By Stephen Scherer, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist,
Last post we looked at how full our emotional glasses are at the end of a day and learned about what could be draining them. I discussed how to know what exactly burnout is and how to recognize it in ourselves, so let’s talk about the process which lead us into it.
Given this, we want to figure out how we’ve gotten to this point both to aid in recovery and to make sure it isn’t likely to happen again in the future, which means making sure we “refill the glass” throughout the day.
First, you want to ask yourself:
“What specifically do I find stressful about my job?”
“What are the smaller, every-day stressors that are present for me?”
“What are some of the bigger, more pervasive stressors I experience?”
These three are vital questions to ask because in later posts we will use the answers to them as a guide for developing ways to specifically refill our glass before, during, and after managing these situations. We will do this by seamlessly integrating self-care into our personal and professional lives to avoid being completely drained all together. I suggest writing the answers to the above questions near your glass drawing so that you can easily reference them.
Now the question is, Why? Why do these things drain me? Are they things I don’t enjoy? Do they take a lot of my time? Do I feel they contribute to my personal or professional growth? Are they things I have to do for myself or a favor to someone else?
Let’s say that one of the things on your list is something you don’t enjoy doing, maybe it’s reading essay answers to a test (I know for me this can be an arduous task that I prefer not to leave to a TA). In order to feel less drained what can I do to increase my enjoyment during this task? I can intentionally read the essays in a space that I enjoy (that is I am consciously going to this place and reminding myself that I am in a place I enjoy so that I don’t take it for granted). I can approach it with curiosity (what will I lean about my students?), I can change my environment (i.e. use lighting that is easy on the eyes, play soft music in the background that isn’t distracting, or use essential oils that are soothing or enjoyable smells), I can prepare my favorite tea to sip while reading the papers, I can take a 1 minute break to recharge (so I can continue to work at a quick, yet sustainable pace), etc. The idea is that I want to intentionally integrate something into my experience that will make it less draining and possibly add something to my emotional glass. The more I have in my emotional glass, the less drained I’ll feel, and the more I can take off my plate. If I try to “power through” then I’m unnecessarily draining myself and essentially trying to drink from an empty glass. Have you ever felt refreshed or your thirst quenched by drinking from an empty glass?
Probably not.
Scholarly Action Step: Take a look at your hobbies and things you enjoy, things that fill your glass instead of drain it, and write them down. Which of these things that you enjoy can you integrate into your day? Ask yourself “is there anything in my home that I enjoy spending time interacting with?” “What do I find soothing?” “What do I find enjoyable?” Create a list of things that you find refill your glass, or make your day easier. Next week we will make these into our utensils so we can start taking things off of our plate!
*The information in this blog post is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with a qualified mental health professional before making any changes to your lifestyle to make sure they are right for you.
Comments