Burnout... Yes it's a Thing
It’s dark out when I wake up, which has always had a slight impact on my mood. My toddler is up and I’m annoyed because I’m not ready to get up yet. We start our day and I find myself with little patience for my toddler’s silly antics. I feel guilt over this as he is happy and wants to play and I just want him to eat his breakfast. I rush him to get ready because I have a lot of work I need to do. I drop him off at daycare, but forgot my mask and have to go back to the car to get it. I’m annoyed. Once he’s settled in play at daycare I get to work. Staring at my laptop until I need to pick him up. I talk to my parents on the phone briefly, trying to figure out how to still have Christmas without mixing cohorts from our blended family. I ignore a text from a friend. I feel overwhelmed with all I need to get done and before I know it, it’s time to pick up the kiddo. Once he’s in bed I’m back to work because I feel I did not get anything done. I’m short and irritable with my partner when he tries to engage in conversation … I know what this is, it’s burnout.
Working more, but not productively. Easily irritated, lacking patience for others, loss of interest in things I normally enjoy doing. I get it, it makes sense. Whether COVID-19 is a worry for you or not, it’s still impacting us all. Every. Single. Day. I miss concerts, I miss hockey games, big family gatherings and travelling. I limit my social media and news exposure but it’s still everywhere. Every time I wash my hands, wipe down my office, put on a mask, go to work, limit how and when I see my friends.
Depression, anxiety, Seasonal Affective Disorder and trauma are all on the rise due to our current situation and I don't personally see it changing anytime soon. I don’t like the term our “new normal” because I don’t want this to be normal. Maybe I can accept our “new temporary normal” instead.
I know what I can do to manage burnout – take quality breaks from work, increase self-care and coping skills, engage in activities I enjoy even if it requires a little bit of a push to find the motivation to do so, socialize, maintain a consistent routine, sunshine, exercise, vitamins, sleep, healthy food, find moments of happiness in each day. There’s a place for positive psychology in all of this as well.
Tomorrow I’ll take a small step towards these goals, but today… today I’m choosing to be annoyed and irritable and that’s okay.
To learn more about how therapy can help with stress and burnout click here.
Lyndsay Wright, MC
Registered Psychologist
www.summitcs.ca