Shows a frustrated professional experiencing burnout. Represents how multicultural counseling seattle can support marginalized and/or BIPOC individuals through burnout.

If you are a professional living and working in Washington, With the international market’s ups and downs, you may have experienced burnout sometime in your professional life.

According to the World Health Organization, burnout is a syndrome that results from chronic workplace stress. It is characterized by three dimensions:

Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
Increased mental distance from one’s job, feelings of negativism, or cynicism related to one's job; and
Reduced professional efficacy. When someone feels burnt out, they feel like they can’t do anything but shuffle along on autopilot.

And if you identify as a BIPOC or marginalized individual, your risk of burning out may be higher than your white counterparts. We have written an article previously talking about the unique challenges BIPOC individuals in Washington have on burning out.

Today we are going to share a few strategies to help combat the feeling of burning out.

5 Things We Can Each Do to Address the Feeling of Burning Out

Slow down.

Because there are so many demands out there that need our attention, we are so used to focusing on the external world. Eventually, it takes us out of our experience. The more we become out of touch with our experience, the higher the risk of burning out, as it cuts off the means for us to sense ourselves and our limits. To combat burnout, one thing we can do is to slow down and regain the connection with ourselves. The feeling of nourishment comes from BEING in one’s experiences wholeheartedly, and it really doesn’t have to be big.

We can slow down and return from the external world by engaging in our senses. For example, next time when you rush into your grocery store, take a few deep breaths first and see if you can engage your experience with curiosity. What would it be like to take your time and explore the items there with openness? Do you see any items with a really witty label that make you smile? What are the different kinds of apples? What are the different smells in the cosmetic section? Can you notice what it is like for you as you slow down and relax into your grocery shopping experience? When we shift our attention from the result to the process, we open the door to living our experiences.

Shows someone in a hammock with a dog looking at them. Represents how multicultural counseling near me can support slowing down when facing burnout.

Find your happy place.

Where is your happy place? A happy place is a place, activity, or memory where you feel most at ease, safe, and relaxed. It is where you feel enough content. It can consist of one primary setting, or it could be a compilation of things that have brought you comfort. I have asked my clients this question and always appreciated people’s answers. “ It is the oak tree overlooking a green meadow next to my grandmother’s home. I would sit under the tree during summer and just take in the smell of grass in the breeze. “ or “ It is the childhood room I shared with my brother. There are baseball gears in the corner and my childhood dog. I can see the hills through the bedroom window. There are small pieces of dust floating in the air.” In some ways, our brains can’t distinguish between reality and imagination. If we allow ourselves to let the image sink in, it can create the same grounding feelings that bring us back to our body and experience. Or you can also find a real happy place to go to, be it taking a walk, or bath, or reading etc.

Move around.

Movement is also a great way to combat the auto-pilot mode we experience when we are burnt out. . For example, go for a run to get your mind off of thinking and back to experiencing. When running, we are nudged back to our bodies as we have to keep our eyes on the road and monitor our bodies. Or simply just moving your body around and feeling your body moving. How’s your shoulder feel? Is there any part of your body that feels tight or uncomfortable? Is there any relief as you move around? How about some stretches? This practice cultivates the connection between our mind and body; it can help us feel more into our experiences with time.

Pay attention to the feeling of burning out.

A lot of times, because our brain is exposed to the same process that leads to burnout, it becomes so automatic. We don’t even realize what is causing it or our potential to mitigate it. The first step of change is through awareness. Ask yourself how does burnout feel? How long have you been feeling this way? What trigger it? Where do you feel it in the body? What happened right before this feeling arose? And when it happens, allow yourself to notice and describe it WITHOUT reacting to it. Instead of getting wrapped in a neverending race, could you let yourself acknowledge what is happening without pursuing the feeling? Take a pause. By practicing this mindfulness technique, we are developing our own ability to be with ourselves. When we are more and more comfortable with noticing this feeling of burnout, we might be able to identify it early enough and engage in self-care that help us feel better.

Shows a woman hiking in the woods and wearing a backpack. Represents how multicultural counseling Seattle supports forming new habits that bring you closer to yourself.

Cultivate a habit that help brings you closer to yourself.

Habit is powerful; once it is there, it becomes somewhat automatic. So, what could be an antidote of scrolling through emails and feeling overwhelmed after work? Perhaps it could be getting into the habit of going outside and taking a walk during breaks, or opening a sketchbook and writing or drawing, or listening to some music, or spending more time with a fur baby. To address the feelings of burnout, we have to attune ourselves. Finding a habit that cultivates some space between the “external world” and “us” can be really helpful in finding our internal anchor of ourselves to bring peace and ease into our lives.

Multicultural Counseling in Seattle May Be Able To Help.

Discover a new way of living in this world. Spark Relational Counseling is here! We can work with you via online therapy in Washington, Oregon, or Illinois so that you can live a more fulfilling life. If you're ready to begin,

Four Steps to start Multicultural Counseling in Seattle:

1) Request to Talk to a Therapist and learn more about your caring cultural sensitive therapist：

Fill out our brief contact form and one of our therapists will contact you within 24-48 hours ( except for holidays)

2) Talk to a Therapist and Schedule an online counseling session

One of our expert therapists will contact you by phone for a free 15-minute consultation to ensure we're a good fit. Then you'll be able to schedule an online counseling session.

3) Share with Us a Little more Background on Yourself.

We will send you a secure in-take link to give us some more background information on your situation to help your therapist understand you a bit more so that they can make your first session as effective and helpful as possible.

4) Have your First Online Counseling Session

Your first session will mostly be assessment in nature, but we do want you to have a good experience and to start learning some effective tools right away. Most people experience a sense of relief that they have taken the first steps toward a positive change and feel hopeful to have found a therapist who can help.

Other Mental Health Services Offered At Spark Relational Counseling

Learn more about Cultural Sensitive Counseling at our Portland, OR office. and how it can be a valuable resource for your needs. We also offer online therapy in Washington, Oregon and Illinois. In addition, we understand your needs for support don’t usually fit into one box. At Spark Relational Counseling, we offer a variety of mental health services. Everyone experiences everyday anxiety, but it doesn’t have to control your life. Learn more about how anxiety treatment can help you. For professionals working with women with concerns around dating and intimacy, we offer individual therapy for loneliness (dating therapy, for example) that helps you feel more confident in building a strong romantic relationship. Additionally, for those in a relationship. we specialize in couples therapy and marriage counseling and premarital counseling. If you are a small business owner, we offer therapy for entrepreneurs to help you navigate the ups and downs of owning a business. Feel free to contact me or visit the FAQ page for questions or concerns.