Your capacity to be resilient is eroded when others expect you to keep giving and giving beyond your capacity. Professional helpers and family caregivers are at the highest risk of burnout because the need continues without end. You may be proud of your ability to keep going and to juggle many demands. You may be so used to being the one to give that you don’t notice opportunities for support, a chance for a break, or when you need to step away from the caregiver role for a time. If much of your identity is tied to being a helper, and you have been praised all your life for being the one others can count on, it can be hard to let go. In many cases, you are told, “we just don’t know what we would do without you.”  

In this series, we are talking about burnout prevention. We talked about how burnout results in negative consequences for all involved. One act of prevention is to notice when you are carrying too much for too long without support. It can help to talk to someone to gain a new perspective, build a team so you aren’t the only one, and step back or step away. You have a strong radar for noticing when someone needs help. You may not be good at noticing when you need help, or when others can be part of the solution.  

Before burnout hits take some steps to balance the demands on your helping. 

Before burnout impacts you, and everyone you care for, there are steps you can take to reduce your stress. Noticing when it is becoming too much and taking action protects everyone. A first step is to talk to someone, or several people, about how much you are carrying and about ways to reduce the demand on you. Explore ways to build a team so that you aren’t the only one doing the caregiving. Consider options to step away or step back from some of the roles or tasks in your life. By noticing and making adjustments to the level of responsibility you are carrying you can prevent burnout and continue to care at a sustainable level. 

Peace,

Laura