November 2020
Mental Health Challenge: Working Through Burnout
Last month we focused on surge capacity and how we are all feeling drained because of having to be in survival mode for so long. This month I wanted to dig deeper into the feeling of malaise that seems to be following everyone around and talk about burnout.
Burnout is marked by three key components: emotional exhaustions, depersonalization, and a decreased sense of accomplishment. When we experience these three things for prolonged periods of time, we are left feeling burned out and exhausted. Some of us have been working from home since March, while others who are considered essential, are working in stressful environments. We all feel so disconnected from the world and it can be so lonely. Turning on the news doesn't help because all we see is the ongoing injustice that is happening in the world, whether it's happening in this country or in other parts of the world. It is a lot of emotional weight to carry, so how do we cope?
Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski, talk about this very issue in their new book, "Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking The Stress Cycle". They explore how stress, like many of our emotions, lives in our bodies, and that in order to release that stress we need to complete the cycle of emotions. The book explains how when we experience an emotions like stress, our body releases neurotransmitters that activate our body and prepare us to react. So while we address the stressor in our minds or work through difficult situation, our bodies are still activated and have not had an opportunity to complete what they call "the stress cycle". So how does one complete the stress cycle? The book outlines 7 different ways to release the emotion from our bodies:
1. Movement of your body: Doing something physical like going for a walk, a run, or even gentle stretching can help to bring some relief. Part of this is related to how revved up our bodies become when are stressed. We also know how beneficial physical exercise is to our overall mental health. You don't need to do anything particularly strenuous either. Try and find a physical activity that you enjoy and carve our some time in the say to engage in that activity and see if you can notice the stress leaving your body.
2. Breathing: It always comes back to our breath. I don't think you can understate the power of breath when it comes to working through mental health challenges. Regulating your breathing can help you to connect back with the present moment and you feel less scatter or dissociated. Taking a minute to slow down and focus on your breath can help to signal to your body that you are safe and that you don't need to be so activated.
3. Positive Social Interaction: This one is tricky since we're in the middle of a pandemic so going out to see your closest friends or family is difficult. The great thing about this one is, it doesn't need to be with someone that you are close to. Holding the door open for a stranger, smiling at the cashier at the grocery store (people can tell if your smiling even with a mask on! Smiling with your eyes is a thing!), or even just sending a text to a friend to check in on them can have a positive effect on your stress levels.
4. Laughter: Not the laughter you have in your zoom meeting as you politely laugh at your bosses awful jokes. I'm talking about that deep belly laugh, where you make that funny face and maybe you even snort. Really letting yourself laugh. Whether it's at your favorite movie, book, or YouTube video, or it could be talking to that hilarious person in your life who always brings a smile to your face.
5. Affection: We are social creatures, and we live for connection. If you live with your family or your partner, having them hug you for 20 seconds can have a beneficial effect on your stress levels. That tight, and comforting hug, where you really feel held by the other person. 20 seconds is a long time for a hug but being held for that time has been shown to shift a persons mood and helps them move through the difficult emotions that they are experiencing. If you don't have someone who lives with you, you can even hold yourself tightly for 20 seconds and imagine that someone is hugging you.
6. Cry: This one can be scary for some people. Sometimes you think once you start crying you won't be able to stop, but the surprising thing is most people don't cry for that long. Once you allow yourself to cry you find that you are usually done after 10-20 minutes. That cathartic release of allowing yourself to really feel the emotion physically signifies to your body that you have completed the emotion cycle. When you do allow yourself to cry, try to focus on the physical experience of the crying. Notice the heat in your face, the feeling of the tears running down your cheeks, the heaviness in your chest as you release a sob, and then noticing the lightness as you reach the end.
7. Creative Expression: Creativity and imagination can be a great way to work through stress and you don't need to be an artistic person to be creative. Whether you want to start a scrapbooking project, journaling regularly, or daydreaming and creating stories in your mind, all these forms of creative expression can help to reduce and minimize the impacts of burnout.
The challenge for this month, is to take this information about burnout and to try and go through each of the strategies at least once. Maybe you find that one works better for you then others, or working through them systematically helps you to go through your stress cycle, whatever it is, take some time this month to try and work through the skills. Let us know how it works for you and anything you may have noticed as you completed each one.