Emotional Health Articles

Article / Updated 06-06-2023

Your emotions, including your happiness, are affected by the world you live in — your physical and social surroundings. If you’re in sync with that world, you have a much better chance of achieving happiness. Where do you stand when it comes to being in sync with your surroundings? Would you describe your relationship with the world around you as a tight fit, a loose fit, or no fit at all? It’s not essential that you be in sync with all aspects of your everyday surroundings — place, people, activities, motivation — in order to experience happiness. But, obviously, the more in sync you are, the happier you’ll be. Happiness is a sign that you’re in the right place Physical surroundings are more important than most people realize. The notion that a person can be happy anywhere if he wants to simply isn’t true. Place matters. Consider things such as: The country you live in The region you live in (if you live in the United States, this includes the South, the Midwest, the East Coast, the Pacific Northwest, and so on) The climate The size of the community The architecture The terrain (for example, mountains, beaches, desert) The amount of sunlight you’re exposed to How close you are to your neighbors The type of housing you have (for example, apartment, house, cottage, loft) How much noise there is How “green” the surroundings are (for example, a concrete jungle or a place with lots of trees and parks) Think about where you currently live. Now, ask yourself whether you’re living in a place where you can be happy. If the answer is yes, then you know that your environment is not the root of your unhappiness. If the answer is no, it might be. If that’s the case, you may consider a “geographic cure." Happiness is a sign that you’re with the right people Happiness is also a by-product of the social world in which you live — the people who surround you. Do you need to live close to family in order to be happy? Do you need to live around people your own age? Are you around enough people day in and day out? Are these people supportive? Do the people you spend most of your time with share your interests — cycling, sports, the arts? Are you in sync intellectually with those around you? Are you a single person in a world where everyone you know seems to be married? The answers to these questions may have a lot to do with how happy you are. Think about the people who are around you — your neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends. Are you living around people who make you happy? If so, then you know for sure that people aren’t the reason you’re unhappy. If not, try making some new friends or looking for happiness outside of work or your neighborhood. There’s no law that says you can’t move back closer to your family. Happiness is a sign that you’re doing the right thing Another part of your surroundings has to do with the activities you engage in every day. These include domestic activities, employment activities, and community activities. Think about how you spend your time throughout the course of a week. Generally speaking, are you active enough? Do you find what you do at work meaningful or are you just in it for the paycheck? If you have children, how involved are you in raising them? Do you provide any type of community service? For example, building houses with Habitat for Humanity, helping out in a soup kitchen, or working as a volunteer for the Salvation Army? Do you do things on a regular basis to help your neighbors? Or do you spend the majority of your time sitting at home, watching television, and heading to the kitchen every 30 minutes for another beer or bag of chips? Ask yourself whether you’re doing things that make you happy. If you answered yes, then it’s a no-brainer: Keep doing those things. If you answered no, try out some new activities. Happiness is a sign that you’re doing things for the right reasons In order to be happy, you not only have to be doing the right things, in the right place, with the right people — you also have to have the right motives. If the only reason you play golf with friends from work is so you can show them that your game is superior to theirs, then you’ll probably win, but winning won’t make you happy. Look at what you’re doing — all the activities of your life (from work to fun and everything in between) — and ask yourself, “Why?” Are you doing things with and for other people for the right reasons? If you answered yes, there’s nothing to change. And if you answered no, you need to come up with another reason for doing the same thing.

