New Hope CE Notes
Louise S. Dunn, M.Ed.

What is the Difference between Stress and Burnout?

"Stress," we all talk about it, but what is it really? There are dozens of definitions of stress from so called experts; and everyone seems to feel they are suffering from it. "Burnout" is another word which we hear that is often used synonymously with the word "stress," but it is actually a different and far more serious problem. In the midst of our information overloaded and often overcommitted lives, we are seeing more and more people feeling that they are "burning out." Most people experiencing these feelings, believe that there is little that they can do to change in the midst of a hectic life-style, as they simply do not "have the time" to deal with this issue.

So let's talk about some of the definitions of stress. The original definition of stress, given by Hans Selye in 1926, was a "non-specific response of the body to any demand placed upon it." He saw external demands as stressors and the internal body changes they produced as the stress response. Later researchers saw stress as an excessive or inappropriate activation to change that comes in the form of a primitive "fight or flight" response. Our brain sees a threat and reacts in wanting to fight or run away. If we cannot do either, we may "freeze" instead, causing an immobilization.

More current definitions of stress state, that it comes in the "form of forces from the outside world which impinge on the individual" and that it. "causes the release of significant hormones and chemicals such as cortisone and dopamine into our body." These chemicals can cause health issues when not quickly eliminated from our system. Stress is also defined as a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that "demands exceed the personal and social resources which they are able to mobilize and they become overwhelmed". In reality, what stresses us is different for each person and the way to reduce stress will vary just as much.

I. Stress vs. Burnout

So what is the major difference between ordinary stress and burnout? Simply put, stress is too much of something that depletes our resources; and burnout is not receiving enough of what replenishes us. Stress creates a loss of fuel and energy. Burnout is the loss of ideals and hope. Both can lead to depression. Stress can produce panic attacks and burnout can lead to paranoia. Spiritual burnout is also about being disconnected from our "source." We forget that God is in control, and we begin to lose energy by needless worry leading to anxiety. While we may feel that as human beings we are solid and static, in truth we are the opposite. Every day our body must replenish its resources, in the air we breathe, the water and food we consume and the rest we have. Without these resources we become weak, and die. While we understand this somewhat about our physical selves, we fail to realize that mentally, emotionally and spiritually, we have the same needs. We give out energy and resources continuously. Emotional, mental and spiritual energy are no less in need of being replaced than the water we drink. And like the air we breathe, these resources lie all around us, if we take time to replenish ourselves.

We have become a nation that believes work is essential, but rest and play are optional. Yet, the Lord calls us to rest on the Sabbath. He has also filled the world with beauty, art, music, nature, pets, humor and friends, to restore our mental, emotional and spiritual being. When we fail to understand that replenishing this part of ourselves is essential, we begin the process known as "burnout." Like a car operating on gasoline but without oil or water, we eventually break down or even blow up. When we focus ourselves onto one narrow aspect of life, such as work, we begin to lose perspective.

This narrow area of life seems to begin to take on more importance to us than is real. We begin to place our entire well-being on this single aspect, which creates feelings of anxiety, dread and depression. A deep core fear is produced, causing us to believe that if we fail at this one enterprise, we will fail at everything. The demands of our lives begin to overwhelm us, and we "freeze," shutting down mentally, emotionally and often spiritually as well. Like the ostrich, we want to put our heads in the sand and hope it will pass. But once we have entered the stages of actual burnout, positive action is required to reverse the effects. And just as the process of burnout is long term and cumulative, the path back is also a process that will take time and some permanent changes. A single two-week vacation will not reverse burnout, the way it reduces stress. We may feel good for the two weeks, but as soon as we return to the environment causing our burnout, the symptoms may return immediately.

