Understanding Job Burnout: Help for the Caring Professional Cara O’Connell-Edwards, PhD Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Assistant Clinical Professor Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine Understanding Job Burnout: Help for the Caring Professional Cara O’Connell-Edwards, PhD Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Assistant Clinical Professor Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Learning Objectives At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant should be able to: 1. Recognize the common physical, emotional, and behavioral warning signs of job burnout 2. Identify both individual vulnerabilities and job-specific risks that increase the likelihood of developing job burnout 3. Gain practical tips for stress-management and preventing burnout At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant should be able to: 1. Recognize the common physical, emotional, and behavioral warning signs of job burnout 2. Identify both individual vulnerabilities and job-specific risks that increase the likelihood of developing job burnout 3. Gain practical tips for stress-management and preventing burnout

Stress at Work More than half of all American workers describe frequent stress at work In the US, workers have fewer vacation days per year than any other developed country Over 30% of workers stay ‘connected’ to the office when they are on vacation Working parents report feeling “preoccupied” by work and regularly bring work projects home  Source: CareerBuilder.Com; CNN.com, “Five warning signs of job burnout” More than half of all American workers describe frequent stress at work In the US, workers have fewer vacation days per year than any other developed country Over 30% of workers stay ‘connected’ to the office when they are on vacation Working parents report feeling “preoccupied” by work and regularly bring work projects home  Source: CareerBuilder.Com; CNN.com, “Five warning signs of job burnout”

Work STRESS is often confused with CHALLENGE Challenges motivate us to perform, while chronic stress makes it difficult to carryout routine work duties… Left unchecked, chronic stress can lead to BURNOUT Work STRESS is often confused with CHALLENGE Challenges motivate us to perform, while chronic stress makes it difficult to carryout routine work duties… Left unchecked, chronic stress can lead to BURNOUT

Defining the problem

STRESS Stress can result from any situation where we feel that the demands we are facing exceed our resources Resources include Time, Money, Energy, Thought, Patience, Creativity, Compassion, etc… Because life is full of Demands, and all us of have a limited amount of Resources to meet these demands, STRESS becomes a ‘fact of life’ Stress can result from any situation where we feel that the demands we are facing exceed our resources Resources include Time, Money, Energy, Thought, Patience, Creativity, Compassion, etc… Because life is full of Demands, and all us of have a limited amount of Resources to meet these demands, STRESS becomes a ‘fact of life’

Burnout “Burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long-term exposure to demanding work situations. Burnout is the cumulative result of stress.” Source: Mayo Clinic, Mayoclinic.com “Burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long-term exposure to demanding work situations. Burnout is the cumulative result of stress.” Source: Mayo Clinic, Mayoclinic.com

Chronic Stress & Burnout impacts our health, mood states, and even our thinking….

Common ‘signs and symptoms’ of chronic stress and burnout

Signs of Burnout: Health Your sleep is changing You feel exhausted You’re always getting sick and/or you take more sick days You have frequent aches and pains You are using alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, food, or shopping to feel better about work Your sleep is changing You feel exhausted You’re always getting sick and/or you take more sick days You have frequent aches and pains You are using alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, food, or shopping to feel better about work

Emotional Signs of burnout You’re frequently bored at work Work feels meaningless, there is no purpose in your work You are often irritable or lose your temper with coworkers, family, and friends You feel preoccupied by fears of losing your job You are more cynical about your work (the “so what” factor) You’re frequently bored at work Work feels meaningless, there is no purpose in your work You are often irritable or lose your temper with coworkers, family, and friends You feel preoccupied by fears of losing your job You are more cynical about your work (the “so what” factor)

Cognitive Signs of Burnout You can’t concentrate You have trouble making decisions Your mind goes blank You make more mistakes You work hard but seem to accomplish very little You ‘zone out’ or stay on automatic pilot You can’t concentrate You have trouble making decisions Your mind goes blank You make more mistakes You work hard but seem to accomplish very little You ‘zone out’ or stay on automatic pilot

NIOSH Model of Job Stress Stressful Risk of Injury or Illness Job Conditions Individual and Situational Factors available at

Reviewing common environmental and individual ‘traps’ that lead to burnout

Looking around…The work environments that create burnout Low control Lack of reward Unclear expectations Unrealistic expectations Too little or too much work Lack of feedback Critical boss Low control Lack of reward Unclear expectations Unrealistic expectations Too little or too much work Lack of feedback Critical boss Frequent Deadlines Too little pay Competing demands Office politics Bureaucracy Unhealthy coworkers Helping/caregiving profession Frequent Deadlines Too little pay Competing demands Office politics Bureaucracy Unhealthy coworkers Helping/caregiving profession

