After a colleague announced she was feeling burned out and planned to take an extended break from work, my internal response was, “What about me??”  Like many of us, I’ve been experiencing some of the classic symptoms of burnout: lack of productivity and exhaustion. Upon hearing of my colleague’s departure, I wondered, is unplugging from work the only remedy for burnout?

The term burned out was coined by psychologist, Herbert Freudenberger in 1974, who viewed burnout as a work-related malady. Since that time, we’ve expanded the concept of burnout to reflect “a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.”

Although we previously considered burnout as an indication of been overstimulated and boredom as being under stimulated, this pandemic has provided an environment where we can be both burned out and bored out. Boredom stems from doing uniform, repetitive tasks regardless of the value in those tasks. Even activities that have intrinsic value or purpose can result in boredom when repeatedly performed in the same way.

Pandemic Fatigue

Videoconferencing allowed us to perform our work responsibilities from our homes as well as connect with friends and family. Suddenly we could tap into information sources that had previously been unavailable. Virtual seminars, classes and gatherings were at our fingertips.  After six months of staring at screens, however, our enthusiasm has waned. Zoom fatigue and COVID fatigue have led to an overall feeling of malaise.

COVID fatigue has also contributed to increased risk-taking.  The very reason humans are such hospitable hosts for viruses is that we’re social creatures. Disassociating from friends and family is antithetical to who we are; social distancing is just not sustainable. But the reality is that even though we may be “done” with the coronavirus, the virus isn’t done with us. 

The “on and on-ness” of this pandemic intensifies burnout and boredom. Months and months of rigorously washing our hands, disinfecting surfaces, masking and distancing ourselves from others—while witnessing infection rates ebb and flow— has resulted in stress and boredom. As if a pandemic were not enough, social injustice and unrest, natural disasters and a toxic political climate have fueled burnout.

In the past, a change of scenery has helped during stressful times. But pandemic travel options are limited and daunting. Using restrooms on road trips, navigating airports and long plane rides, adhering to quarantining restrictions are stressors that make pandemic vacationing less than restorative. My own experience of having vacation plans scuttled because of California wildfires lends new meaning to the existential dilemma of “no exit.”

The Spice of Life

Our brains crave variety. One of the remedies for burnout and boredom is doing things differently.  Researchers have discovered a link between varied experiences and positive emotion. Although infusing variety into our daily routines is more of a challenge during the pandemic, even minor changes can have a positive impact.

Exploring an unfamiliar neighborhood on foot, bike or car can break the monotony. Changing how we exercise or what we eat— even when we eat— might provide an emotional boost. Trying a different genre of reading material or listening to new music stimulates the brain, and learning a new skill can improve our mood. In short, we feel happier with variety.

Limit Doomscrolling

The remedies for burnout are the usual stress-reducing tactics including adequate sleep and rest, exercise and nutritious eating. Reducing screen time, especially doomscrolling, is also crucial. Doomscrolling is the habit of repeatedly checking the internet for more bad news. Binging on bad news sets up a cycle of negativity and is self-defeating as well as self-destructive. Of course, we all want to be informed but limiting our screen time —especially bad-news binging— is important for our mental health.

One technique I’ve used for other obsessive behaviors is to set a timer to regulate the amount of time engaged in the self-defeating habit. Five minutes of doomscrolling at prescribed times can help rein in this out-of-control behavior.

Pay It Forward

Most of us have experienced some joy from helping others.  U.C. Riverside psychologist, Sonja Lyubomirsky has been studying the positive effects of good deeds on mood since 2000. She is quick to point out that not all good deeds are equally effective as mood enhancers, however.

Finding a good person-activity fit is necessary. Opportunities to do good works are plentiful from tutoring to distributing food to mowing lawns. The type of activity and the frequency needed to elevate one’s mood are highly personal. But under the right conditions, paying it forward helps the benefactor and as well as a beneficiary.

Manage Expectations

Managing our expectations about how this pandemic will unfold is as beneficial as taking a break from the monotony. Back in March, most of us thought we’d be doing the pandemic dance for just a few months. Why we believed this is anyone’s guess, but this expectation has greatly contributed to our collective misery.

Although we’re eagerly anticipating a coronavirus vaccine, no vaccine for burnout is in the offing. The only solution lies in our ability to cope. The good news is that as burned out as we may feel, we are more resilient than we may believe.

“You are braver than you believe

Stronger than you seem

And smarter than you think.”

—Christopher Robin