II. Evaluating Stress Levels

Each of us is different, and we become stressed by different things. Therefore it makes sense that managing our stress takes different forms. The first step for everyone, however, is to determine what is causing the stress. Since stress is usually stemming from generalized anxiety, getting specific is important. Using a stress indicator list to take inventory of your stress level (available on the New Hope website) is one place to begin. Making a list of all the stressors is another. This can be made all at one time, or by writing down stressors as you identify them over a number of days. Some of our stress comes from our perception of events and our own negative self-talk. We may think "I'll never get this project in on time" and then begin to worry about meeting the deadline. Changing this thought to "I'll stay focused and do this project one step at a time, making steady progress" gives us a feeling of more capability and raises our confidence. It is also important not to read into things, like a boss not saying hello in the morning. Instead of assuming there is something wrong with your work, think, "She must be having her own issues today."

Some of our stressful choices can be eliminated. If we don't have time for ourselves, we may be able to curtail more optional activities which are not adding to our "balance." For instance, meeting friends for dinner may be part of the helpful balance, or it could be a stressor if it is some kind of routine social obligation that does not enhance our relaxation. Saying "no" to more things is often needed in order to say "yes" to things we really need, like rest, relaxation and time with our loved ones. The key is to make "intentional" choices, not just drift into things without much thought. When we are stressed, we often make "non" choices. We don't want to deal with our issues, yet we feel guilty to go do something fun or relaxing, so we don't do either. Instead we go into avoidance behavior like watching TV, sitting around eating or falling asleep on the couch. Making an intentional decision to relax would have a lot more benefit. A choice to go fishing or to go to a museum would actually restore us and improve our productivity.

III. Stress Management/ Reduction

Rest is especially important when we feel stressed. Too often, sleeping a full night is something we sacrifice when we are really busy. Rest helps our body to maintain itself, and also helps our mind to rest. Our dreams are also important in working out issues we may not resolve in our waking hours.

Good nutrition is very important, as we need to counteract many of the stress hormones and other chemicals released into our bloodstream when we feel stressed. Eating the right foods helps to fuel our bodies, giving us energy. Drinking a lot of water also can help to flush out our system, and is vital to keep us properly hydrated.

Exercise also eliminates damaging stress hormones, such as cortisol from our system, and produces helpful chemicals, such as dopamine, which helps to give us a sense of well being. Further drugging ourselves with stimulants like caffeine and depressants, such as alcohol, may make it harder for our bodies to return to a level of "homeostasis" in which we are chemically balanced. We are drawn to these sources, because we are lacking the naturally produced chemicals to give us energy and alertness. If instead we do what helps our body to achieve balance, we can have a natural energy and calm, which will be much better than the feelings induced with unnatural chemicals. Exercise also gives us an outlet for frustrations and tensions.

Deep Breathing is probably the easiest stress reducer to incorporate into every day life. We can slow our breathing to a 10-second cycle to slow down our thoughts taking 6 breaths a minute, and breathing from our diaphragm instead of our chest. Inhale for five seconds, count, and then exhale for five seconds. Doing this consciously several times each day can be very helpful.

Meditation also helps us to slow down both physically and mentally. This is good for our heart, blood pressure and our breathing. Our mind has a chance to clear of all the day to day clutter; and we can reach a level of clarity that helps us to find solutions to issues in our lives. We also become centered, and can see things in proper perspective.

Mini-Vacations can be five minutes, five hours or 3 days long. Taking a five to ten minute break to walk outside and breathe in fresh air, can clear our minds and give us fresh perspective. Going to a relaxing dinner with friends, a day spa, getting a massage or taking in some beautiful place, can help us to fully relax. Zoos, museums, and other local attractions can offer a much needed distraction, and bring back our creativity and sense of humor as well as a better sense of ourselves.

Stressor Lists can be helpful to get stressful thoughts to stop interrupting when we are trying to focus on a particular task. As a thought breaks through, just write it down to revisit later, rather than pondering the thought. After a while the stressors are down on paper instead of flooding your thought processes. Later you can re-visit the list and prioritize the tasks to be done.

Visualization and imagery can also be used to achieve this same level of calm and clarity. Take 60 seconds, close your eyes, and imagine you are on a beach, or deep in the woods by a river. Picture yourself doing something you enjoy like reading, talking to a friend or listening to the quiet. Or look at a picture of something beautiful, and imagine yourself going inside of the picture. Music can also be used during this time if available.