Looking within…. Individual variables that increase risk for burnout: Your expectations don’t match reality You have rigid ideas about how things “should” be You’re a perfectionist Can’t say no You ruminate (replay) conversations with coworkers, managers You are experiencing a personal or family crisis Your expectations don’t match reality You have rigid ideas about how things “should” be You’re a perfectionist Can’t say no You ruminate (replay) conversations with coworkers, managers You are experiencing a personal or family crisis You have ‘dysfunctional’ relationships with coworkers You are juggling several roles You habitually take work home with you You have trouble organizing/managing time You have ‘dysfunctional’ relationships with coworkers You are juggling several roles You habitually take work home with you You have trouble organizing/managing time

Every workplace offers challenges, stressors, and opportunities We are all vulnerable and may experience several of these common symptoms at some point during our work lives The helping professions have some of the highest risk for job burnout Every workplace offers challenges, stressors, and opportunities We are all vulnerable and may experience several of these common symptoms at some point during our work lives The helping professions have some of the highest risk for job burnout

What can be done? Fact: Our ability to cope with stress has an impact on our health and happiness. Fact: We all have strategies to cope with stress that we use on a daily basis. Fact: Our Coping Strategies have the potential to either Help or Hinder (make worse) us in dealing with any given situation. Fact: It is never too late to learn new Coping Strategies to improve our health and happiness. Fact: Our ability to cope with stress has an impact on our health and happiness. Fact: We all have strategies to cope with stress that we use on a daily basis. Fact: Our Coping Strategies have the potential to either Help or Hinder (make worse) us in dealing with any given situation. Fact: It is never too late to learn new Coping Strategies to improve our health and happiness.

Strategies for preventing and coping with stress and burnout

The first step to managing stress at work is increasing awareness of the individual and environmental triggers that make us vulnerable to the stress response

Emotional ‘habits’ are hard to break Habits/patterns of responding to stressful situations become automatic, and may be difficult to recognize at first

A Mindful Approach to Reducing Stress “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgementally. This kind of attention nurtures greater awareness, clarity, and acceptance of present-moment reality. It wakes us up to the fact that our lives unfold only in moments” ( Wherever you go, There you are. page 4 ). - Jon Kabat-Zinn “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgementally. This kind of attention nurtures greater awareness, clarity, and acceptance of present-moment reality. It wakes us up to the fact that our lives unfold only in moments” ( Wherever you go, There you are. page 4 ). - Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness is routed in eastern philosophy but has been applied to western medicine Mind-body medicine recognizes the link between what is going on in the ‘mind’ (stress, negative emotions) and the body (disease states, healing) Mindfulness has been applied to stress management and is a useful approach to combating the impact of chronic stress on psychological and physical health Mindfulness is routed in eastern philosophy but has been applied to western medicine Mind-body medicine recognizes the link between what is going on in the ‘mind’ (stress, negative emotions) and the body (disease states, healing) Mindfulness has been applied to stress management and is a useful approach to combating the impact of chronic stress on psychological and physical health Origins of Mindfulness

Mindfulness Focused awareness on the present moment Paying attention to what is happening internally or externally while it is happening Can be practiced formally or applied in moment-by-moment experiences Focused awareness on the present moment Paying attention to what is happening internally or externally while it is happening Can be practiced formally or applied in moment-by-moment experiences

What can mindfulness do for me?

“Some of the worst things in my life never actually happened.”(Mark Twain) “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” (John Lennon) “Some of the worst things in my life never actually happened.”(Mark Twain) “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” (John Lennon)

How am I feeling right now? What is going on with me at this moment? How am I feeling right now? What is going on with me at this moment?

How am I right Now?Stressed! Thoughts of the Past What is happening In this moment? Thoughts about the Future

Some ‘mindful’ approaches to stress All that we have is the present moment Thoughts are not facts We are more than our thoughts Enhanced awareness adds more joy to life All that we have is the present moment Thoughts are not facts We are more than our thoughts Enhanced awareness adds more joy to life

Tips for enjoying “more moments”

1. Keep Breathing

2. Move more

3. Stay Connected

4. Plan your day

5. Do one thing at a time

6. Just Say ‘no’

7. Reward yourself

8. Change your thinking

9. Turn down the noise

10. Build your social support network

Wrapping Up… Questions and Discussion