Beyond burnout
During the current health crisis which we’ve lived through for the past year, one of the major concerns that has arisen is the impact Covid-19 has had on our mental health. Our lives have been halted for an extensive period of time, with lockdown and guidelines causing us to feel exhausted, stressed, and burnt-out. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines burnout as a lack of energy, negative feelings related to the workplace, and reduced professional efficacy. A survey conducted in September 2020 in the UK found that out of 1,000 adults, 22% had experienced work related burnout. Additionally, during the pandemic the Google search for “occupational burnout” increased by 184%- comparing August 2020 (5,400) with August 2019 (1,900). While burnout itself isn’t a medical diagnosis, some experts have linked it with other conditions such as depression and anxiety, and it can affect our mental health.
The Covid-19 outbreak has made us put our lives on hold to a considerable degree, making it difficult to do the things we used to do on a regular basis that provided a break from work. Working from home, having all of our social interactions over Zoom or voice-calls has created a feeling of “constant connectedness”, this, together with checking our email out of work hours, can lead to burnout. Here are some tips and advice to help prevent and manage burnout.
When you work from home, it’s helpful to create a work-only area. Setting healthy physical boundaries creates a space where you don’t do any work-related activities, lessening the stress caused by work demands. “Create a dedicated workspace” Brie Reynolds suggested to Forbes, “If that’s not possible [working from a home office], you can create the illusion of a dedicated home office with a curtain or even by placing tape on the floor.” But boundaries aren’t only physical, it’s important to separate work and life tasks. By setting clear times when we start and finish work, we can prioritise urgent and important tasks and avoid multitasking. Additionally, learning how to say ‘no’ to requests on our own time can help reduce workload, help us gain more control and in turn aid in stress management. Taking breaks can improve our mood, make us more resilient to stressors, and help us deal with everyday events.
The WHO’s guidance to looking after our mental health during lockdown includes exercise. Exercise is an effective tool in increasing well-being, reducing stress and burnout. A study published in 2015 found that both cardiovascular and resistance training decreased levels of perceived stress and emotional exhaustion. Cardiovascular exercise was more effective than resistance training in reducing psychological distress, while resistance training was better for increasing the feeling of personal accomplishment. Additionally, the National Health Service (NHS) recommends doing 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week for our physical and mental wellbeing.
Steven Taylor, a clinical psychologist and professor at the University of British Columbia, told The Guardian “It [lockdown] can get to a point where every day is exactly the same. If there are no landmarks and little in the way of a fixed schedule, life becomes a blur, and people experience difficulty recalling what they did.” Trying something new, such as starting a new project, or resuming an old hobby, can be useful tools to introduce novelty into our everyday life. In fact, having hobbies has been found to decrease depressive symptoms and lower the risk of developing depression. Additionally, hobbies provide an excuse to connect and interact with others. Social contact and interactions are a great way to deal with stress, especially when spending time with loved ones. A study published in 2021 focused on the effect of social interaction on burnout in health care professionals found that social support mitigated the negative effects of emotional exhaustion.
The pandemic has affected our mental health, and feeling under pressure or stressed out is a common experience. We are doing the best we can in the current situation, and it’s important to take care of our mental and physical health. At FitQuid we want to be a positive influence in creating a community that prioritises a healthy lifestyle, respect, commitment, accountability, tolerance, and a sense of belonging.
