The Undeniable Costs of Burnout for Women
Have you become addicted to busy at the cost of your mental, physical
and emotional
well-being?
Bombarded by societal and family expectations, and managing multiple roles (wife, mother, friend, boss, employee) women often feel overwhelmed, undervalued and exhausted from expending their energy everywhere and on everyone else except themselves.
Whenever they do say “no” or take time for themselves, they feel guilty about letting others down. This unproductive cycle leads to burnout, the blues and bad habits that take a toll on women’s health, relationships and work. This cycle usually comes to an end only when women face a major health crisis or emotional or physical exhaustion.
Have you become addicted to busy at the cost of your mental, physical and emotional well-being?
Bombarded by societal and family expectations, and managing multiple roles (wife, mother, friend, boss, employee) women often feel overwhelmed, undervalued and exhausted from expending their energy everywhere and on everyone else except themselves.
Whenever they do say “no” or take time for themselves, they feel guilty about letting others down. This unproductive cycle leads to burnout, the blues and bad habits that take a toll on women’s health, relationships and work. This cycle usually comes to an end only when women face a major health crisis or emotional or physical exhaustion.
Are you stuck in a cycle of busy?
Women are taught to believe they have to have it all, we must keep doing, achieving, and pushing onward on our own, no matter how depleted we feel, and no matter how dissatisfied we are, to get what we want. But this constant doing comes with great cost.
Burnout is so prevalent today that it is now classified as a medical disorder with women more likely to experience burnout than men. The majority of household and childcare responsibilities placed on women in addition to working full-time, high pressure jobs is creating more stress and illness instead of a better quality of life. Women are often rewarded for staying on the treadmill of busyness, even when this constant state of stress poses emotional, mental and physical health issues.
Signs and Symptoms of Burnout
Similar to depression, burnout symptoms include fatigue, inability to concentrate, insomnia, irritability, and an overall feeling of “just going through the motions.”
When in the burnout stage, women feel more detached from themselves and others, they feel less joy in their personal achievements, and they often lose interest in their work.
Women are also more likely to experience Impostor Syndrome which impacts both our personal and professional lives. The Impostor Syndrome is “a psychological term referring to a pattern of behavior where people doubt their accomplishments and have a persistent, often internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud.”
Being paid less than our male counterparts in the same position, reluctance to apply for positions we are highly qualified for, and the societal expectation to act and look perfect causes tremendous self-doubt even when women achieve beyond expectation and their peers. In addition, the incessant message that women must be perfect lends itself to Impostor Syndrome. We often feel less than or like a failure when we fall just the tiniest bit short of “perfect.”
Signs and Symptoms of Burnout
Similar to depression, burnout symptoms include fatigue, inability to concentrate, insomnia, irritability, and an overall feeling of “just going through the motions.”
When in the burnout stage, women feel more detached from themselves and others, they feel less joy in their personal achievements, and they often lose interest in their work.
Women are also more likely to experience Impostor Syndrome which impacts both our personal and professional lives. The Impostor Syndrome is “a psychological term referring to a pattern of behavior where people doubt their accomplishments and have a persistent, often internalized fear of being exposed as a fraud.”
Being paid less than our male counterparts in the same position, reluctance to apply for positions we are highly qualified for, and the societal expectation to act and look perfect causes tremendous self-doubt even when women achieve beyond expectation and their peers. In addition, the incessant message that women must be perfect lends itself to Impostor Syndrome. We often feel less than or like a failure when we fall just the tiniest bit short of “perfect.”