The IBC's of Stress Management
Here are some quick tips to help manage day to day stress:

Identify
What are your current stressors? Make a list of all you can identify.

Itemize
Rank order them. Look at the top three first.

Intend
Work from "intention" not "avoidance." Choose the number one stressor, and look at what it entails, instead of avoiding working on it.

Break
Take breaks throughout the workday. Sleep a full night. Take "mini-vacations" on weekends. Productivity is not about time as much as it is about effectiveness. When we are tired and overworked, we are not as effective in what we are doing.

Breath
Stop and check your breathing. Take deep, slow breaths often. When we are stressed we breathe in a shallow manner. Less oxygen gets to the brain causing us to think slower.

Beautify
Stop to look at beautiful things such as artwork, flowers, and the sunset. We need to switch from left-brain analytical processing to right brain holistic thinking to solve problems. Beauty, art, music and nature help us to do this.

Balance
Balance is restored only when we have equal parts of work, rest, and fun. Fun is not optional or something that has to follow "finishing" work.

Create
Take time to do something creative every day, as it restores your soul. Creative work can actually give us the ability to solve problems more effectively. Changing our focus helps us to see things more clearly.

Collaborate
Take time to communicate with others and share. This gives us a better perspective on what is really happening with us. When we speak out our worries, many of them seem smaller. Other people can give us ideas on how to approach difficulties.

Commit
Commit to a plan that is reasonable to reduce stress. Commit to your self. We often honor commitments to others, but not to ourselves. Value yourself.

Concentrate
Once you are clear on the issue, focus only on what can be done right now. Anxiety comes from thinking too far into the future.

IV. Overcoming/Avoiding Burnout

The term "Burnout" was originally applied to people, by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974 ('Burnout: The High Cost of High Achievement.'.) sHe described it as: "a state of frustration or fatigue, brought about by a devotion to a cause, a way of life, or a relationship that failed to produce the expected reward." Later the term evolved into being defined as a physical, mental and emotional response to constant levels of high stress, by which a person, detaches from work and other meaningful relationships. It represents erosion of the human soul, spreading gradually and continuously over time and putting people into a downward spiral, producing feelings of hopelessness, powerlessness, resentment, cynicism and failure. The result is lowered productivity, confusion, and feeling drained with nothing more to give.

Some Possible Causes of Burnout

Burnout is a reaction not only to ongoing stress, but also to a depletion of inner resources, and a lack of things to do that are fun, challenging or enjoyable. Burnout produces feelings of a heightened sense of anxiety generally followed by trying to work harder, longer, and faster. It is born of good intentions by people trying to reach unrealistic goals but ending up depleting their energy.

Burnout is generally experienced by high achievers, who were initially very dedicated to the work or cause in which they are involved. The feelings of burnout typically begin with overworking, coupled with the person's overcommittment to the job, project or activity, and a sense that the demands still cannot be met. Long hours without an end in sight cause an overstressed condition. This may be the result of poor management or may be caused by the person's own difficulties in saying no. Confusion may be felt about the expectations or priorities, which can lead to long hours trying to get everything finished. Time-off and work can become blurred, as work is taken home, or going into the office on weekends becomes standard. The person may start to feel constantly "on", and can't slow down or relax even when at home, on the weekend or on vacations.

Other factors are also present however. The person may not feel empowered by the leaders, may have conflicting responsibilities or may not have good role models or clear guidelines to follow. Often there are intense work days, but there can also be a lack of challenging projects or work which feels meaningful. The person may not feel valued or appreciated by their co-workers and boss, as they begin to put more after hours time into their work; yet they generally do not share how much time they are actually spending. The employee may believe they will lose the job if they admit they are behind. Chronic fear may exist if there is a constant threat of lay-off, or of funds being cut. Office or agency politics may also be a factor, leaving the person feeling that they have no real voice. Low pay with high responsibility may also be present, leading to further feelings of resentment. One thing that is almost always true is that one area of the person's life has become disproportionately important, causing all the rest to suffer. A belief that the value of the person will be determined by success or failure in that one arena surfaces.

