Burnout Isn’t Just a Workplace Problem

Are you finding it difficult to get out of bed in the morning? Are you feeling indifferent about things you once cared about? Are you avoiding social connections? Are you turning to unhealthy coping strategies? Do you fantasize about getting sick just enough that you can stay home from work for a couple of weeks and do nothing? If you are finding yourself answering yes, yes, yes, you may be experiencing burnout. According to a research study conducted by Mental Health Research Canada in December 2021, over a third of Canadians reported burnout. In addition to the above symptoms, burnout can also result in; excessive fatigue, insomnia, sadness, anger, irritability, alcohol or substance misuse, heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and vulnerability to other illnesses.

Most research has focussed on work-place burnout, but in the book “Burnout: A Guide to Identifying Burnout and Pathways to Recovery” by Gordon Parker, Gabriela Tavella, and Kerrie Eyers, the authors discuss how our caregiving roles and responsibilities at home can also lead to burnout.
When we stop to consider the impact of being a caregiver to young children, elderly parents, or a family member with a complex medical illness, we find that many of the same factors that contribute to workplace burnout also contribute to caregiver burnout:

• Lack of control –  You don’t feel that you have control when your day is focussed around somebody else’s needs
• Extremes of activity – either too boring or too challenging – Much of your day is spent doing the same tasks you did the day before; feeding, bathing, dressing, toileting, cooking, cleaning, repeat. For loved ones with medical needs, you simultaneously have the emotional toll of witnessing somebody you love physically or cognitively diminishing, and/or experiencing continuous pain and suffering
• Lack of social support – When you are in an ongoing caregiving role, you have no time to invest in relationships outside of your home responsibilities
• Work-life imbalance – You feel guilty even considering leaving your loved one for enjoyable activities or self-care. When you do have a block of time, it’s difficult to find people to do fun activities with because you have not had time to invest in your friendships. If you have had to stop working in order to care for your family member, you don’t have the workplace to provide a break from these responsibilities.
• A heavy workload and long hours – Caregiving has no start or end time; you are working day and night and are constantly on call for whatever needs arise.
• Another factor discussed in the book “Burnout” was that when. you believe the work you are doing is important, and maybe even your calling, you have a higher likelihood of burnout than those with a routine monotonous job. This can apply to caregiving as well. It is much more difficult to believe that you deserve a break when you know that the care you are providing is impacting people’s lives

Given that we tend to connect burnout to the workplace, long term caregivers might not recognize that what they are experiencing is burnout, and that they are at risk for their own medical issues if they are not able to make some lifestyle changes.

So now that we know we have burnout, how do we reduce or recover from our burnout symptoms?
In the book “Burnout”, the authors suggest a pluralistic model that involves addressing work issues and adopting de-stressing strategies such as;

• Evaluating your options: examining which responsibilities can be delegated, asking for support with challenging tasks, exploring a more flexible work schedule, trading undesirable tasks for enjoyable ones, taking an extended break or vacation
• Seeking support from your support network or a Counsellor
• Trying a relaxing activity like yoga, meditation or tai chi
• Getting some exercise to help manage stress and improve your mood
• Getting regular sleep; consistently going to bed and getting up at the same time
• Practicing mindfulness and being fully present with friends and family
• Starting a new activity or hobby
• Tackling projects in brief structured periods of time
• Not taking work home or working on weekends, and enjoying free time

Unlike a disease, there is no medical test to confirm burnout, and there is no medication to cure it. For most individuals it creeps up on them until it can no longer be ignored. That is why it is important to pay attention to the warning signs before your symptoms get to a point of being debilitating. Implementing the suggestions above will also help to prevent experiencing burnout in the first place. It is much easier to prevent burnout that it is to recover from it.