The Battle with Burnout
By: Mary Etta Tubbs, F.L.E.
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines burnout as “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation, usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration”. This is an adequate description of the condition, but it doesn’t speak to burnout’s toll on families and the community and the people and organizations that have a huge responsibility to people with disabilities. Burnout is a chronic problem at all levels of independent living. It drives off good people and drains the collective energy of families, natural supports, and organizations.
As a society, we have come to accept burnout as part of the natural progression of life. We seem to expect it—and since it is inevitable (we think)—there’s nothing to do about it. Burnout happens. So can we avoid the pitfalls of burnout? If so, how?
We can do our best to help others when we, ourselves, feel inspired and hopeful. We must address burnout for our own health and well-being and for the good of those we help and work with.
Although the following are statistics for the work place, perhaps we could look our homes and families and those family members with disabilities from that angle.
· 25% of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives.
· 75% of employees believe the worker has more stress than a generation ago.
· Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor—more than even financial problems or family problems.
· 40% workers report their job “is very or extremely stressful”.
· 29% workers report they feel “quite a bit or extremely stressed at work”.
If we have a family member(s) with disabilities, we tend to feel that caring for that family member is a “duty” and do not realize the stress factor until it is too late and we are burned out.
Source: ilru NetWork newsletter
Tri-County Independent Living Center of Utah provides programs and services at no cost to “Enhance Independence in People with Disabilities”. For more information, call 458-3263 or 612-3215—located at 2726 Washington Blvd., Ogden.