Some Symptoms of Burnout Which Differ From Stress

The onset is slow and burnout builds up over time.
Sense of alienation from others and the work.
Exhaustion which remains even after sleeping 8 hours.
Cynical detachment from work is felt.
Feelings of ineffectiveness when normally a high achiever.
"Stop the world, I want to get off" could be the mantra.
Detachment losing desire to connect.
Can't maintain energy for long.
Previously enjoyable activities are seen now as drudgery.
Non-work relationships become seriously affected.
Can't relax, sit still or slow down even when trying to relax.
Loss of sense of humor.
Envious of people who seem happy.
Care less about doing a good job when normally very conscientious.
Easily bored with work, not challenged anymore.
Feel depressed on Sunday anticipating Monday.
Feel disillusioned.
Don't see any meaning in work to be done.
Psychosomatic illnesses form.
Feelings of powerlessness.
Constantly feel drained.
Stuck-can't get out of "rut".
Frequent feelings of anxiety.
Become insecure when previously very confident.
Indecisive when normally decisive.
Feel worse after taking vacation than before because so far behind.
Feel paranoid as if you will be "found-out".

Some Ways to Overcome Burnout

When we are experiencing burnout, we are basically running on empty. We need to replenish our resources and energy spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. We need to make some permanent life-style changes. First of all we need to reconnect to the "Source" our Heavenly Father. Stress and burnout both come as a result of not replenishing spiritually, and remembering who is really in charge. Turning to scripture is a good place to begin to "fill" ourselves. Here are some to consider:

Philippians 4:6-8 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy---meditate on these things."

Matthew 6-31: Therefore do not worry, saying what shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "what shall we wear?" For all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly father knows that you need all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

We need to set aside time throughout our day for prayer and meditation. Within our prayers, we need to list the things for which we are grateful, and remember what is blessing us each day. We can also carry inspirational verses to read.

Just as with regular stress, care for our physical body is an important next step in overcoming burnout too. Such things as: breathing deeply, exercising daily, eating healthy food, resting, limiting work to five days a week/ 8 hours per day, and taking real vacations every year. Meditating daily may also help lower our blood pressure and heart rate. Drinking water instead of sodas or coffee.

Other significant changes are also needed to nurture our mental needs. Such things as: setting smaller, more realistic and attainable goals; putting our own needs first for a while; taking more time for ourselves; establishing good boundaries; delegating responsibilities to others; paying attention to how we spend our time; addressing our work dissatisfaction or considering a career change. Taking time to re-examine our life values, journaling, unplugging from the world and shutting off the electronics. Also staying focused on the present moment. Shut off noise during meals/before bedtime

Emotional needs include: nurturing close relationships, expressing real feelings to others, and connecting with a meaningful cause. We need to look at what fills us back up, and invite more sensory and calming experiences like music, touch, hot bathes. We have to find our sense of humor and laugh more. We can also get away for long weekends, sit quietly for just 5 minutes each day and unclutter our space. Focus on positive images, make a gratitude list, think about things that make us happy or people we love.

To rejuvenate our "soul" we need to bring creativity and fun back into our lives and do something enjoyable daily. Here are some possibilities: play games, plan something fun to look forward to, pursue long lost hobbies, read books just for fun, sing, dance, and be silly. Bring color and beauty into our world by: drawing, doodling, scrap booking, coloring or taking photos. We can carry beautiful pictures with us, or have them out for display. Take long walks outside as often as possible. Sit in natural light, burn scented candles, and display fresh cut flowers, or sachets. Create a "sacred corner" in your home where you can sit and relax. Look outside at nature's beauty more.

Note:
If you are experiencing serious burn-out which may be leading to depression, you may need to consult your medical doctor and a mental health specialist to help you to re-balance your life. Depression and anxiety should be taken seriously, especially if symptoms are prolonged.