Burnout vs. Just a Hard Week
Tayla C.
Lately I’ve been asking myself whether I’m actually burned out or just exhausted from a rough stretch. Some weeks feel heavy, but that’s also part of the job. Other times it feels deeper and harder to bounce back from. I’m trying to get better at recognizing the difference before it turns into something bigger.
Would love to hear how others tell when it’s time to slow down or make changes. What signs do you pay attention to?
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My true red flag for burnout is dreading seeing a specific client, or going into the clinic. Not just wanting to call out of work and get some extra sleep once in a blue moon, but honestly and truly regretting having to get out of bed and go to work every day. I would sit in my car to psych myself up before I walked into work, and stress about having to go back each evening once I returned home. I experienced that a lot at a previous company, and I didn’t realize how much it weighed me down until I left.
Some of the early warning signs of burnout include feeling detached from your work or your clients, feeling ineffective (like you can’t/won’t make a difference), constant irritability, mental fog, easily becoming overwhelmed by minor issues, and feeling like you need to sleep for a year to make up for each day. Behavioral signs include more frequent call outs, perpetual lateness or rushing, social withdrawal, and avoidance of specific clients or tasks.
You may experience physical symptoms including disrupted sleep; headaches; stomachaches; chronic fatigue; tension in your shoulders, neck, and jaw; and a reduction in physical health (with an increase in rate of physical illness).
Some of the behaviors that contribute to burnout include over-committing, skipping breaks and meals, neglecting sleep, failing to request/receive help, failing to develop/maintain/use coping skills, and ignoring that whole “work-life balance” thing.
What I recommend doing is assessing whether what you’re doing is something you’re still truly passionate about, or if it’s just something environmental that’s getting to you. If you’re not feeling that ABA is truly where you want to be in ten years, then maybe you may need a break from the field, or you may need to look into a different aspect of behavior analysis. If there’s something else bothering you, whether it’s dealing with a challenging client, a neglectful supervisor, or an inhospitable work environment, consider how you would feel without that specific element. If that changes everything, I’d look into figuring out how to make that happen, or how to continue your work elsewhere.
Regarding making changes, I spoke to my Clinical Director when I started my fieldwork, and let her know that my schedule was becoming too much between clients, fieldwork, and school. They dialed back my client hours, and that helped a lot. Varying my fieldwork also helped a lot, because it wasn’t the same thing day in and day out.
Your company is responsible for providing you with a balanced caseload, a predictable schedule, supportive supervision, appropriate training, opportunities to request support and ask questions, and ensuring that you are aware of company expectations and how to meet them. Since burnout is a workplace hazard, they have a responsibility to both staff and clients to ensure that staff are able to handle their workload, and receive support.
I hope this helps!
Hello Tayla,
I hope that all is well. I completely understand where you are coming from. It is important to not make a rash decision right away. The signs I pay attention to are my ability to bounce back from a difficult session, self-care routines, and if I need to use vacation days. While I am in session, I pay attention to my body cues. Am I on edge? Do I need a timeout? Do I need to talk with my supervisor and inform her of what is going on? Also, remember your why. Remember why you got into this field. These feelings will not last forever; however, if you feel that these feelings linger even after the “hard days”, then you need to reassess yourself. I hope that this helps. 🙂