Have you ever started out loving your job, but over time, begun to feel apathetic, cynical and emotionally exhausted? If so, you may be experiencing burnout. It’s a common occurrence in our workforce. In fact, research conducted by the Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated found about half of employee turnover is attributable to burnout. It may be particularly challenging in the addiction recovery industry.
Dr. Kirk Bowden, president of the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC), told The Fix that professionals such as substance abuse counselors often “end up taking home the work that they do.” Bowden adds the work can be “serious and heartbreaking,” potentially causing adverse physical and emotional effects for the employee. The result is often burnout, also called compassion fatigue.
The medical dictionary defines compassion fatigue as “cynicism, emotional exhaustion, or self-centeredness occurring in a health care professional previously dedicated to his or her work and clients.” As a result, Bowden says, “They’ll change jobs frequently as a way to deal with compassion fatigue or burnout.”
Employee burnout has serious negative ramifications for clients in addiction recovery, as counselors and other addiction staff affected by burnout are less able to effectively support their clients.
Signs of burnout
According to the Mayo Clinic, if you feel one or more of the following symptoms, you may be experiencing job burnout.
- Lack of energy and enthusiasm. Trouble getting out of bed, getting to work and getting started once there.
- Less productive at work than you once were. Less able to concentrate.
- Disillusioned, critical, cynical about your work, your achievements and your clients.
- A tendency to overreact or negatively react to problems, setbacks or other work conditions.
- Impatient with and easily annoyed by co-workers and clients.
- Using food, drugs or alcohol to feel happier and more relaxed when you get home from work.
- Insomnia or disrupted sleep patterns.
- Otherwise unexplained physical problems like pain, headache, stomach or bowel issues.
Employees struggling with burnout often find that feeling unappreciated, unsupported by management, overburdened with the workload or feeling that nothing they do is good enough are underlying causes of their burnout.
Help yourself prevent or overcome burnout
Before giving up on a career or workplace you once loved, take action to improve the situation and your outlook.
Meet with your supervisor, HR professional or a trusted co-worker. Pre-plan the meeting by writing down specific problems as you see them alongside some possible solutions. Discuss your concerns, brainstorm solutions and work on an action plan. Make it a constructive discussion and not a gripe session.
Set boundaries for yourself. In a Forbes Magazine interview regarding burnout, consultant Kyle Elliot advises keeping work and home lives separate. Elliott states, “Frequent invasions of work (emails, calls, texts) into your home life are bound to lead to burnout.” Your discussion with your supervisor should include a clarification of boundaries for all staff members.
Seek out a mentor, ideally someone who in your field. If possible, set a regular time to meet with them.
Pay attention to your own physical and mental health. Focus on good nutrition, regular exercise, stress management techniques, mindfulness practices such as yoga or meditation, adequate sleep, healthy social outlets and making time for fun hobbies or other activities. Don’t isolate yourself.
Seek out positive stories, funny movies, and inspirational speakers. Take a vacation from depressing news stories and other negative updates. Make a daily practice of writing in a gratitude journal, listing the things in your life for which you’re thankful. Include your personal success stories of clients whose lives you’ve helped to improve.
Substance abuse counselors in recovery are at higher risk of burnout
Bowden estimates that at least 50% of substance abuse counselors are themselves in recovery. While recovering individuals are uniquely qualified to help those new to recovery, they can also be at greater risk for burnout and relapse.
If you work in the addiction recovery industry and are also in recovery, pay extra attention to your own recovery plan. Review why you’re in recovery, all the positive ways recovery has changed your life and where you’d likely be right now if you weren’t in recovery. Step up meetings with your therapist, support group, sponsor or other people in your support network. Make sticking to your own recovery plan a priority in your life.
What can workplace leaders do to minimize burnout?
An article by Paula Davis-Laack in Psychology Today on “The Impact of Poor Leadership on Burnout & Job Satisfaction” cites five dimensions of effective leadership: inform, engage, inspire, develop, and recognize. Effective leaders can contribute to or help prevent burnout.
- Keep employees “in the loop.” Staff members who are involved in decision making and given some flexibility on how and where work gets done are more likely to feel engaged and valued.
- Be clear on expectations. Ambiguity in responsibilities, timelines, or other work aspects creates stress and sets up employees to fail. Regularly meet with staff regarding their workload, addressing related issues.
- Ensure employees have quiet, private workspaces. Reduce interruptions whenever possible. Have policies in place specifying when interruptions are appropriate.
- Provide education regarding the stigma of burnout. Workers in the addiction recovery field may blame themselves for not being able to better cope with stress, unhappy client outcomes or negative emotions regarding their work environment. Because of their training, addiction recovery workers may feel they should be better equipped than most to handle difficult situations. Help your employees understand burnout is not always their fault.
- Provide ongoing skills training. On the job training, including stress management and other employee health classes, can help empower teams.
- Encourage feelings of comradery and teamwork among all staff. Periodically schedule a break in the workday for a special staff activity. Cultivate a sense of commitment to team members, clients, and company goals.
- Give regular and specific feedback. Instead of, “You are all doing a great job,” take the time to tell each individual worker what they’ve done you particularly appreciate.
Good leaders are uniquely qualified to improve both staff and client satisfaction within an organization, creating an environment less conducive to burnout.
Turning Point of Tampa’s goal is to always provide a safe environment and a solid foundation in 12-Step recovery, in tandem with quality individual therapy and groups. We have been offering Licensed Residential Treatment for Addiction, Eating Disorders and Dual Diagnosis in Tampa since 1987.
