Are you ready for a change? Are you tired of the monotonous work of your job? Are you not feeling the energy to show up the way that you used to show up? Are you a bit more sensitive to the demands of your time…more meetings, last-minute projects, or more travel? Maybe you are irritated by your boss or upper management? If you’re a bit older, you’re already thinking of retirement due to heightened demands or hurdles of the last 2 years? If any or all of the above applies to you, all indicators are that you are potentially on the road to professional burnout.
History of Burnout
Before I provide approaches to eradicating burnout through a Christian lens, let me provide the “official” definitions of burnout and the history of this becoming a workplace phenomenon. Burnout was first defined and coined by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in the 1970s. He defined it as a decreased sense of accomplishment, mental and emotional exhaustion, and a detachment from the sense of yourself.
Definition of Burnout
In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined burnout as a syndrome produced resulting from chronic workplace stress that is not successfully managed. Burnout in today’s age is showing up in similar fashions as Fredernberger originally coined this term in the 1970s, but associated specifically with the workplace. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), workplace burnout takes three forms:
1. Energy depletion on the job
2. Mental distance and cynicism on the job
3. Reduced professional performance
There are many mental health experts out there that have formed a unified consensus of burnout was the root cause of the Great Resignation. I do agree with this assessment but would like to argue that burnout is far from being just a workplace phenomenon as it has many variable dynamics such as the industry that you work in, your age, the culture of your workforce, your job function, the amount of travel, your family dynamics, and perhaps your faith…if you’re not catching the drift, it’s ALL PERSONAL not professional. Burnout is far from being a black and white state of mind, it’s a wide spectrum of circumstances of past events and present circumstances that are unique to every individual. So what gives?
If burnout is a personal issue and not a workplace issue, why have millions of Americans run from their current jobs in 2021 waving the flag of The Great Resignation?
All data and research studies point toward burnout being a workplace issue with a few common themes…overwhelming workloads, insensitivities to the work-life blur during the pandemic, unfair compensation, poor recognition structures, or a burn & churn machinery culture. This is all true, there is a problem with all of the above! I believe that the standard HR handbook should be burned and rewritten for the new hybrid and remote society we’re in right now. Workforces have the responsibility to address this dysfunction such as doing more to reduce the frequency of meaningless meetings (especially the requirement to be on video ALL day), making compensation more equitable, and restructuring PTO and mental health days….all great ideas to help your culture. But this is just a band-aid approach for the workplace group think tank, as employers should not be the foundational reason behind your joy! Leaning on your employer for your joy in life is dangerous territory that may be pointing toward your work being your identity.
Avoid being the person that so goes the culture, so goes your emotions. Look inside, be you, and choose joy!
The events of your past, the dynamics of your present circumstances, and your vision for your future are all uniquely designed for you….not your co-worker or your boss. This does not get you off the hook for being a responsible and respectful employer and shining your light. The ultimate ownership of happiness is personal and starts with one person…YOU. In Colossians 1:9-11 (ESV) – “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” In this passage, Paul’s prayer for the Colossians is to search and find their purpose and joy in the Lord, so that when they are working honorably, even in times of hardship, that they can patiently endure, be strengthened, and share this light on others.
Why You Should Take Personal Responsibility
Grass will always look greener on the other side of the road, so you shouldn’t immediately part ways from your circumstances without personal reflection. A journey to freedom, purpose, and happiness starts with looking in the mirror. Your happiness should never be dictated by others, your colleagues, or your boss…your happiness is for you and it’s a choice, a decision, to walk your unique walk every day regardless of what’s happening around you. To create a better culture that you’re inspired by, you have to take ownership of your role, and your natural gifts, and make a choice to influence, not to be influenced.
For this personal journey, I’d like to outline 3 approaches to reignite your fire for life if you’re experiencing or facing symptoms of burnout.
Spend Time with God
This spiritual approach is a solution for any issue you’re facing in life. A relationship of communion, discussion, and thoughts with the gift of the Holy Spirit penetrating your heart. God is good and He answers the prayers of His Children. In your daily prayers, humble yourself and ask God to show you the purpose for your life and where you can be a light in this dark world. Ask him to show you your greater purpose in your vocation. If you’re not a believer, take time to go into meditation to reflect, go on a personal retreat, or find time to rest from the hustle.
Read
This intellectual approach is to expand your mind and reset your brain. Making it a habit to read wholesome literature that you have an interest in can help sharpen your current vocational skills, nurture a new passion, or just give your brain the sense of novelty of learning something that has nothing to do with your day job. But most importantly, taking time to read the bible on daily basis is a great way to improve your mood, hear from God, and provide direction in your life.
Take Steps of Faith!
Lastly, the physical approach is in direct response to James 2:14, which that states faith without works is dead. This passage is not only for work, but it’s for serving those that need help. When taking action to eradicate your burnout, be sure to go in full research mode of your life to do an assessment of your passions, your past, your and current lifestyle. You should take the time to speak to your significant other or spouse, outline your life goals, reassess your diet and exercise, align your values to your daily decisions, and evaluate the boundaries (or the lack thereof) in your life. I would recommend seeking a counselor or a coach to support you through this. This soul-searching process shouldn’t be rushed, but be sure not to delay your steps once you know how God has instructed you.
Do not quit your job at the first sign of burnout!
I would like to encourage you to not quit your job at the first sign of burnout…especially if you’re pointing blame solely at your employer. Remember, the workplace may have potentially just amplified something deeper and personal that you need to get to the root cause of. Take your time, pray, read your bible, and do the soul searching and the self-care that you deserve! Most importantly, don’t lose sight that you could potentially be the trailblazer in driving change in a toxic workplace.
Lastly, let me go on record for giving burnout a different definition: Burnout is a bio-individualistic state of mind that creates fatigue, apathy, and resignation based on an individual’s past events, present circumstances, and perceived future that is amplified by deteriorating events in one’s (and not limited to) work, home, diet, fitness, or faith.
Now, imagine a workplace that has 100% of employees that knows the path to resolving and preventing burnout starts with their journey. Then imagine the workplace that is now flexible and invested in this upstream approach to each person’s well-being.
