Burnout often takes root where there is a misalignment of values, perceived injustice, a deficiency in intrinsic rewards, and a profound sense of purposelessness. Individuals experiencing emotional depletion, depersonalization, cynicism, and a pervasive sense of personal ineffectiveness may be grappling with the debilitating effects of burnout.
In November 2022, I delivered a company-wide talk on Proactive Approaches to Burnout to the Canadian engineering firm, McElhanney. This talk covered: defining burnout (compared to stress and depression), common patterns of behaviour and thinking that can contribute to burnout, opportunities to address these patterns, signs and symptoms for detecting burnout in self and others, beneficial wellness interventions, and when to seek professional help.
I work with both those (a) proactively seeking to avoid & (b) struggling with the effects of:
Work-Related Burnout - High levels of stress, excessive workload, job dissatisfaction, and a lack of work-life balance
Burnout Due to Life Transitions - Life transition events such as divorce, loss of a loved one, or other significant changes (see section on major life transitions above)
Chronic Stress - Individuals experiencing chronic stress from various sources
Academic Burnout - Students, particularly those in demanding academic programs, may experience burnout due to the pressure to excel academically
Parental Burnout - Parents, especially those with young children or those caring for children with special needs
Caregiver Burnout - Taking care of a loved one who is ill or has special needs can be emotionally and physically draining; many of my clients are caregivers and healthcare professionals seeking to address the stress, exhaustion, and emotional toll of caregiving