Beating Burnout, Finding Balance

CHAPTER 2ON BURNOUT AND SELF-CARE

So, what is burnout anyway, and why is it affecting so many people in today's world? The World Health Organization (WHO) recently revised its definition of burnout for the eleventh time, changing it from a medical condition to a ‘syndrome’⁴. While doing research for this book, I asked many people from various professions, ‘What is burnout?’ and I was surprised by the varied responses I received. In this chapter we will explore this question in more detail. We will look at ways to prevent burnout by initiating self-care practices so you can live a healthier and more balanced life.

The Southwest, United States

Although I have helped hundreds of people overcome or prevent burnout, to date I have not experienced a mental or emotional burnout myself. However, during my global adventure I was cycling through the Navajo tribal lands and I experienced a physical burnout, which took me some time to recover from.

I had been cycling long distances through the stunning scenery of the Southwest of the United States for a few weeks and camping alongside Navajo and Hopi Indians along the way. Most cycling days consisted of more than 200 kilometres in distance and I probably wasn't eating enough to fuel that amount of daily expenditure. It was an amazingly enriching experience as I spent time learning the ways of the indigenous people of this area and I also spent many hours alone with my thoughts as I traversed the vast desert plains of Arizona, Utah, New ...