FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
Cait Donovan
1 Creator
1 Creator
Real. Raw. No Holding Back. Stories from people like you who've burnt out and come back to tell the tale. From thought leaders to your friend down the street, there's a story in FRIED that you will relate to, guaranteed.
You are not alone. You might be fried crispy at this point, but I promise you there is a way through. Each week, there is a story of breakdown and build back up and we don't skip over the nasty bits. The journey through burnout is rarely a beautiful one, but it creates some pretty amazing careers and lives. The point of this space is to assure you that you aren't alone and that there is a way through. If one week doesn't resonate, be sure that another week will. There's a solution for every story and we will cover them all. I promise.
And - the help doesn't stop there. UNFRIED is a small group coaching program (under 10 people per cohort) that is available for you. Find the info here. (bit.ly/UNFRIED)
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Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best FRIED. The Burnout Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite FRIED. The Burnout Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
#straightfromcait: The Articles Against Self-Care for Burnout Recovery Are Missing This Major Point
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
05/22/22 • 21 min
Many articles that talk about burnout make the mistake of devaluing self-care as a burnout prevention or recovery tool. But self care isn’t all just pedicures and massages, and it can be a huge factor in burnout recovery. When you take away self-care, it puts the entire focus on the systems in place that cause burnout, which may lead people to believe there is nothing they can do to influence their burnout recovery. In today’s #straightfromcait episode, Cait explains 8 factors affecting burnout that are within our locus of control.
Are you feeling like you have no control over any of the causes of your burnout? The first step is to figure out which factors are internal and which are external. If your burnout is caused mostly by external factors such as your job, then you know to start making an exit plan. Not all factors are external, and many internal factors are within our control. By getting reacquainted with our core values, learning to set boundaries, and beginning to meet our most basic foundational bodily needs, you can reduce the factors that contribute to burnout.
Tune into this week’s #straightfromcait episode for a conversation about how certain types of self care are pivotal for burnout recovery. Learn the 8 factors within our internal locus of control that can help you heal from burnout.
Quotes
• “Waiting for the system to change while you're already burned out is not a successful plan.” (3:27-3:32)
• “You might not be able to change the system, but you can leave it.” (6:50-6:54)
• “Knowing what your values are, and taking action to move yourself toward a life that is more aligned with them will catapult your recovery. Being in alignment matters. I don't mean this in a woowoo way. I mean this in a neuroscience way. If you are living a life that does not match your values, about 75 to 80% of the time, you are creating stress for yourself on a regular basis that your body has to react to.” (12:21-12:50)
• “It is really, really difficult to notice and meet your bigger needs when your basic needs are ignored. Work on being in your body enough to notice when you are thirsty, tired, have to use the bathroom, your eyes need a break from the screen, you’re full from eating, your body is asking you to move. The basics. When you start caring for yourself on that very base level, you start to believe you are deserving of even more care.” (16:33-17:35)
Links:
https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz
https://www.maggiesupernova.com/yoga
https://caitdonovan.com/freebie-ie
https://caitdonovan.com/freebie-values
Reference:
Harrington, R. Personality and Stress. Stress, Health, and Well-Being: Thriving in the 21st Century. Boston. Cengage. 2013. 9781111831615. Ch. 6. pp. 171-208.
XOXO,
C
If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2 Listeners
#straightfromsarah: Rebuilding Trust With Yourself During Burnout Recovery
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
05/08/22 • 15 min
Do you struggle with trusting yourself? If you’re experiencing burnout it can be extremely difficult to trust yourself. You’ve been ignoring your body’s signals for a long time, not taking care of yourself properly, and you likely feel like a shell of yourself. To recover from burnout, you must rebuild that trust. In the first ever #straightfromsarah episode, FRIED burnout coach Sarah Vosen talks about how to begin the trust building process.
Learning to listen to your body is essential to burnout recovery. It’s likely that by the time you’ve burnt out, your body has been screaming at you for quite some time. If you tune in and really listen, you will start to learn what your body needs and be able to respond accordingly. Once you start providing your body with what it needs and stop forcing yourself to do things that you hate, you will naturally rebuild trust in yourself.
