Seven Ways to Reduce Burnout: Why Some of us Hit Burnout Sooner than Others

“Fifty-three percent of Millennials were already burned out pre-pandemic, and they remain the most affected population, with 59% experiencing it today. However, Gen-Z is now neck and neck, as 58% report burnout — up from 47% who said the same in 2020.” (Kelly, 2021)

Photo by Abbie Bernet on unsplash

Burnout is seemingly inevitable, but what triggers some of us to reach it sooner than others? What makes some of us experience it for a shorter duration than others?

Over five years ago, I heard a simple sentence that would immensely impact how burnt out I felt along the journey to achieve my goals.

“We are often a product of our environment” said the woman speaking to our high school class. As the majority of the talk fell from my memory, this piece held on. Having heard this I felt newly equipped to combat any hindrances of my environment; an awareness was sparked. I could identify when aspects of my environment weren’t fostering the individual I wanted to be and use discipline to offset these obstacles.

I continuously fell back on this idea. It’s below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, no one else is out running, don’t let that stop you. It’s 5 AM, the apartment’s frigid, everyone around you believes 5 a.m. is too early, don’t let that deter you. I continuously pushed myself to not become complacent. In my head I replayed the words, “Don’t become a product of your environment.” Again, enough discipline will enable me to reach my goals despite the obstacles posed by my surroundings.

It was only two months ago that I began to see the way in which I received and applied this message was exhaustive. It was triggering burnout too frequently.

I had just flown from New York to California to stay with my sister for five weeks. In her guest room laid a shelf full of motivational books, one which I almost bought at my layover in Detroit. Atomic Habits by James Clear. Clear includes a chapter on the role of environment in shaping our habits. The time while reading this book paralleled with a complete change of my environment. From a small apartment in upstate New York, just coming out of a long winter, to sunny southern California. It wasn’t solely a change in location, but a change in those around me. Staying with my sister, Rachael, allowed me to see how much easier it was to stick to good habits depending on those around you. Rach and I always joke that when we’re together it’s boot camp time — We’re up at 5 AM, getting in a workout each day, eating healthy, listening to motivational podcasts, reading, etc.

It was overt that my efforts to incorporate good habits were much less exhaustive in California. The overt enormity of environment’s role in shaping your habits made me worry about how I would confront this reality when I go back home. It made me largely question if I wanted to continue living where I do.

Growing up I had this idea that the place I grew up would hinder my success. I grew up in a small town and to be successful one needed to live in a huge city, so I believed. It’s only there that will you be in a competitive enough environment to be pushed to your full potential (and some where warmer where cabin fever wouldn’t be as easy to slip in to).

I came to recognize I never saw my small town as a source of fuel for my success. The truth is, I was oblivious to the motivating environment that I lived in, the people in that space aren’t the problem, it was my mindset. The inspiration is there, all around. I just need to step up my game. I had to stop fighting my environment and start embracing it.

I began to question how I could reshape my mindset, actions, and environment to reduce burnout. How could I make the motivation I felt in California transfers over. Here are a few of the steps and ideas I came up with:

1. Consider how your environment has influenced you favorably, as well as how it has influenced you negatively. After, write ideas down as to how you can remove these negatives. A simple example for me, is it’s easy to be active as there are lots of mountains to hike and lakes to swim in. But the rain and cold can make it hard to get outside and take advantage of those opportunities. Solution — be better prepared for whatever conditions you may encounter.
2. Discipline is crucial to carrying you over to the next wind of motivation, but don’t put too much wait on it. Relying solely on discipline will bring about burn out way too quickly. Try to remove temptations from your environment. As James Clear talks about in Atomic Habits, the most discipline people are often the ones that just know how to remove the temptation from their environment. Create an environment that makes your goals easier to achieve.
3. Stop saying, “If I lived in [location] it would be easier,” or “If I only had this, it would be easier.” Believing these barriers will stop you from your achieving your goals is only detrimental. The good news is, “…your mind will believe whatever you tell it, so make sure that you are speaking your desires not your fears. You get to choose how your mind serves you.” — Dr. Jessica Houston.
4. Use your environment to your advantage. Once again, consider how your environment has influenced you favorably. Look back at that list you just created and try your best to expand on ways it has, and brainstorm new that it could benefit you, ways that maybe you haven’t seen before, or haven’t put in the effort to incorporate them.
5. Be decisive. Swaying back and forth between ideas can be exhaustive in itself. Wholehearted invest yourself into your decisions.

6. Surround yourself with the right people.

7. Next time you do feel burnt out, or if you’re currently experiencing it, journal out the things you feel have led to this.

These were just a few of the solutions I discovered worked best for me and I encourage you to comment ideas of your own, or critique and expand upon the ones listed.

Citations

Kelly, J. (2022, April 14). Indeed study shows that worker burnout is at frighteningly high levels: Here is what you need to do now. Forbes. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/04/05/indeed-study-shows-that-worker-burnout-is-at-frighteningly-high-levels-here-is-what-you-need-to-do-now/?sh=259d6d2c23bb

Bernet, A. (2017, August 3). Photo by Abbie Bernet on unsplash. Beautiful Free Images & Pictures. Retrieved June 1, 2022, from https://unsplash.com/photos/y8OPPvo_5mU