Burnout is defined as a person in a state of physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress.
It happens when you are producing results– like your hair is on fire, but you’re pushing through it, still working, still doing. It might look like things are fine, but you’re slowly dying on the inside.
People think this happens when we work too many hours or too hard, but not necessarily. You can work many hours and still not get burned out, and you can work very hard and not get burned out. It’s the thoughts behind it, the attitude that leads to burnout.
When I worked in the ER, I likened this to the difference between a busy day and a cluster eff day. We could see 60 patients in a 12-hour shift, and things could go smoothly, like clockwork, or we could see 30 patients in 12 hours & it could be a cluster— a big difference. In either case, everything could go sideways, but you can think: this always happens to me. Or you can think: this is what happens in a busy ER; this is just part of the deal. This is what I signed up for.
Burnout happens when you’re trying to outrun a negative emotion.
The solution is to give yourself more space. Relax, slow down, and be more intentional with your actions. Work smarter, not harder. Rest, take a break if you can. Manage your mind. Purposefully direct it to better thoughts.
For example:
- I signed up for this when I took this job.
- People are out enjoying the nice weather; of course, there are a lot of injuries now.
- Tourists are also trying to enjoy the outdoors. Sometimes, they don’t know what they’re doing and make poor decisions, which can be costly—both physically and financially.
- I’m glad they’re here, and I’m equipped to help them.
Overwhelm is defined as being overcome completely; to overpower, especially with superior force, to cover or bury beneath a mass of something.
Overwhelm happens when you are not producing results, like when your hair is on fire and you’re running around in circles.
It’s an emotion, a way for your brain to stay comfortable because when we feel overwhelmed, we often resist, react, or distract (aka. do nothing; take no action; spin our wheels).
The good news is— because it is an emotion, you have control over it. Since you are creating it, you can change and manage your overwhelm.
Overwhelm looks like feeling confused about what to do (how to get started or what to do next). You might have an unclear plan and procrastinate, thinking, “I don’t know what to do; I’m just so busy.”
But it doesn’t have anything to do with your to-do list. It has to do with the thoughts in your brain about how overwhelmed you feel. You’re likely spending more time thinking overwhelming thoughts than actually doing things or taking action. (Also, notice that if you have a to-do list, then you actually know what to do, so check your list.)
You can tell this is you because you see that you haven’t actually done much. You’re spinning, not creating.
The solution is to plan and then do; take action. Make decisions: Pick one thing and do it, then the next, and the next. Constrain to doing one thing at a time, not all of the things at once. Take intentional action and get things done. All while managing your mind—not letting it run amok, thinking overwhelming thoughts, and creating the feeling of overwhelm.
Knowing the difference between burnout and overwhelm will help you determine solutions to mitigate each in your life so that you can create and live a life you love rather than just going through the motions.
What are your thoughts? What are your questions? What would you love to learn more about here? Leave your comments below.
Reminder: as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish, employees get free coaching sessions. You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here.
You can register for the next free Christine Seager Coaching Masterclass on How to Change Your Self-Concept by registering here.