Tune in to this week’s #straightfromsarah episode to learn about how to get started with rebuilding trust in yourself. Learn how to listen to signals from your body in order to aid your burnout recovery.
Quotes
• “The good news is that we can learn new ways of being and doing that rebuild trust with ourselves. I know that it may sound impossible to trust yourself, especially if you're at the peak of your burnout. You just don't feel trustworthy, you feel like a shell of yourself. But lucky for us, we can bounce back.” (1:56-2:12)
• “Overall, I have a much better relationship with my body than I've ever had, since I started listening and providing instead of forcing myself to do what someone told me was right. “ (8:30-8:41)
• “Really notice anything that you're feeling that you don't like, notice the symptom and take a second to say, “Hello body part. I hear you. I'm listening now.” And then make a page in your journal or in a note on your phone and list the body part that is talking to you. This is enough to start, just keep tuning in and noticing the body parts that are talking to you or yelling at you.” (10:48-11:14)
• “If you've been ignoring your body's messages for years, your body might act like a cat that you left home while you went on vacation. At first it might be pretty pissed and poop on your bed until it realizes that you are here to stay and actually ready to listen.” (11:49-12:04)
• “Remember, the road to healing is not a straight line.” (12:18-12:20)
• “We are not trying to listen to our minds, because that's where the mind beasts lives. And our minds are evolutionarily negative because they want to keep us safe and don't want us to do new things. But we want to recover from burnout and that requires new things. So we're gonna shift and listen to our body instead.” (14:02-14:19)
XOXO,
C
If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait
Check out the FRIED Burnout quiz: https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz
Register for the May 2022 FRIED Masterclass: https://www.caitdonovan.com/offers/fSKNzXzh
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 Listener
Nneka Roberts: Using Systems to Create More Time, Mental Space, Creativity, and Money
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
05/15/22 • 52 min
Nneka Roberts, operations consultant at Sage Simple Solutions, has worked designing systems for 20 years. She now works with consulting clients teaching them how to implement systems to improve their businesses and lives. She shares her tips for using systems to help avoid burnout. Tune into this episode to learn more.
“I think what ends up happening is that we get on the marketing, sales delivery rollercoaster, and we forget to build in support, which is a key component of your business,” explains Nneka Roberts, operations consultant at Sage Simple Solutions. Nneka’s burnout came a few years into starting her life coaching practice. She loved her career, her clients and the freedom she had, but she did not enjoy the business aspect of running the practice.
Nneka waited too long to build systems into her business and ended up burning out. She learned afterward that systems are not only necessary, but they are a form of self care. Not having support systems in place caused Nneka to get stuck doing the parts of her job that weren’t helping her grow as a coach. These tasks sucked up not only her time, but also a lot of the joy she had for her career. By investing in systems you can avoid burnout and help yourself and your business thrive for years to come.
Tune into today’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Nneka Roberts about the importance of implementing systems regardless of if you are a solopreneur or are in charge of a team. Learn how to get started recording your daily processes to create your own systems and how to utilize tools as part of your systems.