Article / Updated 06-06-2023

The digital age has brought huge benefits: from saving lives in emergencies, to sharing information with the world, the advantages are countless. But without mindfulness, living in the digital age can drive you crazy! If you don’t turn your phone or computer off from time to time, your attention can be completely hijacked by websites, incoming messages, social media, games and more. Gadgets are so compelling. If you think that the digital age is getting too much, check out the suggestions supplied here to get yourself back in control. Assess your level of technology and internet addiction Nowadays, people seem to use their phones a lot. A recent survey of over 4,000 users found that . . . Average smartphone users check their phones 47 times a day. 85 percent of smartphone users will check their phone when speaking with friends and family. 80 percent of smartphone users check their phone within an hour of waking up or going to sleep. Almost half of all smartphone users have tried to limit their usage in the past. When you find you’re spending more time on your phone than interacting with real people, it may be time to reassess your phone usage. Smartphone addiction is often fueled by Internet overuse, as it’s often the games, apps and online worlds that are most compelling. Here’s a quiz you can use to get an idea of just how addicted you are to your phone: You’re doing some work and a phone rings in another room. Do you: Take no notice: it must be someone else’s; your phone is normally off. Ignore it and check it later. Walk casually to pick it up. Run to pick up the phone, sometimes tripping over or stubbing your toe in the process, and getting annoyed by anyone in the way. You’re planning a holiday, but the hotel has no Wi-Fi and no phone signal. Will you go? Yes, why not? Oh, I’d love the chance to get a break from my devices. Heaven! Probably wouldn’t go there. No way! How can I have a vacation without my phone and/or laptop – that doesn’t make sense. I need a good phone signal and superfast Internet 24/7. Where’s your phone right now? My what? Oh, phone . . . Err, no idea. I’m not sure if I have a phone actually. Somewhere around here. In this room. It’s right here – my beautiful, precious phone. What do you use your phone for? Phone calls, of course. What else is it for? Calls and texts from time to time. Mainly emergencies. Call and texts. And picking up emails sometimes too. A few pictures. Everything. It’s my life! Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, email, texting, photos, video, playing games, fitness, Skype. Oh yes, and ocassionally phone calls too. Do you keep your phone nearby as you sleep? No way! Sometimes. Or just for my alarm clock. Don’t really check last thing at night or first thing in the morning. Quite often. Send the odd text and maybe have a peek at my messages first thing in the morning too. Every night. I sleep with my phone. It’s the last thing I look at before falling asleep and the first thing I see when I wake up. It’s a compulsion. Add up your score: Each number is assigned that same point value. For example, if your answer was #2, then you award yourself two points. 5–10 points: you’re not really addicted to your phone at all – you’re probably too busy meditating. 11–15 points: you like your phone, but not that much. You’re still in control and can live comfortably without it. 16–18 points: you’re pretty dependent on your phone for many things. You might like to take a little break from your phone from time to time. 19–20 points: you love your phone. What if you lose your phone? Or it gets stolen? Make sure you have some moments in the day where you take a break from your device and do some mindful walking or stretching, or sit and meditate away from your phone. If you feel that your phone usage is out of control, try some of the tips in the section below to help, or consider getting professional help if you feel overwhelmed. Use mindfulness to get back in control of yourself in the digital age If you’ve discovered that you’re using digital devices to the point that they’re having a negative impact on your work or social life, it’s time to get back in control. You can manage overuse of digital devices in many ways. It’s not as hard as you may think. In fact, once you start using some of these