At work, I was helping save lives. At home, I felt completely frozen.
In the center, I was doing work I loved, even receiving commendations for helping save lives. As a professional, I was passionate, energized, and in good spirits.
It was at home where I felt completely frozen and paralyzed. There, with the most important people in my life, I was depleted, feeling adrift, and not in such good spirits.
Back then, I didn't know stress was cumulative, I didn't know to look for signs of burnout or to engage in recovery when needed (as many times as needed).
All I knew then was that I felt like two separate people: the person at work and the person at home. The stark contrast between my abilities in one setting vs the other was utterly maddening.
The experience I am describing was part of the first time I suffered from intense burnout. It was scary because I questioned my career choices and my value as a parent.
It was during this first instance of burnout that I found mindfulness. For that, I am truly grateful. Mindfulness is not a magical fix, but it is a way to engage with whatever is present in our lives, including burnout.
Nowadays, I try to stay aware of my symptoms, and I know that for me, feeling deep exhaustion markedly at home, while being energized in other settings, is an indicator of being burned out.
We each have different ways burnout presents; what I believe is most important is knowing our symptoms so we can tend to our recovery and, through practice, do so with kindness toward ourselves.
This September, I will be teaching an Eight-Week Mindfulness Based Stress Management Course where I share tools and practices to cultivate mindfulness and, in turn, enhance our ability to be more present at work and at home.
Mindfulness Based Stress Management is open to ALL Public Service Employees, and I invite you to join me! To learn more visit- https://www.dispatchwellness.com/mindfulness-based-stress-management
If you have any questions at all, please let me know by emailing info@dispatchwellness.com