#245 May 16th, 2022 [Burnout]

Three in every four American workers report having experienced burnout. Depending on the nation, nearly half to two-thirds of European workers report the same.

In 2019, the WHO formally recognized and defined burnout:

“Burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;

• increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and

• reduced professional efficacy.

Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”

The trends that surround burnout are fascinating, to say the least. In the four-episode Lemonada Media series Burnout, we get to wrap our heads around what burnout is all about – what causes it, what it causes, and why we simply can't take it anymore.

It’s common to interpret the stress response cycle as an emotional reaction to your environment and the stressors that come with it. In reality, and understood by those tuned in to their bodies, stress produces crucial physiological changes that all stem from the amygdala – the emotional-response system of your brain that hasn’t evolved much in the last thousand years or so. 

Being okay isn’t given. It’s something we have to practice. 

We all have to put in an effort to be okay and to exist at our unique and individual baselines. To really paint a picture of how stressful our environments can be, host Connor Franta unpacks the biology of burnout and even takes us to an Amazon fulfillment warehouse to hear from an employee as he tries to convince the higher-ups to acknowledge burnout and reduce stressful triggers in the workplace.

Simple stuff, really.

Franta shines as he keeps listeners captivated, all while unraveling such a serious subject. Unexpected quirky quips give way to earnest commentary. Even with his comments being steeped in sarcasm, we learn that burnout is here and is serious.

We are all recalibrating our relationship with work. There's a good chance you've heard the phrase "the great resignation" in the last year; give or take another best-yet corporate earnings report. Workers are taking action and have started to plot, plan, strategize, organize and mobilize. While there is a difference to be made by the masses, the most important thing to consider is your holistic health. If you've experienced the symptoms of burnout, you can absolutely break the cycle. Visit mindful.org/burnout for more info on how to recognize and treat burnout.

Have a listen and let us know what you think,

Stephen and EvanYour Podcast Delivery crew

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