When you think of the term “burnout,” what do you think of? For a lot of us, we apply the term burnout to work-related stress, but the mental drain and overwhelming feelings we might experience can be related to anything that causes us significant mental load. This “worry work” or “cognitive labor” isn’t physical, but can still be exhausting, and cause us to use self-destructive coping skills. There are, however, multiple ways to reduce this “mental load,” such as connecting and sharing with loved ones, asking for help, prioritizing self-care, and setting realistic expectations.
