It’s getting to the time of year when, on top of an already stressful few years, demands and pressures increase. A continued level of stress can lead to burnout. Burnout, if not addressed, can lead to reduced workplace and personal productivity and long term health issues.
Back in July we featured a guest author post on the Stages of Burnout by Jess Stuart
In this post we build on Jess’s article and look at some of the other resources the Wellington City Libraries collections offer on recognising, addressing and recovering from burnout. Different aspects can contribute to burnout – work stresses, lifestyle, individual personality traits or a combination of any of these.
In her recent article How to come back from burnout: 7 offbeat ways to recharge your life, clinical psychologist Karen Nimmo, lists burnout’s symptom’s as “… similar to mild to moderate depression. There’ll be sleep problems, low motivation/energy, persistent low mood, lethargy, irritability, exaggerated emotional responses, disinterest in favourite activities and people, a general heaviness”. She then lists some small tweaks you can make to your life if you feel you are approaching or have reached burnout. (Note the recommendation that you “Read a whole book“).
The Mayo Clinic also provides a checklist of symptoms if you feel you may be suffering job related burnout and suggests some actions you can take to improve the situation.
Other websites with more information include The HelpGuide’s Burnout Prevention and Treatment, while Health Navigator NZ offers Tips to Avoid Work Stress and Burnout.
The Harvard Business review offers a more indepth article with Beating Burnout (available via Business Source Premier database on the library website).
As an employer however, is investing in resources for employee mental health the right answer to the question? In a recent article McKinsey asked if you are solving the right problem? Their research found that many employers focus on individual-level interventions that remediate symptoms, rather than resolve the causes of employee burnout.
If you want to understand more about burnout, the causes, process and ways to deal with it, try these recent publications, all held in our collection.
Burnout to brilliance : redefining peak performance / Stuart, Jess
“Learn how to achieve peak performance without burning out in the process. We live in a constant state of overwhelm and exhaustion whilst simultaneously striving for high performance. It’s not sustainable and it’s why burnout has become so prevalent. That was before the global pandemic which exacerbates the level of change and uncertainty leaving peak performance even harder to achieve. Busyness is fashionable, we wear it like a badge of honour but it doesn’t lead to high performance. Quantity does not always mean quality and being busy does not mean we’re productive, in fact the opposite is often true. Understand the difference between busy and productive. Work smarter not harder and master the habits of high performance. Understand the neuroscience behind thinking patterns and how to access a flow state. Learn strategies to cultivate a more focused, clear mind. Be your best without burning out in the process. Overcome overwhelm, reenergise and build resilience. Improve productivity and effectiveness”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)
Beyond burnout : how to spot it, stop it and stamp it out : a New Zealand guide / McAlpine, Suzi
“Following her own first-hand experience, as well as the countless similar scenarios she’s seen in her role as an executive coach, Suzi McAlpine has created a book about burnout to help create environments and organisational cultures that reduce its occurrence…As well as actionable tools and key takeouts, each chapter/section will include information about how to recognise the signs of burnout, and practical how-tos for leaders to reduce its presence in organisations. She also explains how to treat and address burnout when it is present”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue) Also available in ebook format
The burnout epidemic : the rise of chronic stress and how we can fix it / Moss, Jennifer
“Workplace well-being expert Jennifer Moss helps leaders and individuals prevent burnout and create healthier, happier, and more productive workplaces. We tend to think that burnout is a problem we can solve with more yoga, better breathing techniques, and more resilience. Moss lays bare the real causes of burnout, and shows that self-care is not a cure-all for burnout. She offers actionable advice that will empower readers to feel healthier and happier at work. — adapted from jacket” (Catalogue)
Burnout : a guide to identifying burnout and pathways to recovery / Parker, Gordon
“Are you always exhausted? Unable to feel for others or for life’s pleasures? Find it hard to concentrate and take in what you read? You may have burnout. Burnout is widespread among high achievers in the workplace, in business and in caring professions like health and teaching. Parents with new babies and those caring for the elderly and people with disabilities are also at risk. Although burnout is so common, it’s often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed – most commonly as depression. Drawing on groundbreaking new research, this book hands you the tools to work out whether you have burnout – or not. The good news? It is possible to recover from even severe burnout. The authors show you how to recognise your own burnout pattern, how far you have travelled into burnout territory, and provide a broad-based management approach to help you regain your spark and build your resilience. With fascinating new insights into the biology of burnout, and stories from people who have brought themselves back from the brink, Burnout is a complete guide for anyone who suspects they may have burnout, for their families, for health professionals and employers.” (Catalogue) (Ebook format)
