The Doctor of Burnout Syndrome
Burnout Facts
The Truth About Burnout
And My Complementary Thoughts on Burnout Syndrome, Chronic Stress, Life, Existence, and all things Mental Health.
Symptoms of Burnout
I’m going to cover the main symptoms of burnout, and some indicators here that you should be aware of. Of course, symptoms can vary from person to person, but they generally fall into three categories: physical, emotional, and behavioral. Physical Symptoms: Recurring headaches, gastrointestinal...
Causes of Burnout
Burnout happens when both personal and workplace factors pile up in a way that overwhelms a person, and since everyone’s situation is different, the causes can vary a lot. But understanding what’s driving the stress is the first step in figuring out how to manage it. One glaringly obvious factor that...
Your Work
The nature of work plays a critical role in the development of burnout, with various aspects of work either intensifying or alleviating the condition. Dr. Christina Maslach, a pioneering psychologist in burnout research, revolutionized our understanding of this phenomenon. Her groundbreaking work has...
All About Burnout and Personality
The Big Five Model of Personality So in my research, I became interested in discovering if there was more than just workplace factors that influence the onset and course of burnout syndrome. I found evidence that personality traits do indeed influence an individual’s susceptibility to burnout....
Self Care is NOT the Answer.
Why? There is no research supporting “self care” as a fix for burnout. This is a conversation that I have almost on a daily basis with my patients in clinical practice. The idea that self care can undo chronic exhaustion and detachment is not just misleading—it is downright not supported...
Culture and Gratitude
I just returned from a surfing trip in Bali — my first time in Asia — and within the first couple of days, something became immediately clear. Amid the buzz of scooters zipping past, often driven by Australians with surfboards strapped to the side, there was a noticeable calm in how the locals moved...
The Black Matrix
It’s 8:23pm. You just spent 47 minutes commuting from work to your home. The dishes are still in the sink, the dog hasn’t been walked in 4 days, your fridge is empty, and there are stains on your couch from last night’s takeout. The garbage hasn’t been taken out, and your babysitter...
Being, Time, and Existence
I am an existentialist at heart. This is shaped by my own life experiences that have profoundly influenced the perspective I take with work, stress, life, and love. One of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, Martin Heidegger, wrote Being and Time (Sein und Zeit) in 1927. He described...
Are you gaslighting yourself?
On the theme of relationships, let’s take a look at the most important one: the relationship we have with ourselves. Particularly as it relates to my favourite topic. When understanding the relationship we have with our work, I constantly hear people minimizing their own work stress and making...
How's Your Relationship Going? And I'm Not Talking about your Wife.
When we think about relationships, our minds often jump straight to romantic ones. If you’ve had therapy, you may have learned about your attachment style. Excellent! That’s backed by over 50 (I think? Maybe 60) years of research. Solid. So, you may know the different types – secure,...