What is Burnout?

Burnout is an obvious sign that our activism is unsustainable. We burnout when the demands we take on are intense and unceasing. The phrase “burnout” usually refers to a temporary state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It also refers, however, to a stress related disease that produces a major life crisis. Not only a stress reaction, however, burnout describes a life that is lacking in personal satisfaction and joy.

Symptoms of burnout include the following:

• chronic fatigue — a bone weariness that sleep does not dispel
• susceptibility to illness
• sleep disturbances — trouble falling asleep, waking up with racing thoughts
• weight loss or gain
• loss of interest in sex
• increased use of drugs and alcohol
• depression, anxiety, feelings of overwhelm
• feeling trapped, unable to see other options
• hair-trigger emotions — quickness to anger; irritability; sudden tears
• withdrawal, isolation, rigid thinking, cynicism, negativity
• paranoia
• relationship/family problems
• spiritual darkness — feelings of futility, joylessness, resentment of the world
• an obsession with keeping going
• not caring anymore; giving up; loss of positive feelings for others
• deteriorating performance, despite putting in longer hours
• daydreaming

Many factors contribute to burnout, from the societal (e.g. political climate does not support value environmental work) to the organizational (e.g., work environments are dehumanizing) to the personal. Personal factors, which we have the most control over, include the following:

• over-ambition; save-the-world fantasies — high achievers with high ideals perceive themselves as constantly failing
• obsession with bad news — overexposing oneself to it and working harder and harder in the face of it
• under expression of emotion — little emotional release
• denial of personal needs and wants; drivenness; self-criticism
• insecurity; feelings of inadequacy; wanting to meet other’s expectations; committing to projects in order to be liked; excessive “need” to give
• unhealed childhood wounds; low stress tolerance
• over-identification with the problems of others; inability to care for the world while also maintaining a healthy detachment
• isolation

Burnout is the result of a high accumulation of stress. Gordon Wheeler defines stress as “challenge without support, something with which I am too alone.” An important element of preventing burnout is therefore finding emotional support and overcoming isolation. Other self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, and creative expression also have an important buffering effect on the effects of stress. Some of the changes we need to make in order to prevent burnout will be more internal, such as healing old wounds that have left us feeling insecure or traumatically stressed. We may also have to let go of the need to have our actions always produce immediately successful results, and instead find satisfaction in simply doing the best we can to take care of the world while we also take care of ourselves.

Burnout Rating Scale 

Self-Care