The burnout challenge : managing people’s relationships with their jobs / Maslach, Christina
“Solutions to workplace burnout often involve victim-blaming: Stressed? Try therapy-or a new job. But burnout is a sign of defective workplaces, not workers. Drawing on decades of research, Christina Maslach and Michael Leiter show managers how to recognize burnout and fix problems cost-effectively, improving employees’ productivity and health”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)
Change makers : a woman’s guide to stepping up without burning out at work / Murray, Katy
“We’ve come some way in the fight to get women into the workplace and delivering impactful valued work. But as the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionally affected women’s progression, many of us are close to burnout and considering scaling back our work faced with other responsibilities. We cannot let that happen. Your work matters. It’s ok to want an impactful career and to demand it do more than bring home a pay check every month. But can you re-awaken your change making power with the spectre of burnout looming? In ‘Change Makers,‘ expert women’s leadership coach Katy Murray devises an actionable plan for you to create the space to grow as a change maker and change the world for the better. This book shares the powerful habits, that allow you to step into a more expansive version of yourself at work. These habits are small but mighty. They reshape your brain, shift your behaviors, and create ease-filled change in your leadership, activism, work, and life. As you integrate these strategies into your every-day, you will eliminate burnout. You will find clarity in your purpose again. You will feel more joy, more energy, more momentum. You will expand your relationships eco-system, and see fresh ways to navigate and even disrupt the systems you find yourself in. You will have a bigger impact in your work and you will co-create a more equitable world. ‘Change Makers‘ leads you through a personalized journey of self-discovery, with practical templates, inspirational real-life examples of change-making women, exercises, and coaching prompts that make a difference. Join the collective of women finding a powerful new way to lead. It’s time to step up”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)
The end of burnout : why work drains us and how to build better lives / Malesic, Jonathan
“Burnout has become our go-to term for talking about the pressure and dissatisfaction we experience at work. But because we don’t really understand what burnout means, the discourse does little to help workers who are suffering from exhaustion and despair. Jonathan Malesic was one of those workers, and to escape he quit his job as a tenured professor. In The End of Burnout, he dives into the history and psychology of burnout, traces the origin of the high ideals we bring to our dismal jobs, and profiles the individuals and communities who are already resisting our cultural commitment to constant work. In The End of Burnout, Malesic traces his own history as someone who burned out of a tenured job to frame this rigorous investigation of how and why so many of us feel worn out, alienated, and useless in our work. Through research on the science, culture, and philosophy of burnout, Malesic explores the gap between our vocation and our jobs, between the ideals we have for work and the reality of what we have to do. He eschews the usual prevailing wisdom in confronting burnout (“Learn to say no!” “Practice mindfulness!”) to examine how our jobs have been constructed as a symbol of our value and our total identity. And beyond looking at what drives burnout–unfairness, a lack of autonomy, a breakdown of community, mismatches of values–this book highlights groups that are addressing these failures of ethics. We can look to communities of monks, employees of a Dallas nonprofit, intense hobbyists, and artists with disabilities to see the possibilities for resisting a “total work” environment and the paths to recognizing the dignity of workers and nonworkers alike. In this critical yet deeply humane book, Malesic offers the vocabulary we need to recognize burnout, overcome burnout culture, and find moral significance in our lives beyond work”– Provided by publisher” (Catalogue) Also available in e-book format
The Book of Boundaries : End Resentment, Burnout, and Anxiety– and Reclaim Your Time, Energy, Health, and Relationships / Urban, Melissa
“…Do your relationships often feel one-sided or unbalanced? Are you always giving in just so things will go smoothly? Do you wish you could learn to say no–but, like, nicely? Are you depleted, overwhelmed, and tired of putting everyone else’s needs ahead of your own? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to establish some boundaries… Melissa Urban has taught millions of people how to establish healthy habits and successfully navigate pushback and peer pressure… in The Book of Boundaries, she shows you how boundaries are the key to better mental health, increased energy, improved productivity, and more fulfilling relationships. In her famously direct and compassionate style, Urban offers:
* 130+ scripts with language you can use to instantly establish boundaries with bosses and co-workers, romantic partners, parents and in-laws, co-parents, friends, family, neighbors, strangers–and yourself
* actionable advice to help you communicate your needs with clarity and compassion
* tips for successfully navigating boundary guilt, pushback, pressure, and oversteps
* techniques to create healthy habits around food, drink, technology, and more User-friendly and approachable, The Book of Boundaries will give you the tools you need to stop justifying, minimizing, and apologizing, leading you to more rewarding relationships and a life that feels bigger, healthier, and freer.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library. We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources. All enquiries are treated in confidence.
