By Kristen Lee, EdD, LICSW
High stress, heavy workload, a lack of control over job situations and lack of emotional support all contribute to burnout. In the U.S., we work longer hours, take fewer vacation days and retire later than employees in other industrialized countries.
With the risk of burnout looming, it’s vital that employees and their employers take measures for protection. As the World Health Organization says, “There’s no health without mental health.”
Here are some mindsets and behaviors to help us work together to prevent burnout:
Take a “universal precautions” approach. Assume everyone is at risk, even when they don’t seem to be displaying outward signs of stress. In this hyper-competitive market, the risk of burnout is real for everyone—even when we see ourselves as adaptive or “strong.”
Invest in relationships. Work demands often cut into the very personal time that shields against burnout. Studies have shown that the presence of a supportive partner is a protective factor, along with access to a social network outside the work place. Even when time is thin, our sense of connection and community is essential. Even though you might feel like you must be a robot to get your job done, we are still wired for human connection and knowing we’re not alone is a powerful contributor to well-being.
Practice self-care and lifestyle medicine. Our brains and bodies do not respond to long term neglect and abuse. We need proper sleep, nutrition, hydration, exercise, movement and time away from our screens. Make a point to infuse “break rituals” into your daily routines—don’t wait for your next vacation to give yourself permission to engage in protective self-care. People who make the time to for mindfulness, yoga, breathing, nature and activities that allow their brains and bodies to come up for air, are more likely to avoid burnout.
Don’t treat people like commodities. Where people feel that they are valued and secure in their jobs and not simply a number or spoke in a wheel, it lowers the risk of burnout. Employers who let their employees know that their contributions are important and that they are cared about help foster positive engagement and productivity. Cultures of fear go against what we’ve learned from modern brain science-that when people are in low-trust, anxiety provoking situations, it can lead to states that interfere with focus, creativity and productivity. Treat people well, and they’re more likely to do well.
Build a culture of trust. Create a culture of help-seeking and help giving where employers encourage employees to take advantage of time off, utilize their Employee Assistance Plan services, and have opportunities to learn and develop self-care skills. Providing access to pedometer programs, lunch and learns, mindfulness training, job coaching, and encourage participation in evidence-based strategies for preventing burnout and protecting mental health such as cognitive behavioral treatment to help ensure workers have the tools they need to flourish. Stigma keeps people from speaking out about their needs—they need to know that burnout is a risk–and that it’s safe to reach out and secure resources to help protect against it.
Burnout doesn’t have to be inevitable. Take the time to invest in burnout prevention and find spaces to regroup and connect. Your mind, body, soul and the people in your life will thank you.
Dr. Kristen Lee, Ed.D., LICSW, known as “Dr. Kris,” is an internationally recognized, award-winning behavioral science professor, clinician and author from Boston. As the Lead Faculty for Behavioral Science at Northeastern University, she operates a clinical and consulting practice devoted to preventing and treating burnout and is the author of RESET: Make the Most of Your Stress, Winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards Motivational Book of 2015, and Mentalligence: A New Psychology of Thinking. She is a regular contributor for Thrive Global, The Huffington Post and Psychology Today. Dr. Kris’s work has been featured on NPR and CBS radio.
