Burnout Awareness and Prevention
WHAT IS BURN-OUT AND HOW TO AVOID IT?
‘Burn-out’ can be caused by..
● Taking on a lot of projects at one time,
● Being in a constant state of high-anxiety/stress,
● Loss of external control and experiencing/witnessing traumatic events.
After a prolonged period of a heightened state of stress, the body literally starts to work differently, changing your body’s hormone systems. Burn-out is a natural response to all of the above. It can result in a range of symptoms such as exhaustion/fatigue, depression, insomnia, headaches, gastrointestinal problems (especially ulcers), frequent colds/flu, weight loss or gain, shortness of breath, hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary disease, impaired speech.
More info at: www.emptycagesdesign.org/overcoming-burnout-part-5-the-biology-of-burnout
Burn-out is your body telling you that you need to support yourself, get help where needed or take a break.
Burn-out doesn’t always occur straight after an incident or period of high-stress, sometimes it is a delayed response and will only be felt months later. This is why it is so important to have a sustainable, reliable, supportive culture in place.
Burn-out can occur for people who take on or support direct action, including both organising and engaging directly, because we often take on a lot or find ourselves in high energy or anxiety situations, and of course we take this stuff on because we really care.
Anyone who engages in Non-Violent-Direct-Action with Extinction Rebellion or independently, needs to think about the following elements.
Self-care How we take care of our own needs and personal recovery from this toxic system.
● Also known as: What we sometimes call the inner work
● It’s important because: We are not machines. We need to look after ourselves in order to better look after each other and achieve what we want to achieve. Also, keeping the population subdued through stress, loneliness, sickness and anxiety is a feature of late-stage capitalism
● Resources might include: knowing our own limits/capacity, nature connection/being outdoors, hobbies/creativity/passions etc., in a stressful moment: practicing breath awareness/control, taking your attention out- what can you see/hear/smell/touch, replacing bad/scary stories/narratives with positive affirmations.
● Regenerative Resources Guide: First created in response to the Coronavirus crisis, Regenerative Cultures UK have designed a wellbeing guide full of top tips for staying healthy, both physically and mentally. See the guide here.
● Dedicated Mental Health Support: Should you require further support, XR offers free, one-to-one phone sessions with trained emotional therapists and active listeners, through the Trained Emotional Support Network (TESN). Please email the Rebel2Rebel phone service at rebel2rebel@regen.helpscoutapp.com to arrange a session.
External to XR, should you require further support, please consider calling one of these mental health helplines, or contact the Climate Psychology Alliance, individual therapeutic support service here. And if PTSD, mental health issues, or addiction have been part of your journey, please see this link for additional resources of emotional and mental health support.
Action care
How we take care of each other whilst we undertake direct actions and civil disobedience together.
● Also known as: That which we do to prepare for, train for and recover from direct action, including trauma and resilience work.
● It’s important because: Our bodies, minds and hearts are in a hostile situation, with institutions that want to target, manipulate and control us. Being able to care for our own needs helps us take care of each other and be more resilient.
● Resources might include: Snacks, rain gear and warm clothing, physical first aid, somatic first aid, welfare teams and HUGS!
Interpersonal care
How we take care of the relationships we have, being mindful of how we affect each other, taking charge of our side of relationships.
● Also known as: This is the “intersectional work”, the decolonisation of the self, how we communicate, etc.
● It’s important because: We are all the product of our environment. We all internalise the violence inherent in our cultures. We have a duty to do the work that can undo those internalised prejudices and behaviours, so we can learn to interact in a healthier way.
● Resources might include: Non-violent communication, compassion, decolonisation (thinking about race dynamics in groups) training, resources for dealing with grief….
Community care
How we take care of our development as a network and community, strengthening our connections and adherence to these principles and values.
● Extinction Rebellion’s Online Program: Born out of the Coronavirus crisis, Extinction Rebellion and Regenerative Cultures UK have put together an online program of sharing and listening circles, workshops, webinars and trainings to grow our connections and shared knowledge. See the program here
People and Planet care
How we look after our wider communities and the earth that sustains us.