strategies, you may find that you don’t even want to look at your mobile devices. Here are some techniques that you can try: Engage in other activities. You can participate in a new hobby regularly, such as knitting, gardening or playing an instrument. By paying mindful attention to your hobby and keeping your phones and computers out of the way, you’ll develop greater mindfulness. And you can also get on with a few household chores – you’ll feel good once they’re done. Again, keep your devices switched off and try focusing on the chore – it can be soothing and enjoyable to polish the dining table or clear your desk with full attention and a little smile. Make good use of flight mode, or switch your phone off. When you have an important task to do, try to keep your phone off or in flight mode. That way, you can’t be disturbed. The iPhone even has a new mode called ‘do not disturb’. This prevents calls and alerts from coming through. Set boundaries. Just before you go to bed, it’s important not to look at screens too much. Television, laptops and phones emit a light which signals to your body that it’s still daytime. Then you may have trouble falling asleep and may wake up tired. Also, you may not want to be disturbed at other specific times in the day. For example, when walking through the park keep your phone off and enjoy nature and the people around you. And obviously, when you’re with friends or family or eating a meal, switch your phone off or leave it out of the way. If distancing yourself from your phone sounds like a challenge, just try it once and see how that goes. Eventually, it can feel freeing to leave your gadgets behind. Switch off notifications. Does your computer beep each time an email comes through? Does your phone make a noise each time someone chats to you on social media or sends you a message? If so, you can end up with perpetual distraction. Every time you’re doing one task, you’re distracted by another. The more you keep switching your attention, the less your mindful awareness develops. Turn off as many notifications as you can. This way, you can focus on doing whatever you need to do with awareness. Be kind to yourself when you slip up. Ever had that feeling of frustration when you’ve spent the last hour or so just surfing the Internet rather than finishing your work? I have. But when you do eventually catch yourself doing this, don’t beat yourself up too much. It’s okay. Everyone has their downtime and gets distracted. Say to yourself, “It’s okay. Let me take a break from my computer and phone and have a little mindful walk. I’ll then come back with a smile and get on with my Everyone gets too caught up with the barrage of technology nowadays.” If you feel you need more help to reduce your Internet usage, consider an evidence-based therapy like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to ease your compulsive behavior and change your perception about internet usage. Professional help can offer alternative ways of dealing with the underlying emotions and thoughts that may be fueling your smartphone use. Use technology to enhance mindful awareness If you’re looking for a way to enhance your mindfulness, you may want to avoid technology altogether – and that’s understandable. Use of technology can distract your mind. But for you, using digital devices may be part of your everyday life. Switching them off for an extended period may seem impossible to achieve. In such a case, you can make good use of mindfulness apps, websites and more. You can download and use apps for mobile devices like phones and tablets. Simply search for mindfulness or meditation in the app stores and you’ll find lots of resources – take your pick. New apps come out every week! Popular ones at the moment are Insight Timer, Calm or Headspace. But there are many more. If you use social media a lot, following people or organizations, such as Shamash Alidina, that offer mindful images, tweets and resources may help you. You can also use software to help you focus mindfully on your work. One free piece of software that is helpful is called Self Control. It’s available free for Apple Mac computers, and there are equivalent software products for Windows PCs. Don’t be discouraged. Even seasoned mindfulness practitioners need technology tools to help manage technology usage.