Quotes
• “The first few years it was like a dream come true. I had the freedom that I wanted to have. I was doing great work. I loved my clients. I was very passionate. But what started happening and I think every entrepreneur kind of goes through this, while I love the act of coaching like I enjoy coaching a lot. I did not enjoy the business thing of coaching, like finding clients and having sales goals and that sort of stuff.” (3:52-4:25)
• “I think what ends up happening is that we get on the marketing, sales delivery rollercoaster, and we forget to build in support, which is a key component of your business.” (9:10-9:23)
• “Yes, the time is one thing, the hours, minutes or seconds, you get that back for sure. But it's the mental space that it's taking up in your brain that's chomping at your capacity to create as a coach or as a creative. It's like you are focused on these little things that really don't matter. It doesn't help your creative mind. It is taking away from your creativity, as opposed to nourishing it and building it and multiplying it.” (12:10-12:39)
• “Systems are those lived rituals that you've had for doing things in your business. But they are in a form that can be shared with a team, or implemented in a tool.” (16:26-16:39)
• “Your work is needed. That's what I want to share with people, your work is needed. Your work is needed for your people today, it's even needed for you for today. It's needed for your people today. And it's gonna be needed in generations to come. So you want to build your business so that it's available for generations to come.” (40:57-41:18)
• “I would say that systems are self care. They are the fourth prong in your business, they call it they help you help to support you. And make the time, take the time to invest in them.” (50:18-50:33)
Links
https://sagesimplesolutions.com/
https://www.instagram.com/sagesimplesolutions/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nnekakelly/
XOXO,
C
If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait
Check out the FRIED Burnout quiz: https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz
Register for the May 2022 FRIED Masterclass: https://www.caitdonovan.com/offers/fSKNzXzh
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 Listener
Helena Lucia: Money, Burnout, and Interrupting Old Patterns After Leaving a Cult
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
05/29/22 • 51 min
Helena Lucia, founder and CEO of SISU Journey, is a speaker, podcast host and trauma-informed money coach. Her experiences growing up in an extreme fundamentalist religious cult led her down a path where she became passionate about helping others heal from childhood trauma through gaining a better relationship with money. She shares her tips for interrupting old patterns of behavior, healing from burnout, and rethinking how we view money. Tune into this episode to learn more.
“Instead of having the prescribed identity that you've been given, who do you want to become?” asks Helena Lucia, CEO and founder of SISU Journey. Helena grew up burnt out. Growing up in a cult meant that she did not have the agency to listen to or attend to her own needs. When she finally escaped the religious cult and her abusive marriage, she was a mother of four children and had to start over from scratch while totally burned out. She went to college for a degree in computer sciences and headed into the corporate world where she found herself in a sequence of burnout after burnout. When Helena realized the pattern, she was able to learn how to interrupt it through a process she refers to as SPACE.
Helena decided she wanted to find a way to help others heal from their traumas and interrupt the patterns in their lives that were leading to burnout. By learning to give ourselves the physical space we need to pay attention to our body’s cues, access people who can help us, and redefine ourselves based on our own terms instead of trying to be what everyone else wants, we can interrupt burnout and begin to heal from trauma.
Tune into today’s episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast for a conversation with Helena Lucia about how to interrupt old patterns in our lives. Learn each step of the acronym SPACE and how to apply it to your own life.
Quotes
• “I use the acronym of space. So starting out with creating more space in between things. P is paying attention to how your body is reacting and responding. And then you can start interrupting the pattern of how you unconsciously react in a situation or how you desire to respond.” (21:26-21:52 | Helena Lucia)
• “If your family has a pattern that's been perpetuated through the years and you as the ancestor in charge of changing the pattern actually take the learnings from that and release the emotion, you can actually interrupt a family history pattern.” (22:14-22:36 | Helena Lucia)
• “C is create your dream identity. And that's where you start. Instead of having the prescribed identity that you've been given that you were told you are, who do you want to become?” (35:38-35:51 | Helena Lucia)
• “When we co regulate as infants we're supposed to be getting our cues for safety and freedom from our caregivers and when we don't, we develop attachment wounds. Those attachment wounds get fused very tightly to our relationship with money, because money in a scarce childhood experience gets fused with this idea of safety and freedom really deeply.” (40:11-40:44 | Helena Lucia)
XOXO,
C
If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait
Take the FRIED burnout quiz: https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 Listener
#straightfromcait: Burnout Risk Factors - A Holistic View
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
10/09/22 • 18 min
There are many risk factors for burnout. The good news is that each risk factor is multidirectional and by working on any one of them, you are likely to positively change others. It can feel overwhelming to confront all of the risk factors for burnout, so in today’s #straightfromcait episode, Cait breaks them all down into six overarching categories. These categories are workplace, family, self, culture, environment, and health.
