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Burnout and COVID-19

By November 26, 2020News

Burnout and COVID-19

COVID-19 has meant huge changes in the way that we live and work, and many people are feeling the strain after prolonged quarantine and lockdown measures. If you are out working in the community, helping your children with distance learning, managing caregiving responsibilities, or if you have faced any of the other challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, you could be experiencing burnout. Usually burnout is triggered by short periods of time when stress overload feels unavoidable; however, the events surrounding COVID-19 may have over-extended this period for many people, making it difficult to use short-term coping mechanisms.

Common signs of burnout:

  • Emotional and physical exhaustion
  • A sense of cynicism and alienation
  • Low self-esteem
  • Feelings of detachment

How to address burnout:

  • Take a look at your priorities in your life. You may not be able to take things like child care, caregiving and work off your daily to-do list, but take a look at what you try to accomplish in a day. Is there anything that can be cut back or cut out entirely in order to conserve energy?
  • Talk to your friends and family. Your loved ones might not be aware that you are experiencing burnout. Ask for help with lighting the load at home through task sharing. Even if your friends and family can’t help you with everything that’s going on, it can be helpful to have their emotional support.
  • Get a change of scenery. Change your daily routine by indulging in activities you enjoy, such as taking a walk through nature or trying a mindfulness practice such as meditating.
  • Take care of yourself. This encompasses ensuring you are eating healthy foods from a variety of food groups and eating regularly throughout the day, in addition to getting a good amount of sleep and physical activity.

Burnout can sometimes feel difficult to address, but it’s important to deal with the issue. If you’re in need of additional help, our EAP is available for assistance and counsellors are available to speak to you 24/7. You can contact 1-800-387-4765 and speak to someone confidentially and free of charge.