Burnout: Its The Little Things That Get You

Do you believe that burnout is exclusively for people experiencing major trauma? or maybe only for those with highly demanding jobs like CEOs or brain surgeons?

This is definitely something that I used to believe, In fact whenever I felt like I was struggling I would start to feel a little self indulgent or even guilty. Nothing really bad was happening to me, I just had a normal busy life like everyone else I knew, why couldn’t I just handle it better?

Microstressors

What I have learnt is that burnout is most commonly caused not by a single major traumatic event, but by the accumulation of numerous small incidents or microstressors. The research reveals there are three main categories of microstressors:

• Things that drain your personal capacity, such as uncertainty about others' reliability, unpredictable behavior from someone in authority, or sudden increases in responsibility at work or home.

  
  

• Things that deplete your emotional reserves, including managing and feeling responsible for the success and well-being of others, confrontational conversations, lack of trust in your network, or dealing with people who spread stress.

  
  

• Things that challenge your identity or values, such as pressure to pursue goals that don't align with your personal values, attacks on self-worth or confidence, or draining or negative interactions with family and friends.

Microstressors on the Rise

The rise in the use of technology and the blurring of home/work boundaries has increased the number of microsressors we are exposed to. Many of us are waking every morning to a loud alarm when our bodies need at least another hours sleep, then checking our phones before we even get out of bed. So you haven’t even had your morning tea or coffee and you are already feeling stressed about something in the news or an email from your boss; and you still have to get the kids ready for school and make it to work on time.

So the way most of us are living every day is exposing us to way more microstressors that before and these seemingly insignificant things can build up into an unmanageable load, which can be just as harmful as a single obvious stressful event.

Balancing the Scales

Imagine a set of scales with microstressors on one side and your resilience and ability to manage those stressors on the other. Most of the time you have the strength and mental wellness to manage what life throws at you so the scales remain balanced or even tip in favor of wellness. However, over time the microstressors can get too much, tipping the scales in the other direction, resulting in burnout.

To keep the scales balanced you need to manage the number of microstressors you are exposed to and the effects they have on you.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Reducing your microstressors is easier said than done. "This is my life," I hear you say, "I can't simply abandon all my tasks and responsibilities!" Of course you can't, but there are ways to minimise the number of microstressors you let into your life. Consider carefully what you choose to invest your energy in, who you decide to share your energy with, and whether you're carrying microstressors that aren't truly yours.

Keep in mind that this is a numbers game; you just need to decrease your microstressors enough to balance the scales. I like to think of having a microstressors budget—what deserves to be included in your budget, and what should you let go of?

Managing your microstressors budget is a crucial aspect of the Anti-Burnout Mindset. Your resilience may fluctuate over time but being conscious of the need to balance those scales can be a valuable tool in managing your risk of burnout.