How Women Get Stuck in the Cycle of Busy
In an effort to prove ourselves and our worth, we keep pushing ourselves to the brink of a breakdown. We often feel depressed, anxious and even worried about what others think. We lose touch with ourselves and those we love because we never stop doing long enough to feel what’s happening in and around us. The costs of staying stuck in this self-defeating cycle are costly and can include:
- Complete burnout, usually appearing as lack of motivation
- Lack of energy or feeling tired even after a good night’s sleep
- Exhaustion
- Major health issues
- Illness
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Sleep issues
- Lack of meaning and purpose in life
- Unfulfilling or unhealthy relationships
- Inability to focus
- Financial issues
- Career or professional dissatisfaction
Having some of these symptoms or experiencing some of these signs above from time to time is absolutely normal. The problem is when this becomes a way of life instead of a temporary time. If you are facing burnout, and you’re experiencing these signs and symptoms for longer than three months, it’s time to make some serious changes.
How to Break the Self-Defeating Cycle of Busy
If you’re feeling the burn, it’s time to stop the cycle. And while there are a few women who can do this on their own, they often report wishing they had steps and the support to help them through these mindset and behavioral changes that would have helped them avoid unnecessary pain on the outset.
In truth, stopping the cycle isn’t easy nor is it something most of us can successfully tackle on our own. You’ve been living this way for years and you’ve most likely developed patterns of behavior and beliefs that supported and actually encouraged this cycle. So, breaking out of it easily or on your own isn’t very likely.
Breaking free from this cycle is going to take deep introspection and your willingness to change old habits and patterns by incorporating new self-nurturing practices. These changes are uncomfortable because you’ll be faced with feelings like guilt and fear that often derail women on the path to carving out meaning, purpose and time for themselves.
This is why having an experienced coach by your side through the process ensures you’ll have the tools and the accountability necessary to ease through these changes in a way that validates and acknowledges your effort and your successes. By pinpointing what is keeping you stuck, you are able to address and move through this barrier much quicker. You can begin to notice self-sabotaging behaviors and know how to navigate relationships and decisions with proven practices that support and empower you to be your best.
This is where community is such a vital component in breaking this cycle. Being in a safe, nurturing support system of like-minded women who understand both the challenges and the pressures you face on a daily basis allows you to grow and to be seen and heard as you are.
How to Break the Self-Defeating Cycle of Busy
If you’re feeling the burn, it’s time to stop the cycle. And while there are a few women who can do this on their own, they often report wishing they had steps and the support to help them through these mindset and behavioral changes that would have helped them avoid unnecessary pain on the outset.
In truth, stopping the cycle isn’t easy nor is it something most of us can successfully tackle on our own. You’ve been living this way for years and you’ve most likely developed patterns of behavior and beliefs that supported and actually encouraged this cycle. So, breaking out of it easily or on your own isn’t very likely.
Breaking free from this cycle is going to take deep introspection and your willingness to change old habits and patterns by incorporating new self-nurturing practices. These changes are uncomfortable because you’ll be faced with feelings like guilt and fear that often derail women on the path to carving out meaning, purpose and time for themselves.
This is why having an experienced coach by your side through the process ensures you’ll have the tools and the accountability necessary to ease through these changes in a way that validates and acknowledges your effort and your successes. By pinpointing what is keeping you stuck, you are able to address and move through this barrier much quicker. You can begin to notice self-sabotaging behaviors and know how to navigate relationships and decisions with proven practices that support and empower you to be your best.
This is where community is such a vital component in breaking this cycle. Being in a safe, nurturing support system of like-minded women who understand both the challenges and the pressures you face on a daily basis allows you to grow and to be seen and heard as you are.
What’s at Stake in Staying Stuck?
The stakes are high and are far reaching for women facing burnout or already in the throes of burnout. How we feel affects every area of our lives – our health, our relationships, our career satisfaction, our finances, our ability to lead, our sense of meaning and purpose. Your very life is at stake because you are only going through the motions instead of living a life you love.
You are not here to be everyone’s everything. You are here to pursue those dreams and those causes that are important to you. You are here to experience and enjoy your family, your friends, your career and your passions. There’s a better way to achieve the success you want without sacrificing your health, your relationships or your career goals and you can find that better way here at Peaceful Living Wellness.
What is staying stuck in the cycle of busy costing you? Find out by taking this free quiz now.
