Battling Burnout

I spent part of this week in San Diego speaking to a group of passionate educators who work in juvenile justice and were convening and learning and hopefully relaxing. Working with incarcerated youth is an exhausting job. It takes a lot of effort to stay in the game and keep your health along the way. I spoke to them about burnout and how we have to occasionally rejuvenate ourselves, sort of reinvest in our creativity and remember what we love about our work. This holds true for everyone, no matter the work we do, and it’s sometimes hard to spot burnout when we’re in the midst of it. It’s a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress, but frequently when we’re in the throes of it, we just think we’re tired. But it’s more than that. Burnout can have serious consequences on our health and well-being, making it important to recognize early and address before it becomes too severe.

One effective way to combat burnout is to prioritize rest, which includes getting a good night’s sleep, but is much more than that. Rest can take many forms, such as taking a break from work or spending time with loved ones. Letting your mind wander, daydreaming, and thinking about nothing are forms of rest. The Italians have a saying, “dolce arte di non fare nulla.” The sweet art of doing nothing. Harder than it sounds, I know, but you have to find time to just…be. It’s important for your body and your brain. You can put on earbuds and listen to your favorite tunes. Taking a walk in nature, practicing mindfulness meditation, or reading a book can all be effective ways to rest. It's important to remember that rest doesn't have to be passive - engaging in activities that bring joy and pleasure can be just as restorative as sleeping or napping. Taking time to relax and unwind can help reduce stress levels, improve mental clarity, and restore energy levels. Rest is anything that gives your brain a break from worrying about whatever it is you worry about. It can also mean getting enough sleep, eating well, and engaging in physical activity. You don’t have to have an over-zealous workout routine; just move your body, every day. It sort of defies logic, but rest is essential for replenishing energy levels and allowing the body and mind to recover from stress. Pushing through isn’t always the answer.

Another important step in overcoming burnout is to regroup. Regrouping involves taking stock of your current situation and re-evaluating your priorities and goals. Burnout can occur when we feel overwhelmed or overburdened by our responsibilities. Taking the time to regroup can help us identify areas of our lives that are causing stress and make necessary changes. One effective way to regroup is to create a list of your current responsibilities and identify which ones are essential and which ones can be delegated or eliminated. If you’ve never used the Eisenhower Matrix, you might want to give it a look-see. This exercise can help you regain a sense of control over your workload and reduce feelings of overwhelm. Regrouping may also involve setting new boundaries or reevaluating commitments to better align with your personal values and needs. It also means seeking support from friends, family, and colleagues who will lift you up, listen to your concerns, and offer assistance. I always include truth-tellers in my support circle. These are the few people I trust to really tell me when I’m off the rails.

Regrouping includes taking care of your mental health, so if you need to see a mental health professional, do it!

Lastly, recharge is a vital step in combating burnout. Recharging means engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfillment, such as hobbies, creative pursuits, or travel. Recharging can also involve learning new skills or exploring new interests. One of my favorite go-to’s when I’m feeling burnout nipping at my heels is to reconnect with the parts of my job that I love. On particularly rough days at work, I head to a classroom where I can see students and teachers interacting. I get to see lightbulbs going on, and aha moments, and people making a difference. I’m notorious for coming up with wacky (but very cool) ideas that involve an entire team working toward a goal that challenges our creativity. A former employee once said he knew the team was in for a ride every time he heard me say, “I have an idea.” My “ideas” came sometimes because I could see my team needed inspiration, or I did. Recharging our batteries at work by investing in the part of the work that we love is a great way to battle burnout.

It's important to remember that recharging activities are not a luxury but an essential part of maintaining our physical and mental health. By taking the time to recharge, we can improve our productivity, creativity, and overall well-being. If you have a tendency to feel guilty when you take a vacation, or worse yet take your work phone and laptop so that you’re still working, you need to reassess. Vacations and hobbies are essential, not extras.

I have a vast library about burnout. I study it. I try to diagnose it as early as possible. I use all the tools in my tool belt to keep it at bay. My personality is pretty much full-on, all the time, so burnout is my arch enemy, but it happens to all of us, even when we’re doing all the right things to try to mitigate it. Sometimes, burnout happens because we’ve been doing the same work for too long, and sometimes because we’re working 100% and not leaving time for anything else. Balance is the word.

If you’re an educator, there’s a great book by Marcia Tate titled Healthy Teachers, Happy Classrooms: Twelve Brain-Based Principles to Avoid Burnout, Increase Optimism, and Support Physical Well-Being (Manage stress and increase your health, wellness, and efficacy) that you should check out. It’s a quick and entertaining read packed with great ideas. Even if you’re not an educator, Tate has some good strategies you can use.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there. I hope that you are relaxing and not worrying today, of all days. To everyone else, celebrate your moms, or just sit still or take a walk-about in nature today…anything that lets your mind be creative or just rest, regroup, or recharge.

Cheers to a good week (one in which you take care of you)!