Here in the United States there is an extreme amount of pressure and importance placed on hard work and individuality. The issue with these being the major cultural values is that overworking can and does quite literally cause death through having an overall negative impact on long-term health. In addition, relying completely on yourself to accomplish every single thing and not leaning into the strength of our communities is a large contributor to eventual burnout. When considering burnout, the majority of research comes from workplace studies, however, there are several other categories to consider for a broader view. How you were raised, the family you have currently, the environment you live and work in, and your physical and mental health conditions all contribute toward burnout in their own ways. By setting aside time for self care, making necessary lifestyle changes, and really considering each of the burnout risk factors that you identify with, you can make lasting and significant changes that help you to prevent or heal from burnout.
The risk factors for burnout are too numerous to count, but they do all tend to fall into six main interconnected categories. By making improvements in one area, you are likely influencing several others at the same time. Tune into this week’s #straightfromcait episode for a conversation about the six categories of burnout risk factors. Learn what to keep an eye out for and what changes to make in order to positively influence your burnout recovery or even to prevent burnout before it occurs.
Quotes
· “We might be talking about some sort of family trauma, and you have to know that that affects your environment. And that also affects your health. And it also affects your sense of self and how you function in the world. Right? So there's a lot going on here. Everything affects everything else.” (4:28-4:45 | Cait)
· “A study that was combined between the World Health Organization and the International Labor Org showed that working 55 plus hours a week resulted in approximately three quarters of a million deaths over the course of a year through stroke and heart attack mostly. And this was shown to be especially true for those over 45.” (5:38-5:59 | Cait)
· “If it is an epigenetic change, we can affect change on it. Because epigenetics are fluid, right? We can move them, they can change. But it does require a lot of self care.” (12:20-12:31 | Cait)
· “If you did not have access to or take advantage of access to green space, being in nature, your overall health will suffer and your energy will suffer and increase your risk of burnout.” (12:58-13:09 | Cait)
Links
https://caitdonovan.as.me/free
https://caitdonovan.as.me/inquiry
These references should be in the show notes:
REFERENCES
Bar, M., & Maital, N. (2007) Visual elements of subjective preference modulate amygdala activation.” Neuropsychologia. 45(10). pp. 2191-2200. 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2007.03.008.
Berk, L. (2019). Exploring Adult and Adolescent Development. Pearson. Cht 3.
Huberman Lab. (2022). Using light to optimize health. https://hubermanlab.com/using-light-sunlight-blue-light-and-red-light-to-optimize-health/
Ishizu, T., and Semir Z. (2011). Toward a brain-based theory of beauty. PLOS One, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0021852.
Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W.B., Leiter, M.P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Reviews of Psychology. 52. 397-422
World Health Organization. (2021). Long working hours increasing deaths from heart disease and stroke. https://www.who.int/news/item/17-05-2021-long-working-hours-increasing-deaths-from-heart-disease-and-stroke-who-ilo
XOXO,
C
If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait
1 Listener
#straightfromsarah: Knowing and Accepting Yourself Makes Burnout Recovery Faster
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
06/05/22 • 11 min
Do you feel like you’re not actually suited for the role you are trying to fill in your life? That role might not be the ideal one for you! In this week’s #straightfromsarah episode, FRIED Burnout Coach Sarah Vosen talks about ways to get to know yourself better and how to apply what you learn to help lead a more fulfilling and more burnout-proof life.
When Sarah realized she wasn’t thriving in her chosen profession, she could not understand why at first. However, once she started taking some personality quizzes and really looking seriously at the results, it became very clear that the type of person she was and the type of career she had chosen were not perfectly compatible. She’d struggled her entire life trying to fit in and be like everyone else, but her personality types showed that she was unique and one of the rarer types of people on the planet. When we learn more about ourselves, we can make sure we are spending our time and energy appropriately instead of trying to fill roles we were never meant to fill.
Tune into this week’s #straightfromsarah episode to learn more about different personality quizzes and why it is important that your personality type be compatible with your lifestyle and career choices.
