Are you ignoring these burnout warning signs? Psychologist Anti-Burnout Tips

This article has been adapted from episode 142 of The Aspiring psychologist Podcast. If you prefer you can listen here or watch here. 

Don't ignore these signs!

Understanding Burnout: Navigating External and Internal Pressures

In the final episode of the Burnout Bites series on the Aspiring Psychologist Podcast, Dr. Marianne Trent hands over to Dr. Claire Plumbly for a deep dive into the factors that contribute to burnout. This episode focuses on the difference between external and internal pressures and offers practical strategies to help you manage and prevent burnout.

The Challenge of Burnout

Burnout is a pervasive issue that affects many people, often sneaking up on them as they juggle the demands of work, family, and life. Dr. Plumbly explains that burnout isn't just about working too hard; it’s about the pressures we face—both from the outside world and from within ourselves. Understanding these pressures is the first step towards regaining control and protecting your mental health.

External Pressures: The Demands of Life

External pressures are the demands placed on us by our environment—whether that’s work, family, or social obligations. These pressures can be obvious, like a heavy workload or financial worries, but they can also be more subtle, such as cultural expectations or role ambiguity. Dr. Plumbly highlights how these pressures can accumulate over time, slowly chipping away at our resilience until we reach a breaking point.

For example, in her own experience working in the NHS, Dr. Plumbly noticed how the expectations of her job increased incrementally over time. What began as a manageable workload eventually became overwhelming, with more clients, more reports, and more demands, leading to a significant impact on her well-being.

Invisible Pressures: The Cultural Ideals

Some external pressures are less visible but no less impactful. These include societal and cultural expectations, such as the traditional roles of men and women, or the assumption that certain behaviours are necessary to be seen as successful. These pressures can be particularly insidious because they’re often ingrained in us from a young age, making them harder to recognise and challenge.

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Internal Pressures: The Battle Within

Internal pressures come from within us—our thoughts, emotions, and expectations of ourselves. These pressures can be just as powerful as external ones, driving us to continue pushing even when we’re exhausted. Dr. Plumbly discusses three common patterns of internal pressure that she sees in her work with clients experiencing burnout: people-pleasing, perfectionism, and avoiding emotions through busyness.

• People-Pleasing: This is when we feel we must keep everyone around us happy, often at the expense of our own needs. This pattern is driven by a belief that our worth is tied to others’ approval.

• Perfectionism: While striving for excellence isn’t inherently negative, perfectionism becomes problematic when it leads to chronic stress and an inability to delegate or rest. The fear of failure or criticism can keep us on a relentless treadmill of overwork.

• Avoiding Emotions: Many people use work as a way to avoid dealing with difficult emotions. By staying busy, they avoid the discomfort of confronting their feelings, but this only leads to further burnout as they never take the time to rest and process their emotions.

Managing Burnout: Practical Strategies

Dr. Plumbly offers several strategies for managing both external and internal pressures. Recognising which pressures are affecting you is the first step. Once you’ve identified them, you can start to take action.

For external pressures, this might involve setting boundaries, delegating tasks, or seeking help to reduce your workload. It’s also important to question cultural and societal expectations—are these pressures really necessary, or can you choose to let go of them?

For internal pressures, self-awareness and self-compassion are key. Understanding your own patterns of behaviour can help you make changes. Techniques such as mindfulness, compassion-focused therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can be particularly helpful in changing your relationship with these internal pressures.

Conclusion

Burnout is a complex issue, influenced by a variety of external and internal factors. By understanding and addressing these pressures, you can take steps to protect yourself and maintain your well-being. Dr. Claire Plumbly’s insights in this episode provide valuable guidance for anyone dealing with stress or burnout.

If you found this series helpful, be sure to connect with Dr. Claire Plumbly on social media and check out her book, Burnout: How to Manage Your Nervous System Before It Manages You. You can also join Dr. Marianne Trent’s Aspiring Psychologist Community for further support and resources.

Check out my books for Aspiring Psychologists here: https://www.goodthinkingpsychology.co.uk/my-books

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