Welcome to Part 2 or a 3 Part Series on Burnout.

If you’d like to check out the first part of this series, you can do so by clicking here.

Recap of the phases of Burnout

In the first part of this series I shared the 12 phases of burnout along with some examples of what that might look like, in the crudest way possible! Here are the phases for quick reference. I highly recommend reading the first part of this series to get the full picture. Speaking of pictures, enjoy this devilish infographic of the phases.

Burnout — How did we get here?

If you are a woman reading this, I’m sure when you read that question your brain immediately scanned your ever growing to-do list, demands placed on you by work and family, and perhaps that fact that you haven’t had a good night’s sleep since 1993.

I think the better question is, how did it take so long to get here? Just perusing through this list of contributing factors is exhausting. Here are only a portion of the common causes of burnout for women.

Workplace Demands:

• High Workload: Juggling multiple responsibilities at work, often facing higher expectations without adequate support.
• Lack of Control: Feeling a lack of control or autonomy in decision-making processes.

2. Caregiving Responsibilities:

• Double Burden: Balancing work responsibilities with caregiving roles at home, which might include caring for children, elderly parents, or other family members.
• Emotional Labor: Managing the emotional well-being of family members can be emotionally draining.

3. Gender Inequality:

• Pay Gap: Unequal pay for equal work can contribute to feelings of frustration and underappreciation.
• Glass Ceiling: Limited opportunities for career advancement may lead to feelings of stagnation.

4. Discrimination and Bias:

• Gender-Based Discrimination: Facing discrimination or bias based on gender in the workplace.
• Microaggressions: Dealing with subtle but persistent forms of discrimination that can accumulate over time.

5. Lack of Support:

• Inadequate Resources: Insufficient resources, both in terms of staffing and tools, can contribute to feelings of overwhelm.
• Isolation: Feeling unsupported or isolated from colleagues and management.

6. Work-Life Imbalance:

• Blurry Boundaries: Difficulty in establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life.
• Pressure to “Do It All”: Societal expectations that women should excel in both their professional and personal lives.

7. Unrealistic Expectations:

• Perfectionism: Striving for perfection in all aspects of life, which can lead to increased stress and anxiety.
• Self-Critical Thinking: Holding oneself to unrealistically high standards.

8. Health Issues:

• Ignoring Self-Care: Prioritizing work and family over personal health and well-being.
• Chronic Stress: Prolonged exposure to stressors without adequate coping mechanisms.

9. Limited Professional Development Opportunities:

• Stagnation: Feeling stuck in a role with limited opportunities for growth.
• Lack of Mentoring: Absence of mentors or role models can impact career development.

10. Intersectionality:

• Race and Ethnicity: Women of color may face additional challenges due to intersecting factors such as racial and gender discrimination.
• Sexual Orientation: LGBTQ+ women may experience specific stressors related to their identities.

What in the actual fuck? We are expected to do all of this and look good while we do it.

This list only hints at the social demands of the perfect body, the perfect smile, perfect house that smells like a Scentsy rep puked everywhere, perfect car that looks like it was just driven off the lot, perfect family who march perfectly in lock step the neighbor’s perfect kids..

We should be appalled that we continue to allow these circumstances to perpetuate. It’s like they say when dealing with a narcissist, the only way to win is to not play. Obviously, there are situations on this list that are beyond our immediate control but I also believe that we forget our own personal power to say “no” when we need to and to refuse to subject ourselves to situations that cause us harm.

One reason why we stay stuck on this hamster wheel of self abandonment is due to no one ever telling us that chronic stress and abuse is abnormal. When everyone we know is caught in the same trap, we don’t know that we can be free of it. “I would have saved a lot more had they known they were slaves.” — This quote is falsely contributed to Harriet Tubman but it’s good shit none the less.

Let’s face it. A lot of us have trauma from past that robbed us of our autonomy and has turned us into people pleasing, crumb snatching, peasants. It’s not our fault but it’s our duty to heal it as best we can so we don’t let this fester and continue in our bloodline.

In Conclusion

As G.I. Joe said, “knowing is half the battle.” Take some time to take stock of your life. What’s draining you? Who’s dragging you down? What can you do about it? You aren’t a tree. If you don’t like your life, change it! Can’t walk away from your biggest stressors? I get it! You can, however, make small changes that can have a huge impact. I’ll discuss some ideas in part 3 that can get us all on the right track and back to sanity, maybe.

Hope to see you there!

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