Maintaining a balance through life’s stressors and burnout

February 4, 2021

While life is forever evolving, many people are finding it hard to manage all of life’s stressors that come with the events of the last year. Many lives have changed dramatically, and we are still adjusting both as a community and individually. People are experiencing increased levels of stress and for some it is becoming unmanageable. Stress is our body’s natural way of protecting us and dealing with demand or threat. Some people can manage stress and events as minor inconveniences and move forward, while others may be worrying themselves sick over what is going on around them.

People can begin to feel a loss of control over life or that things are becoming unmanageable. When you look at a list of common stressors, it becomes apparent that many more people are experiencing more than one of these events, and perhaps at a greater level then seen before:

  • Loss of a job or a job transition (In office to working from home)
  • The death of a friend or loved one
  • Financial constraints
  • Moving
  • Mental health concerns (anxiety, depression, grief, anger)
  • Being unhappy in your job
  • Taking on another family member in your home
  • Fear and uncertainty
  • Change

What does stress look like? Stress is not just a mental thing; it can weigh heavily on you physically, behaviorally, and emotionally. No one is immune to stress, but it does affect everyone differently, and sometimes those that have managed high levels of stress are seeing more effects due to an overall increase in stressors.

Effects of stress:

  • Becoming easily annoyed or irritated
  • Feeling overwhelmed
  • Having low energy
  • Increased headaches
  • Muscle tension
  • Increased heart rate
    • Sleep problems/insomnia
    • Digestive problems
    • Physical pain
    • Emotional pain
    • Depression or anxiety
    • Difficulty focusing
    • Focusing on negatives more than positives
    • Change in appetite- eating more or less

When we allow ourselves to experiences long term stress it can lead to or exacerbate health problems including:

  • Mental Health Concerns
  • Gastrointestinal Problems
  • Physical problems, such as hair loss
  • Eating Disorders
  • Sexual functioning problems
  • Heart problems

It is important to identify what is driving stress and try to solve or eliminate as much as possible. For those who’s stressors are stemming from their work, burnout may be occurring. Burnout is defined as the state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion that is caused by excessive and prolonged stress. So how do you know if burn out could be affecting you?

Ask yourself:

  • Do I have motivation for this task?
  • Is my performance in this task slipping?
  • Do interpersonal problems seem to be increasing between me and those around me?
  • Am I increasingly frustrated with what I am doing?
  • Do I feel exhausted when I try and do my tasks?
  • Am I having trouble concentrating on the task at hand?
  • Am I taking care of myself less?
  • Is what I am doing giving me decreased satisfaction?

How does one begin to manage stress and/or burnout? It can be easy to slip into states of stress and burnout, but can be harder to get out of those situations.  One of the key factors is to identify what is going on and begin to work on strategies to help address the situation. Below are some ways to start managing stress and get through burnout.

  • Make sure you take time for yourself. Not family time, not hangout time, but independent uninterrupted time
  • Take work off of your personal cell phone or computer. Don’t answer unnecessary emails on the weekends, set personal boundaries
  • Make sure you are getting a healthy amount of sleep
  • Be aware of your stressors and know your limits. When you know what sets you off, you can gain control faster
  • Develop small skills you can implement into your daily routine that can relieve short-term stress. Mindfulness exercises, breathing, and muscle relaxation are great tools
  • Engage in physical exercise. Exercise releases great chemicals in your body to help you feel relieved

Stress and burnout won’t get better unless you take active steps to address the issues. Give yourself time and space and always reach out to a medical professional if it becomes too much to manage.

Written by: Meaghan Warner, LCSW-S