Burnout signals a spiritual disconnect
Burnout rates keep climbing. The result is a lot of human misery and lost moola. Burnout fleeces our economy for over $300 billion annually in absenteeism, job turnover, lost productivity and medical claims.
However, this malady extends beyond the workplace, messing with homemakers, students and even retirees. What’s more, there is evidence some of those diagnosed as depressed are, at baseline, simply burned out.
At its core, burnout manifests as an absence of motivation — to work, to succeed, to get things done, to engage with other people and life in general. As the label implies, the positive aspects of one’s inner self burn to an emotional crisp, creating a felt-sense of spiritual emptiness and mental fatigue.
Most assume the causes are long hours, intrusive information technology, task overload, interpersonal conflicts and poor self-care. And while these play a role, research suggests there is a central, underlying theme that gets the psychological combustion started — a disconnect between one’s inner calling, talents or purpose and one’s external circumstances.
Consider Anne, a family physician working in a busy outpatient clinic. Like over a third of her colleagues nationwide, she exhibits many of the classic symptoms of burnout, but not because she fails to practice sound self-care (exercise, nutrition, downtime, etc.).
“I went into medicine because I wanted to connect with my patients, to partner with them in being healthy,” she explained.
Instead, her job requires long hours interacting with her laptop, the electronic medical record and the other administrative logistics that characterize our health care system. This mismatch between her underlying
When able, the obvious and best approach is to spend more energy and time engaged with one’s calling, whether through a job or as an avocation.
vocation (healer) and her overarching job function (technician) is what fries her heart and soul.
“I can exercise, meditate and unplug, but that doesn’t replace what I don’t have — a way to fully live my calling,” she lamented.
And the workplace isn’t the only setting where burnout emerges.
Nathan is a bright, ambitious student on the verge of dropping out of graduate school. “I’ve been at this long enough to recognize what’s important for me to learn and know, and what’s just a trained seal act . . . basically, jumping through the faculty’s hoops,” he explained, weariness in his voice.
Highly motivated to learn and make an impact in his field, Nathan has lost the drive to keep goose stepping to the graduation finish line. There is a misalignment between his motivation (learning) and the doctoral program that micromanages his academic advancement.
I’ve seen burnout in homemakers, teens, CEOs, ministers, shrinks and myself. We know how to address this condition, but circumstances (financial stress, lifestyle disruptions, untapped skills, etc.) can limit one’s capacity to do so.
When able, the obvious and best approach is to spend more energy and time engaged with one’s calling, whether through a job or as an avocation. Doing so is more than a mental health strategy. It is a spiritual act.
Which is why, when we ignore it, one’s spirit pays the price.
Philip Chard is a psychotherapist, author and trainer. Email Chard at outofmymind@philipchard.com or visit philipchard.com.