Episode 6: Am I experiencing stress or burnout?

EPISODE SUMMARY

Kara-Kae and Elizabeth discuss the difference between stress and burnout. Kara-Kae offers her personal experience dealing with burnout this past year. Together, they discuss what to do if you are experiencing burnout and ways you can help a friend or spouse who is going through the same thing.

THE LITTLE THINGS

We like to start each episode by talking about “the little things” in life that made a big impact that week. 

Kara-Kae said she has recently started making her kids pack their own lunches and it has been a game-changer!

Elizabeth has finally jumped on the bandwagon and started using oils.

THE CONVERSATION

This episode was inspired by the Audible original, The Burnout Generation. 

Researchers usually talk about burnout in terms of work, but there is a new phenomenon called “parental burnout.” For our purposes today, we’ll talk about burnout in the workplace, at home, and life in general.

The term “burnout” was coined in the 1970’s by psychologist Herbert J. Freudenberger. It came from the analogy of a burned out house (the outer shell is left in tact, but inside the house is devastated). When people burn out, they look fine on the outside but are devastated on the inside.

Burnout is a more long-term condition as opposed to stress, which is more situational. 

Kara-Kae shares her experience with burnout over the past year. She remembers watching Killing Eve. In one episode, the character was pretending to be someone else and talking about her personal story. She said she didn’t feel anything . . . Kara-Kae identified with that. She felt nothing spiritually, emotionally, etc. 

What did she do to alleviate burnout? She took a sabbatical for about two months. She took time off work, read books, swam in the pool with the kids, pulled back from social media, and enjoyed her summer. 

She also let herself wrestle through some faith issues and ask God some tough questions. 

She is now in one of the healthiest places she’s ever been in. 

Kara-Kae’s advice to someone who might be going through burnout:

  • Allow yourselves to experience it. Don’t work through a checklist or give yourself a timeline to get through it.

  • Cut some things out of your schedule (relationships, committees, work responsibilities)


Some other people and professions who deal with burnout:

  • Teachers

  • Social workers / case workers

  • Pastors

  • “Helping” professions

  • Foster parents

  • Adoptive parents


How can you help your spouse or friend when they are experiencing burnout?

  • Give them space to work through this season.

  • Ask them, “What would help you?”

  • Text or touch base with them on a regular basis.

RESOURCES TO REFRAME OUR THINKING

Kara-Kae JamesComment