Tips to Overcome Burnout

The global financial impact of burnout is staggering.  The World Health Organization and International Labour Organization estimate that burnout costs the global economy $1 trillion annually in lost productivity from absenteeism, quiet quitting, turnover, associated health expenses and disability claims.  Even more alarming, burnout and other forms of work-related stress are felt to contribute to 2.8 million deaths each year around the world, mainly from heart disease and stroke.  As technology continues to advance and the lines between work and life become blurred by the expectation to always be available, burnout has become not only a public health issue but also a strategic discussion point for global economic stability and long-term sustainability.

While studies show that burnout can be deeply influenced by our environment, there are concrete steps we can take to protect our wellbeing and mitigate the risks of burnout taking root.

Tip #1: Go back to the basics

When someone has heatstoke, the main treatment is to have them drink water.  That’s simple advice but can actually be life-saving advice.  In the same way, paying attention to our sleep, exercise and diet, while seemingly simple and basic, can be incredibly instrumental in preventing or addressing burnout.

Take sleep for example.  The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that we each have at least seven hours of sleep a night but how many of us do?  Most studies suggest that it is a small minority of individuals that achieve this every night.  The less we sleep, the easier it is for chronic fatigue and emotional instability and detachment to develop.

Sleep is not just about convenience but it is also a matter of safety.  A report in the Journal of American Medical Association found that sleep deprivation and burnout were linked to increased medical errors, depression and even suicide.

Interestingly, we know now that when we sleep, a clean-up crew, called the “glymphatic system”, gets active.  The glymphatic system literally clears out waste from our brain such as beta-amyloid proteins, which have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease.  In other words, less sleep equals less cleanup.

In terms of exercise and diet, just remember that regular routine movement can stimulate the release of dopamine and serotonin, the “happy” chemicals while eating nutrient dense foods can help your brain remain active, on and performing at its peak.

Tip #2: Bloom where you are planted 

I have met with many people that either feel like they are cogs in the wheel, or resentful that a colleague got promoted or recognized instead of themselves or that your role is a dead end job.  This can understandably lead to a sense of inertia and a feeling of discouragement.

But instead of focussing on our inner competitiveness with one another, I have found it more useful to focus on our inner competency.  In other words, if you feel like you are stuck, take the initiative to lead a new project, build new skills or develop more connections right where you are.  Doing so will better prepare you for tasks in the future, no matter what comes your way.

Tip #3: Be grateful 

This is a powerful habit to develop.  In our busy lives, it can be easily forgotten how fortunate we are to do what we do.  Take a moment to say to yourself “I am thankful I get to do this”.  Gratitude for yourself, for others and for what you do, doesn’t make you soft but strong.  It grounds you and allows you to be more present and react in the moment as opposed to those who are replaying earlier grudges or perceived offenses by others.

Tip 4: Respond don’t react 

Carl Sagan, in his book The Dragons of Eden postulated that the brain was divided into three parts, the reptilian brain, which focusses on fight or flight responses, the limbic system, which mainly deals with emotion, and the neocortex, which is largely responsible for executive function.  Interestingly, it is now known that our emotional center, the limbic system, reacts to stimuli within 74 milliseconds while the executive function center of our brain, the neocortex, takes 3 seconds to get started.  What this means is that when we get triggered by an email or a snarky remark, our emotions react before our logic can respond.  The solution here is that when you feel your emotions taking over, remember to pause.  Don’t react.  Wait for your neocortex to catch up and then respond.

Tip #5: Burnout isn’t personal 

If you become burned out, you are not broken.  Burnout can be a natural response to chronic stress, misaligned systems and relentless demands.  Sometimes these factors can be outside of your control.  The important thing to remember is to not internalize and hide these feelings.  Seeking guidance and help early can help you from deepening your exhaustion and adding shame or guilt on top of an already heavy workload.  If you are burned out, don’t blame yourself but begin to advocate for yourself.

Summary 

Many roles these days require a degree of self-sacrifice and burnout can sometimes be a natural extension of someone who is deeply committed to their job, coworkers or their community.  In fact, those most vulnerable to burnout may in fact be those who care the most.  But we are not meant to live in survival mode.  We are meant to live with purpose, energy and joy.

To facilitate that, it is undeniable that systems, leadership and culture matter.  But so do we.  We matter.  This reminder can be empowering if we are able to focus on the factors we can control such as returning to the basics of sleep, exercise and diet.  Choosing to bloom where you are planted, cultivating gratitude, responding instead of reacting and appreciating that burnout is not a reflection of a personal flaw.

When we take these steps, we each have an opportunity to move closer to world where our collective aspirations become a shared reality.

Written by Roger Kapoor MD.
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