Quotes
• “I was not meant to be doing life like most people, but I had been pushing myself as hard as I could to keep up and work hard like the masses. And when I sat down and looked at all of these quiz results and descriptions, and looked at what truly resonated for me, I realized that I am not like most. My personality traits make me one of the less common members of humanity. I am on the fringe. No wonder I don't tend to want to do or buy the same things as most nor can I handle the same kind of schedule.” (4:25-4:54 | Sarah)
• “I couldn't see as many patients as my other acupuncturist and massage therapist friends. I found out later that those friends were indeed a different type than I am. They are generators or manifesting generators, which means that they are folks that are wired for getting more work done. I was trying to be someone I wasn't, and it felt terrible.” (5:22-5:38 | Sarah)
• “In order to recover from burnout I needed to accept my role, the one that utilizes my strengths. The one that I'm wired for. The one that my constitution is suited for.” (6:12-6:22 | Sarah)
• “The more we know ourselves, we gain clarity around what to take on and how to spend our time and energy. This helps us say no to what isn't ours and let the rest go. This is crucial in burnout recovery.” (7:53-8:06 | Sarah)
• “You don’t have to be everything to everyone. You just have to be you. And do the role that you’re already good at. If that sounds relieving to you, please give yourself permission to let go of offering everything that isn’t yours.” (10:21-10:35 | Sarah)
Links
Our quiz: https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/61d4455460a67b0018a4c902
Sarah: https://caitdonovan.as.me/sarah-connect
Cait: https://caitdonovan.as.me/free
Links to personality quizzes:
Myers-Briggs: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
Enneagram: https://personalitypath.com/free-enneagram-personality-test/
Chinese 5 Elements: https://learnthefiveelements.com/5-elements-quiz/
Human Design: https://www.jovianarchive.com/get_your_chart
Ayurvedic Dosha: https://kripalu.org/content/whats-your-dosha
Highly Sensitivity: https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-test/
Astrological Sign: https://chart.chaninicholas.com
XOXO,
C
If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait
https://friedtheburnoutpodcast.com/quiz
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit 1 Listener
Kristin Lis: The Stories I told Myself As A Lawyer That Kept Me Burnt Out (and How I Changed Them)
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
06/30/24 • 55 min
Need to get started on your burnout recovery? Download the Core Values Worksheet today!
https://bit.ly/corevaluesfreebie
“It was something I was doing just for me, no one else, a very unfamiliar feeling,” says today’s guest Kristin Lis, reflecting on her decision to begin burnout recovery with host Caitlin Donovan as her burnout coach, nearly a year before today’s interview. At that time, Kristin's mental fog was so severe that she couldn't read or form coherent sentences, a critical issue for her role as a lawyer focused on amicable divorce and family matters. Like many suffering from burnout, her boundaries were almost non-existent. She took calls and checked emails at all hours, even conducting Zoom hearings while at Disney World—practices deemed normal and necessary in the legal field. She was constantly reshaping herself to fit into her company’s mold.
In today’s episode of FRIED, Kristin discusses the devastating effects of values misalignment, whether between a company’s stated versus practiced values, an employee’s values versus the company’s, or your own values versus those you aspire to live by. When Kristin allowed herself to fully imagine her ideal life and work, and was willing to proceed without a map or a net, something truly amazing happened.
Kristin’s story exemplifies what can occur when we break free from the limiting narratives we tell ourselves and allow ourselves the time and grace needed to heal.
