There’s a lot of discussion about burnout, but what does it mean?
How can we know if we are burned out and what do we do about it?
To answer this question, we spoke to Amy Imms, 2022 Mumpreneur Business winner and director of The Burnout Project. Amy is a GP who experienced burnout while parenting four children and juggling a demanding job. While recovering, Amy developed practical strategies to help thousands of people through her speaking, coaching and writing.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is a state of exhaustion and overwhelm. You might feel burned out if you’ve been working too hard or had significant life stressors such as moving house, a death in the family or financial pressures
How can you tell if you are burned out?
The signs of burnout are different to anxiety, depression or tiredness.
Here are two markers that might resonate with you:
Detachment
We might struggle to feel connected to people or feel less compassion for others. We might feel cynical and have less energy for things we usually enjoy like exercise or creative hobbies - leading to a vicious cycle of further exhaustion.
Doubt
Because we have less emotional energy, we might start to doubt our professional abilities. We feel we aren’t doing as well at work or in our personal lives. Our self-talk goes into a negative spiral. We devalue ourselves and our contribution to work, home and relationship circles. Even if our boss thinks we are doing well, we feel like we’re not “good enough”.
If you’re feeling all these things, don’t despair, there is a way forward, see your GP and start developing a plan to deal with the things in your life that are causing it.
You can also start investing in your spiritual life right away
Amy’s a Christian and often takes comfort in Jesus’ words in Matthew 11
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
To hear more from Amy Imms about burnout and how to recover, listen to the Deeper Questions podcast episode, HERE.
