If you have visited my website, Melllavalleylmft.com, you know that the concept and practice of mindfulness plays an important role in how I work with clients as well as in my own life. This article, “Why Some People Get Burned Out and Others Don’t”, blends the concepts of emotional intelligence and mindfulness beautifully. Here is a summary, enjoy.
Kandi Wiens and Annie McKee, the authors of this article, identify that stress and burnout are not the same, and that stress often leads to burnout. It is possible, they say, to manage stressors in a way that safeguards one’s self against this, and that the key is tapping in to your emotional intelligence.
In a study of chief medical officers at 35 large hospitals conducted by Wiens, it was determined that despite reporting extremely high levels of stress, the majority were not burned out. Interviews with the chief medical officers revealed that the commonality regarding managing stress was emotional intelligence.
Research has suggested that emotional intelligence “supports superior coping abilities” and aids people in managing chronic stress and preventing burnout. There are various components of emotional intelligence that promote this:
Emotional self-awareness is the ability to understand the sources of negative emotions so that alternative responses can be considered.
Self-management involves remaining calm, in control, and acting appropriately when experiencing stress.
Conflict management skills promote problem solving rather than internalizing conflict.
Empathy can aid in stress management through the seeking of understanding that often leads to increased care for others.
Compassion can also combat the physiological effects of stress.
Finally, increased understanding of others’ perspectives helps us gain trust and improves our ability to influence others. This translates to the ability to get the help needed to manage stress before it results in burnout.
Wiens and McKee point out that people engage in all kinds of maladaptive ways of dealing with stress. They offer the following suggestions for leveraging one’s emotional intelligence in order to avoid burnout:
Don’t create your own stress by dwelling on future events that might be stressful. Be mindful of your perfectionism or high need to achieve, which can make you more prone to being the source of your own stress.
Be aware of your limitations, know your strengths and weaknesses so that you can be aware of what you may need help with. Ask for help when you need it.
Breath deeply when tension or anxiety increase. Mindfulness practices address both immediate stressors and longer-term challenges, such as decreasing your heart rate in the face of stress and lowering your tension level. While calling attention to your breathing may be challenging at first, “attention is the ultimate act of self-control.” For more about this see my post about the benefits of breathing.
Consider another way to look at the situation. Viewing something as a problem to be solved versus perceiving it as a threat can have a profound effect on managing the stress attached to the situation.
Deescalate conflicts by taking the other person’s perspective. Conflicts can contribute significantly to burnout, so managing them can be crucial. Asking questions, listening, and giving your attention by focusing on someone can help gain their trust and improve your ability to influence them.
Practicing and using emotional intelligence can prevent burnout. Be patient, forgiving, and kind with yourself while developing these skills and remember that it will take time and effort to improve.
