Burnout is real!  Burnout is also more than just a buzzword, it is a real experience of emotional, mental and spiritual exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress, typically work related. While there is a lot of buzz about burnout, the effects aren’t something you can vacation or self-care away. Burnout affects many aspects of our life.

Here are a few questions to consider when assessing for burnout: 

Physical

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Vitality or exhaustion? How does it feel to be in your body? Chronic stress often manifests itself in our physical bodies, for example, burnout can affect our gut health, physical alignment (e.g. physical pain, slumping/collapsed posture), blood pressure, or new diagnoses of syndromal conditions such as autoimmune conditions.  Do you feel depleted or exhausted? Have your eating habits changed (over or under eating?) 

Emotional

Have you noticed an increase in depressive feelings? Irritability? Lower tolerance for inconvenience or frustration? Are you finding yourself feeling overwhelmed and zoning out more frequently? Feeling panicked or jittery? Exhaustion can show up not just physically but also a deep emotional exhaustion or even numbness. 

Spiritual

A hallmark sign of burnout is feeling emotional distance or negative feelings and cynicism related to your job. Do you find yourself questioning the point of what you do? When you look in the mirror do you feel your inner light dampened? Have your hobbies gone to the waste side? When your purpose and meaning behind what you’re doing is lost (or when your entire purpose is wrapped into your work) the burnout can impact your spiritual well-being.

Social

Burnout can also affect our ability to feel connected or motivated in our relationships because of feeling so depleted physically, emotionally and spiritually. Have you been withdrawing from your colleagues? Are you fighting more frequently with your partner or family?  Are you feeling overly cynical and critical towards others?

Help is available

If you are struggling with burnout symptoms, firstly know that you are not alone! Help is available and that you don’t have to struggle alone. At Emovere, we specialize in embodied and creative arts therapies to support you in recovering from burnout. Contact us to set up a free consultation with one of our amazing therapists. You may also consider registering for our upcoming burnout support group, The Brew!