Article / Updated 05-05-2023

If you are depressed, you want to avoid doing nothing or having the wrong thoughts about it. Here are a few things you should do — or absolutely should not do. Do get help. You can start with self-help resources like books and the Internet, but you need to see a professional if your mood doesn't lift soon. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. Don't ignore feelings of hopelessness or suicidal thoughts. These symptoms are serious! Seek help immediately. Don't think that there's nothing you can do. Depression is highly treatable. Do keep trying. If your first attempt to treat depression doesn't work, try something new. A variety of ways exist to help you. Don't blame yourself. Depression has many causes, and you certainly didn't ask for it.

Video / Updated 04-14-2023

With practice, you can teach yourself to relax on command by exercising various breathing techniques, tensing and relaxing targeted muscles, and by using imagery and suggestion. Follow this guided relaxation, preferably in a quiet place, and you'll feel the stress leaving your body. Download this audio script along with the companion script, "Coping with a Stressful Situation."

Article / Updated 04-14-2023

Inevitably, you already do physical and mental activities, so upgrading these into exercise shouldn’t require too much effort or willpower. The difference between activity and exercise is that the latter is over and above your normal level of activity and is designed to stretch you physically or mentally. For example, you walk to the supermarket to do your shopping, but you run around the park to get fit. Physical exercise benefits both body and brain fitness, so is the priority for willpower maintenance. Physical exercise is important at any age, but if you’re over 50 or retired, your activity levels usually drop, so planned exercise is more necessary. Brain fitness training isn’t a case of one size fits all. If you’re taking a degree course in a foreign language or doing a complex job (and most jobs are complex!), you’re exercising your mental powers – often to the point of exhaustion. On the other hand, if you’re unemployed or retired, you’re less likely to be giving your brain a workout on a daily basis. If you’re in your 50s or older, you’re likely to benefit more from mental exercise. This isn’t all down to age, however. Older people’s lifestyles can entail less novelty or challenge, perhaps because they’ve retired or are working part-time. Or maybe they’re looking after an elderly relative, which calls for more routine than creativity. Younger folk may also be less mentally active or experience less novelty or challenge because they’re unemployed. Accordingly, if you’re less mentally active for any reason and/or older, it’s especially important that you pursue mental activities that are novel, challenging and diverse. This helps maintain your brain’s ‘bandwidth’ or capacity to process new information and solve new problems. Visit SharpBrains to discover more about brain training. Mental exercise needn’t involve being logged on to a computer. Social interaction and reading a novel with a complex plot give your brain a workout as well. In fact, one of the few activities that doesn’t stretch your brain is watching television. Think about it!

