Destination Inspiration

May 2008

Burned Out & Bounced Back

By Lisbeth Anne Marín

Motivational Training Consultant

I humbly count myself among those gifted with creativity.  It delights me to unite my imagination with the ability of my hands.  I’ve made no secret of the artistic side; in fact, it represents a constant factor in my self employment.  Creativity cannot be harnessed; it flows from a place with no master switch. 

Recently, while reveling in the glow of a creative spurt, my speaking/training career presented a challenging deadline.  I had to hit the ground running to accomplish a bevy of tasks… suddenly, out of the blue, it hit me.  I absolutely couldn’t do another thing!  I was off-task, pooped, and tuckered-out to the core.  I wasn’t stressed out; I didn’t feel depressed… it was way more than tired.  This feeling went deep into my very soul, I just couldn’t function.  I was Burned Out.

When motivation’s heat is lost and
disillusionment’s cold takes control, burnout occurs. 

The fire that usually burns as hot as fish grease, simply runs out of fuel and dies.  I’ve noticed that people who are highly committed, passionate or expert multi-taskers seem particularly prone to the effects of Burnout.

I’d describe it as a profound physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.

Burned-out people experience a conspicuous absence of the ambitious force required to continue doing the things they typically enjoy.

Sometimes Burnout surfaces as feeling unacknowledged or unappreciated.  A clue is statements of dejection; “why bother, no one ever notices all that I do, nobody cares about me”.

If you’ve ever experienced this overpowering feeling you know that even the strongest or happiest person can succumb to being deeply Burned Out!

Have you lost interest in the things you usually enjoy?  Burnout renders you incapable of taking pleasure in the process or the product of your work.  Maybe you’ve experienced bouts of excessive emotions ranging from anger & rage to tears & sadness.  Are you or someone close to you experiencing burnout and incorrectly treating it as depression or stress?

Consider these Burnout symptoms:

§         Negativity, low morale, pessimistic comments, desperation or hopelessness.

§         Body language clues like slumped shoulders, head hanging down, general poor comportment.

§         Manic, hyper or over the top rushing and generally ‘freakin-out’.

There are many similarities between burnout, depression and stress, but the distinguishing factor is the way they respond to treatment.  Depression might hang on without improvement for an indeterminate period of time, even with professional treatment or medication.  Stress can be connected to an episodic event with a clear source and predictable ending. 

Burnout usually responds positively to a few doses of the
5-R’s: rest, recreation, renewal, recharging and re-assessment.  Everyone has their own favorite 5-R’s.  I gravitate towards the performing arts, a movie (actually it’s more about the buttered popcorn); a day of gardening or time at the YMCA pool can work magic on my burnout.  It’s liberating to know that by attending to the 5-R’s, I am soon back on top of my game.  Perhaps spending an entire weekend camped-out in front of the TV or a ‘ride in the county’ will reverse your burnout.  Sometimes you’ll need a higher level of 5-R application (like a vacation) to move through the healing process before you start feeling like you again. 

Learn to acknowledge the need to simply stop and be still long enough to gather new momentum for the next leg of your journey.  You’ll soon master the ability to bounce back from being burned out! 

Lisbeth Anne Marín is a Motivational Training Consultant and Public Speaker specializing in interpersonal and organizational development skills.  She presents a wide array of staff development training programs, motivational seminars and interactive human resource workshops.  To view the topics on which training programs or private consultation can be provided, please visit the website, www.lisbethanne.com or call Lisbeth at 910.867.3163 to discuss your training goals.  The website also features a gallery of award winning designs along with a schedule of complimentary Business Seminars that are presented to the public through the Center for Business and Industry at FTCC.