One subject that's clear to me that burnout has become a hidden epidemic that affects people in many different fields. Most of us can relate to being tired, but maybe we didn’t know we had burnout. But I fear it's a major issue facing society and It's about time we talked about it and took steps to take care of ourselves and those around us..So, what is ‘burnout’? Burnout is a state of being physically and emotionally tired all the time. It can have serious effects on a person's mental health, their work, and quality of life. Does this sound familiar to some of you?.I’ll preface this with my own story of burnout..My symptoms started in March 2022; I was dragging myself out of bed and I was exhausted almost every day. At the time I wrote it off as age finally catching up to me or medication I had been on. I eased off my gym workouts with my son and spent a little more time, relaxing and napping. By April, I was feeling overwhelmed with normal everyday tasks and by May, I was starting to skip events because I didn't feel well enough to attend and have lengthy conversations with people. My partner, Matt noticed this change and that I was becoming easily frustrated so he suggested I go to the doctor..I suspected I was depressed. And who wouldn't be after two years of lockdowns and the constant media barrage of deaths, masks and vaccinations. I expected to receive a prescription for an anti-depressant to get me back on track. What I received were blood tests. And, within the week I was back in front of my doctor, who had me answer nine questions for her. By the time I was done answering, she confirmed I was in fact burned out. I was shocked and in disbelief. I don’t get burned out, but she was firm in her belief. She asked if I could take a leave of absence from work for at least 30 days and before I knew it, I was off work for June..One of the first things that I did was read up on burnout. Recent studies have found that more than one-third of Canadians are feeling burned out. And it's not getting better. Even though burnout is not a mental disease, it can be debilitating and last for a long time. You can also begin to experience chronic mental and physical fatigue that prevents you from working..So what do you do to prevent this from happening?.First, you need to know how to spot the signs of burnout. Constant tiredness, a lack of drive, cynicism and a drop in job performance are all signs that we are close to the edge. Once the problem is known, self-care is the next most important step. We need to put our mental and physical health first and make sure we do things that give us energy and make us happy. This can include things like practicing mindfulness and meditation, just doing things you enjoy or spending valuable time with people you care about..Setting limits is another important thing to do to avoid burnout. By setting clear boundaries between work and personal life, we can stop our work responsibilities from encroaching on our precious time to relax and recharge. Learning to say 'no' when our plates are already full is not a sign of weakness; it is a way to protect ourselves..Employers are also very important when it comes to dealing with stress. Organizations need to create a culture that supports employees' mental health, welcomes open communication and values a good balance between work and life. Workplace burnout can be prevented by making flexible work arrangements, encouraging frequent breaks, and giving people access to counselling and wellness programs..Lastly, society needs to realize how serious stress is and make it less embarrassing to talk about one's mental health. By creating a place where people feel understood and cared for, we can encourage people to ask for help and support when they need it instead of suffering alone in silence..There have been a lot of challenges over the past few years and Canadians have taken it on the chin and survived. But burnout is a big problem and we need to get away from the stigma that we always have to be strong and ‘work through it’. The Canadian healthcare system is still broken and it's time for those with power, like our leaders at all levels of government, to choose the path we haven't yet taken. Canadians are ready for a healthcare system that is truly linked, coordinated and works together. It might actually be time to look at privatizing some functions to put less pressure on the medical system and on you.
