigue has caused me to fall off of my nightly yoga & gym routines, & my body has definitely felt & seen the results of that 😩. I’m going to commit to get back to it soon though. Just going to require some motivation, a strict health goal, & a whole lot of accountability.
In the spirit of commitment (especially since we’re heading into the final quarter of 2022), I want to end this year on a high note & establish positive habits before New Year’s resolutions roll around (& out of mind) again. Check these tips out for how to balance self-care while working or being a business owner.
https://www.keepertax.com/posts/self-care-business
https://www.strikingly.com/content/blog/self-care-tips/
https://www.keepertax.com/posts/self-care-business
https://info.totalwellnesshealth.com/blog/self-care-strategies
https://hbr.org/2017/06/6-ways-to-weave-self-care-into-your-workday
Will Smith said something on Oprah awhile ago about putting the same amount of time into your relationships as you put into your craft. My spin on that is: if you put 40 hours per week into your career, put another 40 into yourself. You have to keep yourself running in order to keep the business going! Be easy & INTENTIONAL, my Evolvers!
