Holiday Burnout

Holiday Burnout

What to look for during this holiday season!

And just like that….the holidays are almost upon us once again. It certainly can be the most *wonderful* time of the year. But sometimes the holidays can also be quite stressful. And, often with the new year, we may look back and take stock. What worked this year….what maybe could be improved. Last time we talked about our sympathetic (“fight or flight”) nervous system and how it has been primed for sensitization with all the stresses we experience on a daily basis. Let’s take it a step farther and look at burnout. According to the American Psychological Association, burnout is “physical, emotional or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes towards oneself and others.”

We often tend to associate burnout with our jobs. It’s been especially prevalent in the news with healthcare professionals and teachers during the pandemic. Sometimes burnout can creep into other aspects of our lives: it can sneak up on us, where you are beyond “too tired to function.” Or maybe you like to stay busy, stacking up your to-do list with so many tasks that you don’t notice. Burnout often happens when work-life balance becomes dysregulated. 

Some common causes of burnout include: 

• Unrealistic work expectations

• Micromanagement 

• Isolation

• Lack of support and trust

The symptoms of burnout can be divided into two categories. 

Physical

• Perpetual fatigue and difficulty sleeping

• Upset stomach

• Getting sick more often (decreased immune response)

• Frequent headaches

Mental and Emotional

• Irritability

• Depression and heightened emotional responses (getting angry easily)

• Feelings of worthlessness

• Difficulty with concentration

Some people often ask if burnout is the same as depression? The symptoms of one can often mirror the other. One major difference is that burnout is not considered a medical condition. Burnout is also often related to a specific situation or environment that gets the ball rolling. In other words, change the situation, the burnout may improve. Depressive symptoms tend to be more generalized. 

So what can we do about it? One of the most important things is to talk about it. Whether to your family or friends, co-workers or even your boss — if they feel approachable. It may also be helpful to seek out a licensed counselor who specializes in burnout. Addressing your mental health is essential. It may also be helpful to schedule personal breaks and check-ins. This can be daily or hourly. Set an alarm on your phone and take a moment to reflect, maybe a deep breath. Exercise is also a good idea. Whether that’s using that same alarm to take a 2 minute walk or going to the gym. Practicing mindfulness and working on being emotionally present could also help. Whatever it is, establishing a daily routine that implements these tools is essential. 

Burnout is often associated with work. But the pandemic has showed us that burnout can affect all different parts of our lives. It’s important to keep an eye out for it. Our “hustle” culture can make us particularly vulnerable. And with the holidays coming up, it’s important to check in with yourself — and add in the self care tasks that help protect your heart and your mind!

<3 The Recharged Performance Therapy Team

References

https://positivepsychology.com/burnout/

https://www.verywellmind.com/stress-and-burnout-symptoms-and-causes-3144516

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/burnout-recovery

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/signs-of-burnout/

G R A T I T U D E

Okay...guys! With Thanksgiving approaching, we often take the time to look at what we have been thankful for over the past year.

Research shows that developing a mindful gratitude ritual on a daily basis has tons of positive health benefits -- both mentally and physically.

Cultivating a sense of gratitude helps us feel connected to others as well as happier and healthier. It is more than just saying, “Oh, thank you!” when something good happens, but developing a grateful attitude on a consistent basis -- during the good days and the bad ones. 

A feeling of gratitude has been linked to many benefits, including:

• An improvement in overall physical health

• Lower blood pressure 

• Better sleep

• Better eating habits

• An optimistic outlook on life

First, we want to be clear about the distinction between gratitude and “toxic positivity.” This is a term that has been floating around a lot recently -- and can sometimes be confused with gratitude. Taken to an extreme, “100% positivity all the time” can keep us trapped in some unhealthy habits and demotivate us to make important changes in our lives. This “good vibes only” approach often makes us avoid difficult emotions and replace it with a cheery, often (falsely) positive outlook. Research has actually shown that this “forced cheerfulness” has the opposite effect on our mood and well-being in the long-term. 

Gratitude, on the other hand, is about recognizing those difficult emotions (pain, sadness, anger) and giving them the space to be looked at -- to be curious about why we are experiencing these emotions and what they may mean. (It doesn’t mean that these hard emotions take over our lives.) More research shows that “completing the cycle” of emotions (being curious and then finding a way to resolve them) is an important part of managing stress -- and gratitude plays a big part in this. 

So…. gratitude ≠ positivity!

Now, you’re probably thinking: “That’s all well and good, but I’m so busy. I don’t have time to actively think about practicing gratitude.”

Well, my friend! I have some easy tips for you to get started. 

• Start small! Try focusing on the little, everyday things. Your health, for example. A pet or family member; your home or a hobby that you really enjoy. 

• Change your self-talk! Negative self-talk can have a big impact on your mental health. This is easier said than done, of course. But you gotta start somewhere!

• Keep a gratitude journal. Think about setting aside 5 minutes in the evening to reflect on the day and list 3 things that you’re grateful for. Writing things down helps us really solidify things (instead of just being tossed around in our brains, mixed in with all the negativity and stress!). 

• Put post-it notes around the house of things that you’re grateful for. It never hurts to have a little reminder. 

• Say “Thank you!” to those around you. Your spouse or friend or even a co-worker. Thank them for being or doing something that has been your life a little bit easier ...or even just something you really appreciate about them. 

• For a fancier twist: try writing thank you notes (and no, not just after Christmas or your birthday. An out-of-the-blue thank you card can make someone’s day! And help you center yourself in your appreciation/love for them. 

With this holiday season, take some time to practice your thankfulness. Hopefully, it will turn into a daily ritual that enriches your life, your health and your mentality!

<3 The Recharged Performance Therapy Team

References

https://www.pelvicsanity.com/post/2017/11/29/7-health-benefits-of-gratitude

https://www.pelvicsanity.com/post/2017/12/01/three-ways-to-cultivate-gratitude-throughout-the-year

https://gyngwinnett.com/blog/how-being-thankful-can-improve-your-health

https://www.npr.org/2020/06/02/867905101/want-to-be-happier-evidence-based-tricks-to-get-you-there

https://gyngwinnett.com/blog/how-does-stress-affect-gynecological-health

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3489271/

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/figure/10.1080/02699931.2011.595393?scroll=top&needAccess=true&

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-high-functioning-hotspot/202107/what-is-toxic-positivity