Burnout

Stress is a killer. The four highest causes of death are: heart attacks, cancer, strokes and accidents. Stress is a part of all of them. Either as a basic cause or contributing factor.

 Just about everyone knows that stress can be good and it can be bad. Good stress can motivate a person to get out of bed, achieve success, affect behavior and enhance optimal living.

 It can also be debilitating. It can affect the immune system, cause great sorrow and even create depression.

 But one of the most devastating stressors and one of the least talked about in stress management seminars is BURN-OUT. The most common usage of the term is in rocketry. “The termination of effective combustion in a rocket engine, due to exhaustion of propellant.” So says Webster’s dictionary.

 However, the dictionary also gives another definition. “Fatigue, frustration or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overwork, or intense activity.” The term came to prominence in 1980 when Dr. Herbert Freudenberger’s book, “Burnout” was published. While there are physical symptoms that seem to accompany burn-out, the major indications of it are emotional and mental exhaustion. It is further identified as being a depletion of physical, mental and emotional resources.

 The individual becomes worn out after striving excessively to reach an unrealistic expectation that was imposed either by self or by the values of others.

 Nine of the ten most stressful vocations are in the helping professions. According to research, air-traffic controllers are number one, secretaries are second, with teacher’s number three.

 In my own study I place mothers with young children at the top of the list. The multiple tasks that are theirs is a burden that is so demanding that burn-out is a sure thing.

 The fall-out from burn-out is of epidemic proportion.  I call it maladaptive behaviors. Booze, drugs (aspirin and tranquilizers in particular) smoking, eating and weight gain, sexual promiscuity and chronic depression seem to be the primary unacceptable results of burn-out.

 However, the more subtle symptoms are: chronic fatigue, reduced production and impaired performance, criticism of family members or work colleagues, insomnia and bodily pain, short tempered reactions to the recipients of their services, responsibility with limited control and a feeling of being trapped.

 Further vocations that are prone to burn-out are professions like nursing, the clergy, social workers, caretakers, salesmen, waitresses, doctors, newspaper people, police, firemen, military, etc.

 

 Why are these professions vulnerable to burn-out? Primarily because there is never an end to their work.  Manual labor is forgotten at the end of the day. Not so the work of teachers. Their task in on-going.

 Further more, all of them have tremendous responsibility, but limited control. Think of the traffic controllers. What a great responsibility. But they have limited control over the pilots.

 And, of course, those working in the helping professions usually have a limited pay scale and are plagued with a feeling of being trapped. Promotions are limited. This is a common complaint of young mothers with all they have to do; often without any help from the spouse.

 I advocate three basic solutions to the burn-out syndrome. First, limit the demands made upon time and energy by simplifying your life. Cut down on the non-essential activities or solicit help from family members.

 Second, modify your life style by changing expectations. Those in the helping professions are often very idealistic which creates excessive demands.

 And third, perhaps the most important, re-classify or compartmentalize your life. Find quality/meaning in options. If work is the major cause of burn-out, find meaning in an avocation. If it’s health, focus more on the family. If it’s your marriage that is contributing to burn-out, develop more meaningful friendships.

 Here are a few practical ways of managing burn-out.  Practice diaphragmatic breathing,    get a body massage, practice Jacobsen’s progressive muscle relaxation,  take catnaps, relax to music,  engage in meditation, sit in a Jacuzzi, roll you shoulders forward; then backward, a program of exercising, practice telling jokes, play one hour a day, take a warm bath, think positive thoughts, take mini-vacations (hours or days), dancing, hobbies and socialize with those whom you do NOT work with.

 Relaxing is always an individual decision. Make it fun.

Amen. Selah. So be it.

 

WORDS TO THINK ABOUT:
G. W. Abersold Ph.D