Burnout doesn’t have to be your story. Apply to UNFRIED: A Small Group Burnout Recovery Program and start your journey toward lasting recovery. Spots are limited—apply now! (https://bit.ly/unfryapply)
Quotes
- “What I do for a living isn’t a value. The role I have in family life, that’s not a value. And I also can’t borrow values from an organization I work with. I had to figure out not only what my values were, but actually what I wanted them to be, and those were two very different things.” (16:38 | Kristin Lis)
- “That misalignment—I’ve heard of misalignment, everybody’s heard this on the podcast—that is a huge factor for burnout. When we’re not living in integrity with ourselves, it’s this internal conflict that doesn’t necessarily show up except for that tight feeling in the chest and the really sick feeling in your stomach. When you’re perceiving and doing something and it doesn’t really truly represent the best part of you, but you’ve convinced yourself that this is the only way to do it because this is the way it’s done in this field, or my office, and it’s unsettling.” (17:42 | Kristin Lis)
- “I was fully prepared to take a 50% payout. I thought that if I worked half the time, I would make half the money. And instead it was completely inaccurate. Again, it was another story I was telling myself in order to kind of compel me to stay in the same massively burnout-y, toxic corporate structure.” (28:40 | Kristin Lis)
Links
Connect with Kristin Lis:
https://www.instagram.com/iheartdivorce/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinlis/
Connect with Cait:
Initial Call with Cait: bit.ly/callcait
Initial Call with Sarah: bit.ly/callsarahv
#straightfromcait: The F.R.I.E.D. Framework for Burnout Recovery for Individuals AND Companies
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
06/23/24 • 24 min
Need to get started on your burnout recovery? Download the Core Values Worksheet today! https://bit.ly/corevaluesfreebie
Many of us know what it means to be burned out, but do you know what it means to be F.R.I.E.D.? On today’s episode Cait breaks down the five elements that make up the acronym F.R.I.E.D., five pillars—Facility safety, Reprioritize, Internal world, Explore what’s possible and Dedicate yourself—which comprise the main framework of burnout recovery. Within that framework, however, your recovery process is as individual as you are. In this episode, Cait expands on each aspect of the framework, while encouraging you to determine how to incorporate them into your own burnout recovery in a way that suits you best. The goal is to make choices that align with you, while keeping you moving forward on the pathway to recovery.
Cait will ask you to consider what you can do to create buffers in both your internal and external environments so that you are more resilient when, inevitably, things go wrong. Think about what you are willing to change or let go of, so that you start seeing new and better results. Understand your BRFs (burnout risk factors) and BPFs (burnout prevention factors), and recognize where you need to draw boundaries, and where you need to expand your possibilities.
Burnout recovery is an ongoing process and there will be inevitable setbacks. But through dedication and commitment there will also be inevitable growth and positive change.
Quotes
- “The F.R.I.E.D framework has everything that you need in order to recover, is generic enough to cover a lot of different processes, and specific enough to give you guidance if you feel lost.” (3:59 | Caitlin Donovan)
- “I have so many people asking me if they can get back to normal. I don’t actually want you to get back to normal. Normal is what got you here. So, we need to figure out what your new normal could be that can allow you to live sustainably and have well-being for the long term in your life.” (9:17 | Caitlin Donovan)
- “Dedicate yourself to living a burnout-free life. Dedicate yourself to living a life that feels like you want it to feel rather than looks how you think it should look.” (19:32 | Caitlin Donovan)
- “The body is designed to not stay in perfect harmony. The body is designed to be pushed out of center and come back to some middle-ish range.” (20:29 | Caitlin Donovan)
Links
Connect with Cait:
Initial Call with Cait: bit.ly/callcait
Initial Call with Sarah: bit.ly/callsarahv
#straightfromcait: Death By Burnout. The Head to Toe List of Severe Health Issues
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
11/07/21 • 12 min
Many people do not fully understand the gravity of burnout and the devastating effects that it can have in both the long and short term. In an effort to illuminate the head to toe list of severe health issues that burnout can cause, I recently asked members of my Facebook and Instagram communities to share their biggest and most shocking burnout symptoms.
On today’s #straightfromcait episode, I read a list of these responses, which powerfully speak to the severity of burnout rock bottom. Some of items on this list include:
• Vision loss
• Trigeminal Neuralgia (severe nerve pain to the face)
• Suicidal ideations
• Near death experiences
• Three months (!!) of strep throat
• And many more...
As this partial list demonstrates, burnout is not a joke. Instead, if it is not addressed properly, it can become the catalyst for a wide range of shocking health issues. If you are an employer, it is crucial that you properly support any and all employees who may be suffering from burnout. And if you’re not sure where to start, I can help. Just visit my website, linked in the show notes, to learn more.
