Today’s Topic: The smart way to navigate burnout

Have you ever had a moment at work where you felt…really, really bad? As in, not just tired or irritated by your job…but exhausted to the point where you’re actually unable to perform? And to top it all off, that exhaustion is draped in a nihilistic sense that it’s all pointless anyway? 

If so, you’ve experienced burnout. 

Burnout is about more than just a rough patch at work 

While there’s no medical diagnosis – and the condition is admittedly a bit slippery to define – the World Health Organization characterizes burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress. Symptoms can include:

1. Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion 

2. Negativity or cynicism related to one’s job, and 

3. Reduced professional efficacy 

Burnout has become a common buzzword, especially since the much-heralded (and somewhat grandiosely named) Great Resignation of 2021, when 47.8 million people quit their jobs over the course of the year. Not all of those resignations can be attributed to burnout, of course, but it’s fairly well established that Covid lockdowns prompted many workers to reevaluate their jobs and whether they were worth the sacrifice. 

Since then, something of a burnout industry has cropped up

Over the past couple of years, entrepreneurs known as “burnout coaches” have begun to market their services. What are those services, exactly? “A gray area between psychotherapy and career coaching,” as the NYT put it. 

There is clearly significant demand for this kind of consultation, but there is a lack of credentialing and standardization that could cause problems. For one thing, if a burnout coach exploits clients or otherwise misbehaves, there’s no path to accountability without a regulatory or oversight structure. 

“They can pretty much do whatever they like,” said Dr. Houyuan Luo, a registered psychologist with MindPeace Psychology in Toronto. Luo told Take Care that the lack of regulation means there is no legal obligation to abide by any set of recognized practices. 

“I’m not saying they cannot be helpful — coaches can be helpful for some people,” Luo said. 

Then there’s the financial burden 

Dr. Luo pointed out that because burnout coaching isn’t currently recognized as a healthcare service, clients can’t be reimbursed by insurance. That means burnout sufferers will almost certainly be paying out of pocket – and that burnout coaching in general is only available to those with disposable income. 

Dr. Michael Leiter, professor emeritus at Acadia University who studies burnout, said there’s also a risk of paying hard-earned money for weak, one-size-fits-all advice. 

“A lot of the advice about burnout that you see is just, ‘oh, you should eat better.’ Or, ‘you should be more organized,’” said Dr. Leiter. “Learning how to tolerate a bad situation is not that great of a life skill.” 

So what are some ways you can cope with burnout?

Despite the potential risks, coaching is an option – just go in knowing it’s a nascent industry without many guardrails in place. Experts say there is real value in working with someone with an outside perspective and some degree of familiarity with the strategies that can help alleviate burnout. 

If you’d rather DIY your burnout treatment, the first step is to identify the precise factors that are draining you so completely, Dr. Luo said. Is it… 

• The sheer volume of your workload? 

• A difficult colleague or supervisor? 

• “Microstresses” that build up over time? 

If the source of your burnout is a caretaking role, addressing it can be especially difficult. “A lot of the time, you can’t just leave,” Dr. Luo observed. If that’s your situation, try to get a brief reprieve by asking family or friends to step up – or consider hiring a professional caregiver. And, as always, make sure to practice self-care. 

A catch-22: Getting over burnout takes work 

But not the kind that’s going to burn you out even further, we promise. 

It may help to think about your job like a romantic partner who’s not meeting your needs. “Burnout is really a kind of relationship crisis with your work,” said Dr. Leiter. “You’re getting something out of work, and work’s getting something out of you. With burnout, it’s a sign that that balance isn’t working out great for the person.” 

Instead, he suggests a process he calls “job-crafting,” which involves reflecting on your job: what about it works for you? What doesn’t? Don’t just gaze out the window and ponder – keep some kind of journal and take time to consider those questions on an ongoing basis. 

Then, once you’ve distinguished the good from the bad elements, make a plan to maximize the good and minimize the bad. Dr. Leiter recommends making the shift in gradual, incremental shifts. “If you start to drastically change things, people are going to push back,” he said. “It’s good to be a little subtle. Ask yourself, what can I change?” 

You may be able to improve your circumstances by talking to your supervisor about the issues you’re having – just think carefully how they’ll receive that kind of request. “Some will work with you to try to fix the situation, and some won’t,” Dr. Leiter said. “You’ve got to have a good understanding of who you’re dealing with.” 

Alternatively, you may want to chat with your colleagues. You may discover that everyone is struggling with the things that burn you out, and might even be willing to join you in pushing for a change. As they say, there’s power in numbers. 

Treat your burnout like a doctor treating a patient 

You’ve already evaluated the symptoms and made a diagnosis. Now, you need to prescribe a course of treatment – and keep checking in periodically to ensure the condition is improving. What makes it hard is being your own physician; most of us aren’t used to evaluating our own emotional states like reviewing a patient’s chart. 

But, like most things, all it takes is practice. Once you’ve gotten in a few reps managing your own burnout recovery, momentum will build and it'll get easier to keep improving things.