Well, it’s official.
“Burnout” is now being recognized as a medical condition by the World Health Organization.
Their definition: A syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
How many of us can relate to workplace burnout?
But then again… how many of us can’t relate to workplace burnout?
Who decided burnout can only be caused by work? What about burnout caused by other factors like family stress, nagging health issues, emotionally draining situations, over-commitment to volunteer activities, adrenal fatigue, information overload, etc?
Work can be stressful and cause burnout, yes. But we live in a world FULL of environmental stressors that even if you have a great job you love, you’re still susceptible to burnout.
So the next time you find yourself thinking, “I just need to get a new job and then I’ll be happy and stress free”, consider if your job is the only thing attributing to your burnout symptoms (exhaustion, lack of interest in much of anything, irritable, moody, chronic negativity, coping with alcohol or junk food, etc.)
Putting your “pain” in a box doesn’t work.
You can’t just say “the cause is work” or “the cause is my home life.” How you show up in one area often reflects how you’re showing up in other areas of your life. You have to go deeper. You have to understand the root of the issue.
Yes, you can start by getting more sleep, taking breaks, meditating, and so on…. But that’s just treating symptoms.
If you don’t uncover the real reason you’re stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed, you’ll just pile up more symptoms and never truly heal.
You are not broken.
You’re inability to connect with your deeper desires and truly go after what you want in life needs healing, shifting. This isn’t about blame or shame. It’s about accepting and releasing the pressure to achieve, the desire to keep up with the Jones’, and the idea that for your life to be good it must take a path laid out by others.
This is showing up as stress, overwhelm and burnout and isn’t getting you what you want.
You’re going to be confronted with a number of choices on a daily basis – opportunities that help set your life course. How you choose your direction will determine what opportunities come next and where you ultimately end up.
If you’re basing your decisions in life on a pre-set course designed by your parents, your field of expertise, or your friends expectations, then you’re moving further and further away from the deeper purpose that you’re craving.
You absolutely NEED to have the right mindset and an actual system that helps you connect with YOUR deeper purpose so you’re ready to make the best decision for you.
When you are in alignment with what you need and desire, burnout is an ugly memory from your past…like the lousy partner we all want to forget.
If you’re starting a new work week and already feel behind, it’s a sign you need to re-evaluate.
It’s time for you to finally admit that the burnout goes a lot deeper than just your current job situation and that no promotion, transfer, or new company is going to magically fix things.
Try journaling, meditating or going for a walk. Spend that time going inward. What do you truly want out of life? Are you on that path or nowhere near it? What small steps can you take to reclaim the amazing life you were meant to live? Just because burnout is ‘normal’ doesn’t mean it has to be your reality.
You deserve an amazing life. Go out there and get it!