Quotes
• “I asked all of you recently...to share your biggest and most shocking symptoms with me with the hopes that this information compiled in one easy place, you can use it to reach ears outside of just the burnt out amongst us.” (01:33-01:50)
• “Somebody might have a genetic predisposition to bipolar disorder that was not activated for any reason in their lives. And burnout activated it in their lives.” (03:18-03:30)
• “Panic attacks feel like a heart attack. Panic attacks make you feel like you’re dying. This is really really scary stuff.” (05:08-05:15)
• “Most commonly, the pattern that I hear is this: ‘I knew I didn’t actually want to die, but I couldn’t bear living anymore, so I started imagining driving off a road or falling off a cliff or jumping in front of a bus. And maybe I wouldn’t die, but maybe I’d get some time in a hospital, so I could rest.’” (05:25-05:45)
• “‘I was afraid that I’d be found dead at my desk. I was literally working myself to death.’” (07:10-07:16)
• “What we’re talking about with burnout is really severe illness, possible inability to function and death. We are not talking about just being a little bit tired. We’re talking about bodies physically breaking down in various ways under the pressure of stress.” (09:34-09:54)
• “When somebody comes and says that they’re burnt out, it needs to be taken seriously....A week or two weeks or even four weeks of time off is not going to solve someone’s burnout.” (10:08-10:47)
Links
https://caitdonovan.com/speaking
XOXO,
C
If you know that it’s time to actually DO something about the burnout cycle you’ve been in for too long - book your free consult today: bit.ly/callcait
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#straightfromcait: How Your Biology Could Be Sabotaging Your Mindset Shift—and What to Do About It
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast
12/08/24 • 15 min
“Your biology could be working against you,” says host Cait Donovan, when it comes to your ability to foster a hopeful and positive mindset. As it turns out, those with adverse childhood experiences (ACE) can lack the brain plasticity necessary to adopt a new growth mindset. Luckily, you have the power to change this and in this episode of FRIED, Cait shows you how.
She shares the three steps necessary to bolster and support yourself in order to enable the process. She reiterates once again why safety is the building block to resilience, change and burnout recovery, and the importance of movement, sleep, proper nutrition and hydration.
The body and the brain are more interconnected than we tend to recognize in Western culture. Join today’s FRIED episode to use that connection to foster, rather than hinder, growth and recovery.
Quotes
- “The idea is if you could just get more growth mindset, then your brain will respond and everything will work swimmingly. But Chinese medicine philosophy taught me to look at bodily systems and how we function in the world and how we behave a little differently than how it’s taught in the West. Things are more connected, more interwoven, less separate and there’s an emphasis on the fact that most causes could be effects and vice versa. And also, a cause might only have an effect if there’s an underlying, pre-existing risk factor.” (1:20 (Caitlin Donovan)
- “The questions we need to be asking are, “Why are some people able to access hope more easily than others? Why do some people react to stress in different ways than others? What are the pre-existing factors over the course of someone’s life that allows them to create a more hopeful outlook or mindset? Are there biological factors that support hope? Are there biological factors that impede hope? Are there biological factors that support positive mindsets or that impede positive mindsets? What I’m looking to explain is that there is more to positive mindset than just deciding to think differently and then think differently.” (4:02 | Caitlin Donovan)
- “Your brain cannot change, you do not grow courage, nothing happens until your body feels safe. Your nervous system doesn’t create more resilience, your Vagas nerve doesn’t tone—none of the things that all the people are talking about when it comes to burnout recovery happen unless your feelings of safety are improved.” (10: 40 | Caitlin Donovan)
Links
Connect with Cait:
Initial Call with Cait: bit.ly/callcait
Initial Call with Sarah: bit.ly/callsarahv
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FAQ
How many episodes does FRIED. The Burnout Podcast have?
FRIED. The Burnout Podcast currently has 277 episodes available.
What topics does FRIED. The Burnout Podcast cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Podcasts, Self-Improvement and Education.
What is the most popular episode on FRIED. The Burnout Podcast?
The episode title '#straightfromcait: The Articles Against Self-Care for Burnout Recovery Are Missing This Major Point' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on FRIED. The Burnout Podcast?
The average episode length on FRIED. The Burnout Podcast is 37 minutes.
How often are episodes of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast released?
Episodes of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast?
The first episode of FRIED. The Burnout Podcast was released on Jun 24, 2019.
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