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-10-2023

Emotional intelligence involves understanding your emotions and the emotions of the people around you. Emotional awareness can help you in many different situations — at home, school, and work. In this Cheat Sheet you’ll find a definition of emotional intelligence and the key traits of an emotionally intelligent person, as well as helpful strategies for using emotional intelligence to calm down when you’re upset, interpret other people’s body language, and even deal with people you don’t like in the workplace.

Article / Updated 01-26-2023

Listen to the article:Download audio The term burnout was first coined by the psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in the 1970s. It is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an “occupational phenomenon” that is “… a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed." In that definition, the WHO says burnout is characterized by three dimensions: Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job Reduced professional efficacy The WHO definition goes on to state that “burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.” In modern society, however, the line between work and “other areas of life” has sufficiently blurred. These days, it is really unfair to talk concretely about “work-life balance” or to imply that burnout would only arise from your job, if, for example, you are a parent, the primary caregiver for an aging parent, or a volunteer leader of a community organization. I say that burnout arises out of your attempts to fulfill your obligations of any kind. Indeed, burnout is not exclusive to work. It is a stress-related issue, and you can, therefore, arrive at burnout as a result of the cumulative effect of stress from too many obligations in any area of your life. What burnout is not Putting aside this little shift to looking at all of your obligations as potential sources of burnout, it can be valuable to focus on figuring out what burnout is and also what it is not, so you can invest your time and attention in addressing the larger challenge itself and not waste your effort on “Band-Aid fixes.” What I’m suggesting here is the equivalent of “work smarter, not harder,” and getting a better sense of what you are trying to improve or correct will help you be more effective in reducing burnout and increasing satisfaction in your life. Taking pain medication to address the symptoms of a shoulder injury can certainly help dull the pain, but appreciating that the pain comes from a broken bone will go a lot further toward long-term relief of the pain. Appreciating the source of burnout versus the symptoms can help you be more effective. You can see in the WHO definition that the term “burnout” addresses a syndrome that results from chronic stress from your obligations. It’s worthwhile to unpack those two terms a bit further to appreciate both the depth and the seriousness of burnout and begin to highlight some ways to reduce it in your life. A syndrome is defined as a group of symptoms that consistently occur together or a condition characterized by a set of associated symptoms, traits, or distinctive features. Because these traits or symptoms occur in a kind of cluster of unpleasantness, chasing after one or the other of them is not likely to address the true underlying cause, even if relieving one of them could feel good in the moment. Considering the extent of the feelings Many people today feel distraught, overwhelmed, and anxious as a result of managing through the COVID-19 pandemic and financial and global uncertainty. You may be one of them. Are you tired and worried, but still have time and energy to enjoy your life; do you feel more or less satisfied at work and feel rejuvenated after a good weekend getaway (that you can afford)? Or are you are feeling profoundly exhausted? It feels like there isn’t enough time in the day to meet all of your obligations. Perhaps your mother is unwell and requires frequent doctor’s visits or around-the-clock care, your new boss is extremely demanding and unforgiving, and you feel more and more like a failure and not good enough. Your body aches, you worry about getting COVID-19, and you can’t remember when you had a full night’s sleep. You want a break but don’t see one in sight as your family relies on your income. Will a night out with friends help? Maybe a mani-pedi or a massage? The real question is whether quick fixes can actually address your deep feelings of exhaustion or cynical attitude in any meaningful way. They may help you feel somewhat better … for a while, but in the end, you’re likely to find (or you’ve already found) that these are drops in a bucket that is far bigger than a single act can fill. This isn’t an argument for not doing these things, but just a way of saying that a complex challenge like burnout calls for a broader approach if you really want to turn the tide. Burnout isn’t like a headache or a sore muscle that can be treated with a pill or a massage. It isn’t something that happens because you have a rough day, nor is it having to do a difficult thing as part of your obligations (even if it is distasteful or downright degrading). Rather, it’s more complex and a reflection of something more chronic and insidious that requires deeper care and support. What makes burnout so complex The other key word in the WHO definition is chronic. A chronic syndrome is one that has persisted for a long time or constantly recurs and is hard to eradicate. What this term chronic suggests is that there are no quick fixes to a problem that has been something like a constant (and difficult) companion to you for a while. It’s been around for so long, in fact, that it has graced you with myriad health issues that may have driven you to seek medical care — when you can get there — and when you can’t, to popping pills or self-medicating with food or alcohol. It’s important to note one more aspect of the WHO definition before moving on. It states that burnout “is not classified as a medical condition.” The significance of this statement is that there is no clear treatment for it, and it is considered a factor “… influencing health status or contact with health services.” In practical terms, this brings up two important points: Burnout may very well drive you to the doctor (who may or may not recognize your complaints as burnout or know exactly how to treat it) It has very real physical health consequences, nonetheless, well beyond the specific symptoms you may experience. The medical consequences of burnout are huge and widespread. Note, however, that they are symptoms and add to the complexity of burnout, but they do not constitute burnout in of themselves. Here’s a helpful table to differentiate bad feelings or bad days from true burnout. Not Burnout Burnout You have a bad day. Every day is a bad day. Caring about things feels hard. Caring about your life feels like a total waste of energy. You’re tired. You’re exhausted all the time. You have some dull or difficult tasks to do routinely. The majority of your day is consumed with mind-numbingly dull or overwhelming tasks. You wonder if you’re making a difference. You feel like nothing you do makes a difference and nobody appreciates what you do. You have doubts and are sometimes pessimistic. You (or your colleagues) find you to be cynical and a “Debbie Downer.”

