What is Burnout?
It’s odd, I so rarely have to describe what burnout is when I talk to other mothers. I merely mention the word, and whether they are there now or was there a decade ago I almost can hear it strike a chord within their body. That knowing look they give me that says, “I know exactly what you are talking about” and “How do I get rid of it?”
Burnout was first studied in provider & caregiver professional fields (i.e. doctors). More increasingly, burnout has been measured and studied across all kinds of industry. Most recently (post pandemic), there is an increased interest in identifying and addressing parental burnout.
So, what about parents who experience both parental burnout and work burnout? Well, we don’t really have a measure for that. Here is that unnecessary divide between the professional and personal (i.e. caregivers).
What do I know about career burnout and parental burnout? I know from myself and the women I work with that the negative effects are compounding. I know that burnout as a parent and a professional can be more rapid cycling when caregiver stressors arise (like the whole family gets sick). I know that the hopeless feelings of burnout can cause people to let go of their dreams in work and family life, because it feels too painful to hang on to them.
Burnout is not a mental health diagnosis or disorder.
There is no code for burnout that can be reimbursed by insurance. Although it might be linked with experiences of depression and anxiety, it is in fact a common psychological phenomena we are facing more and more in our rapidly changing and perfectionistic world. However, what burnout shares in common with mental health diagnoses is that recovery is very possible. In fact, I find for most women I have worked with, burnout recovery has been a life-changing opportunity for growth and self-discovery.
What does burnout Recovery feel like?
From Confusion toward Clarity
From Depleted toward Fulfilled & Valued
From Apathy (or Misery) toward Excitement (or Elation)
From Disorganized toward Grounded
From Resentment toward Self-compassion
From Going through the motions toward Creative growth & mistakes
From Comparison toward Trusting your process
