Burnout Society
Is everybody tired...or is it just me?
A few years ago, I developed a habit I can't get rid of: I'm always reading two or three books at once. It's the same with TV shows. It doesn't matter how attached I am with one series; as soon as I discover that a new season I was waiting for is available, I immediately start to watch both simultaneously. I feel that I'm cheating on the characters, but I can't avoid it. Definitely, I'm not a monogamist when it comes to content consumption.
This pattern is also present in my daily activities. It seems wiser for me to try to combine tasks: cook while watching an interview or a lecture; do physical activities while listening to a podcast; check Twitter during the few seconds that the elevator takes to go from the ground to my floor. It’s possible to disconnect and relax, but oddly unnatural. Mainly because I'm a writer, everything that I watch, read, and listen to turns into work material.
Multitasking has long been praised as a female trait, but eventually, we discovered that this "special power" just makes us feel tired and insufficient. The feeling that we are not doing enough is something shared by millions of people.
It's not exactly a surprise that the word "burnout," which was first recognized as a psychological diagnosis in 1974, is a trend almost fifty years later. "The Burnout Society," written and launched by the Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han in 2010, returned to the spotlight.
The World Health Organization (WHO) doesn't classify it as a medical condition, but as an "occupational phenomenon,"characterized by "feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and reduced professional efficacy." There is a forecast that, as of 2022, the WHO will classify the condition as a work-related illness, which could remove the "blame" from employees for their own exhaustion. In this scenario, companies can be held responsible for the condition in labor lawsuits.
Whether or not you meet all the requirements for this diagnosis and beyond work-related concerns, latent exhaustion is affecting people worldwide. There is plenty of research that indicates the rise of the number of burnout cases and psychological issues linked with fatigue. Besides that, another feeling may make us feel overwhelmed; called "languishing," defined by Adam Grant as a "sense of stagnation and emptiness" in this New York Times article.
It seems understandable after all the stress, sadness, and grief due to the pandemic. But maybe it's time to start to practice some self-compassion and recognize that we need to slow down.
"No pain, no gain": really? In 2021?
In "Can't Even: How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation" (2020), Anne Helen Petersen addresses the possible reasons why we are so tired. One of them is the generational conflict between Boomers (born 1946-1964) and Millennials (born 1981-1996). The former raised the latter (their children), telling them that degrees and hard work are the only paths to have financial stability. Indeed, "the American dream" was reachable for certain groups in the past.
But now, the world is different. After Covid-19, the global economic crisis extensively increased social inequality and unemployment. The "lucky ones" who have a job have to deal with poor working conditions, low wages, and high competitiveness.
Meanwhile, social media is an invitation for comparison, making us feel that our success or failures depend only on our willpower. The "no pain, no gain" culture is the icing on the cake for capitalism. There is no more effective way to press people to work harder than guilt.
Although hard work doesn't guarantee financial security anymore, people feel the obligation to perform all the time - even during leisure moments -, showing off their "best self." Thanks to the motivational coaches epidemic that exploded recently, and, of course, to the influencer culture, with the enactment of their supposedly perfect lives. Thus, if you gained weight during the pandemic or missed a work deadline, you know: it's only your fault. You didn't do enough. That's what they say.
The toxic positivity in social media measures our worth in "likes". In this scenario, it's tempting to try to do what everyone else is doing, not considering our context and particularities. And that's what's making us sick, increasing depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse, insomnia, loneliness, digital addiction, and so on.
Photo by Oscar Keys on Unsplash
Keep an eye on the signs
In this Harvard Business Review article, professors Margaret M. Luciano and Joan F. Brett warn that it's easier to avoid a burnout crisis than treat it, so they list several indicators that can be a red flag. Knowing that, maybe you can pay more attention to your inner signs.
Furthermore, if you are experiencing exhaustion, you can find ways to cope with this and gradually recreate a healthier routine. You can try some experts' tips, like the usual but powerful ones: cultivate meaningful relationships; do a digital detox, and see a therapist if you feel that you can't manage it.
One of the most important, though, is knowing how to set limits and say "no." And it's not just about work, but also about the boundaries for friends, relatives, and loved ones. Above all, it's crucial to set limits for ourselves. We can't attend all the events, read all the books, or keep up with all the series. I'm telling it to myself.
I'm trying to learn something from people who already suffered from burnout and shared their experiences through their books. My reading list grows, and Byung-Chul Han is there, waiting for me to read him. But, right now, I just can't because I'm a little bit tired.