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-12-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio If you've arrived at burnout, it’s not because you've been lazy; rather, you've been quite busy. And even though you may be exhausted and depleted, the busyness still doesn’t stop. Your sense of depletion and fatigue may permeate every aspect of your life so that the tasks, chores, and routines you used to be able to handle with ease are now overwhelming. Everything seems to drain your energy. You can begin to help yourself with the suggestions that follow.

Article / Updated 12-08-2022

To do well at your job requires a combination of many qualities and skills. You must have a strong work ethic, be trainable, and have basic problem-solving skills. Throughout your life thus far, you have been working to build the foundation needed to be successful in the workforce. You have most likely received the training you need from your schooling, extra-curricular activities, volunteer work, work experiences, and guidance from parents, teachers, and mentors. Hard skills versus soft skills Skills that employers want vary from job to job, but they all include some form of soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills relate to how you work, and hard skills relate to what you know. Through a combination of soft skills and hard skills, you will find the right mix to be successful on the job! Hard skills Hard skills are technical skills that you learn in the classroom, in professional trainings, in online courses, in certification programs, or on the job. These skills are related to a particular field, and they require specific knowledge in that subject area. Hard skills are easier to define than soft skills because they can be tested; you can either speak a second language fluently or you can’t. Another example of a hard skill is if you want to be an architect, you must be able to understand and apply the technical skills of building and construction. You hope the bridge you drive across every day has been designed and built by an architect with the hard skills required to make the bridge safe and durable. The following are some examples of hard skills: Computer skills Data analysis Scientific expertise Writing Geometry Photo editing Graphic design Social media management HTML, JavaScript, and other programming languages Software use, such as Microsoft Office, Google Office Suite, Salesforce Foreign languages Patient care Accounting Scheduling All of these hard skills are pretty specific. Some skills are transferrable to different careers, but to land the job you want, you need to know the specific hard skills required for that position. Usually, you can find the degree requirements, licenses, and hard skills needed for a position listed in the job description. Check out the table below to see what level of higher education or training you need to meet your career goals. College degree levels Degree Type Years Required Example Associate Degree Two to three years Associate of Science (AS) Bachelor’s Degree Four or more years Bachelor of Arts (BA) Master’s Degree Bachelor’s degree plus two to three years Master of Education (MEd) Doctoral Degree Master’s degree plus four years or more Doctor of Philosophy in Systems and Engineering Management (PhD) Keep in mind that you do not have to attend college to have a successful career, but a high school diploma is a necessity. If college is not required, be ready for on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or program certifications for many job positions. For example, you do not need a college degree to become a certified electrician, but you must complete an apprenticeship that includes 8,000 to 10,000 hours (approximately four to five years) of on-the-job training, plus testing to receive your license or certification. If you do not have a certain hard skill, no worries; sign up for some college classes or community programs to perfect your skills. Also, many places provide on-the-job training to make sure you know the hard skills needed to be a part of their teams. Soft skills Job performance is a big deal. It’s what employers use to gauge raises, bonuses, advancement, and job security. Soft skills are a large part of your performance. Soft skills are personality traits that affect how you interact with others and have their roots in your behavior, attitudes, and values. Soft skills are just as important, if not more so, as the hard skills or qualifications that you need for a job. Many people end up underperforming in a job not because they couldn’t do the work, but because they couldn’t get along with others. Here are some valuable soft skills that can be helpful in any job: Time management: Can you consistently come to work, get there on time, and finish projects by the deadline? Multitasking: Can you handle multiple expectations and tasks at a time? Attention to detail: Can you pinpoint technical errors? Can you focus on the task at hand for hours at a time? Innovation: Can you come up with new ideas? Can you think outside the box? Are you proud of yourself and your ideas? Problem-solving: If you get in a bind, can you figure out a solution on your own? Emotional maturity: Can you control your emotions in stressful situations? Can you act appropriately and professionally in the workplace? Dedication: If you say you will do something, will you actually do it? Do you follow through on job assignments? Duty: Do you understand that you are required to meet the obligations of the job if you want to keep the job? Enthusiasm: Are you excited and positive in your approach to your work? Honesty: Can you be trusted with sensitive information and be honest about your mistakes? Leadership: Can you help set a direction and guide other people to the right place? Collaboration: Can you be respectful of others’ opinions and ideas on your team? Do you work well with others? Overall, employers are looking for good human beings. Are you reliable, can you be trusted, and can you communicate effectively? If you can show impressive soft skills, you will go far within an industry and could quite possibly move up the ranks. While it’s important to be qualified with the hard skills needed for a job, some employers might choose someone with more advanced soft skills because they can be trained in the hard skills. Soft skills can be sharpened by asking for feedback from others. From the list above, are there some soft skills you need to develop further? If you neglect your soft skills, you could be the cause of conflict in the workplace. Don’t put your career at risk.

Article / Updated 12-07-2022

Knowing how much burnout you may be experiencing may begin to give you clues about how to tackle the whole phenomenon of burnout in your life. Shall we see how you fare on the burnout quiz? Note that whatever you score on this quiz, it is not a representation of you being “good” or “bad” but rather a guide to let you know what you may want to focus on or what sort of support you need to become the thriving and happy person you want to be. Discovering just how burned out you feel Take some time to consider the following statements and assign each one a number based upon how well it applies to you, using the following scale: Not At All: 1 point Rarely: 2 points Sometimes: 3 points Often: 4 points Very Often: 5 points Statement Score (1–5) I’ve got a short fuse these days and have a tendency to get irritated or angry quite easily over things that used to not bother me much. I've got no gas in the tank. I feel physically and emotionally drained. When I think about my work, I feel like a “Debbie Downer” in my negative attitude. I wonder how I ended up in this job or role and find myself wishing for something else. I find myself being less kind and sympathetic to other people and their issues than I ought to be. My co-workers and people in my life tend to tick me off more than they used to. I question the purpose and meaning of my work or my profession, longing for another situation or a simpler time. The people I work with and for don’t seem to appreciate or understand me. I would like to be able to talk with others about how I feel, but nobody seems available or interested. I feel that I could be achieving more than I am, but I just can’t seem to do it. I find myself feeling weirdly disconnected from my work and from other people, as if I am going through the motions and not really there. I sometimes feel like my work is a pressure-cooker to succeed, and I’m the meal being cooked! I feel less satisfied with the work I produce or do. I get aggravated with basic aspects of my job or what I am asked to do. I feel that I am unable to do the best job because of politics, bureaucracy, or systems outside of my direct control. I feel more and more like a square peg in a round hole when it comes to my work. I question whether I fit. The amount of work I have to do always seems to come at me faster and heavier than I can manage. I think I would like to do a better job, but the time just isn’t there to do it. I sometimes feel like the tail of the dog, where I get wagged around but don’t get to have a role in determining my own future and activities. I find myself wondering if I’m burned out, and people give me advice for how to feel better. What the results mean … and what they don’t mean When you total up your score, see how it compares to the scale below: 20–40 No obvious signs of burnout. Time to find ways to flourish! 41–50 Burnout seems unlikely, unless you have a few 4s or 5s 51–70 The caution light is on. You could be at risk for burnout. 71–90 Time to take some action (keep reading), as burnout is likely. 91–100 The red lights are flashing, and you need to act now. It is important, first and foremost, not to let this simple, unscientific quiz take on too much importance overall. It’s a great way to get a quick snapshot of your experience from all angles and to get a general sense of your concerns and how intense they are. This quiz definitely is an informal assessment of burnout, and while it may feel as if it gets at the heart of burnout, it is not scientifically validated. It is what psychologists call face valid in that it appears, on the face of it, to capture burnout, but we can’t really say for sure that it truly measures the syndrome of burnout. Use your common sense in interpreting what the results of this quiz means, and if you are seeking a truly rigorous, empirically valid measure of burnout, the Maslach Burnout Inventory is the industry standard for such things. It can be purchased from Mind Garden, its publisher. Nonetheless, your score may be pointing to where you stand when it comes to burnout symptoms, especially when you pay close attention to which statements rated at 4 or 5. Remember to acknowledge that you have already taken a decisive action toward reducing and eliminating burnout in your life. You may find that knowing your relative score on the quiz helps you determine how you may want to proceed. Specifically, the higher your score, the more likely you are to benefit from the book Burnout For Dummies. Burnout first aid While there are no quick fixes when it comes to burnout, despite how much well-meaning advice there is floating around to that effect, there are some things you can do right this moment if you are alarmed about your level of burnout or feeling particularly discouraged or depressed by your apparent predicament. Most importantly, if your burnout feels well beyond your capacity to manage it and you may be clinically depressed or feeling suicidal, reach out for professional help immediately. If you're in immediate crisis, you can dial 9-8-8 for the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is comprised of more than 200 local crisis centers. If you have an employee assistance program at work, do not hesitate to take advantage of that resource, and if you don’t have that resource, seek out local resources for psychological support and treatment above all else. Burnout is serious, and the impact of burnout can be devastating to the person and the people around them. Aside from seeking professional assistance to manage the effects of burnout, there is great wisdom in the advice you often get from others about self-care — not as a “treatment” for burnout or a cure-all, but simply as a way of creating the tiniest bit of space and relief from the most painful aspects of burnout for now. Let go of needing that self-care (a pedicure, a good run in the park, a beer with the guys, or a night of binge-watching mindless TV shows on Netflix) to be the be-all, end-all response to burnout. Take the pressure off that simple act of self-kindness to be your savior and allow it to be a simple distraction and a bit of a reset that can help you clear your head, break a downward spiral, and create just enough headspace to chart a course forward. This moment, however, do consider simply asking yourself a very straightforward question: What do I need? There’s no need to make the answer complicated or lofty (for example, a brand new job, a promotion, or a vacation in Fiji). Instead, ask yourself what you need in this moment. Perhaps it’s just five minutes to simply sit and breathe, or a good hot cup of tea, or a walk in the neighborhood. Even simply peeling your attention off the computer screen for a few minutes may be the answer to the question. Offer yourself whatever you need without expectation that it will make anything change, but only because in this moment, you need it. Let it be unconditional and sweet and without obligation. Savor it while you can and move on. “What do I need?” is the fundamental question of self-compassion, that you can find out more about in chapter 9, but you already have the capacity within yourself to begin giving yourself more of what you need. No special training required. Give it a shot and let it be for now. You may also discover that you aren’t sure what you need, which is okay for now, too. Simply honor yourself and how you feel, and see what comes up for you.