Juggling work, personal responsibilities, family needs, professional development, extracurricular activities and much more can be challenging to say the very least. According to Kristin Papa—a licensed clinical social worker specializing in burnout—managing these demands is particularly difficult in workplaces with unrealistic expectations, a lack of autonomy and insufficient resources or clarity.
As a new public-school teacher whose workplace boasts all three of those qualities, I’ve spent the past year trying to be a great educator without burning out. Thanks to some online tools, I’m starting my second year affirmed in my mission with my sanity (mostly) intact. Here’s how to do the same:
1. Work smarter
Technology can increase efficiency and alleviate your mental load. Papa, founder of Living Openhearted Therapy and Wellness, advocates for sustainability. “What could you use an online system for to give back time so that you don’t always feel like you’re going at 100,000 miles an hour?” she asks.
For me, working smarter means using colleagues’ online templates instead of creating all my resources from scratch, organizing materials in accessible, labeled Google Drive folders and adapting tasks to complete them more quickly. For example, I deliver feedback on students’ assignments faster when speaking than when typing, so I use the speech-to-text technology built into Google Docs (Apple Dictation and Microsoft Word Dictate are other options.) I also listen to online trainings at double speed while tidying my classroom.
Streamlining tasks can enhance your personal life, too. Papa knows a couple with “synced calendars so that all family obligations, like taking their kid to the dentist, are clear and in one place.” I similarly document tasks and appointments in a Google Calendar. Dr. Charlynn Ruan, a clinical psychologist who works extensively with founders and CEOs, says, “Storing to-dos in a system like Google Calendar can mitigate pop-ups in your mind about what you need to do. It’s good to put things in the future so that we can be fully in the present.”
2. Create boundaries
Dr. Saba Afzal, chief of psychiatry at Hackensack Meridian Health Ocean University Medical Center, explains that most people she sees with burnout don’t know how to say no and set boundaries. “You don’t have to prove your worth by always doing extra,” she says.
I set boundaries by separating my work and personal email inboxes and utilizing automated “out of office” messages on email and Slack. You can also consider keeping your work email off your personal devices or disabling notifications.
Establish boundaries in a kind, respectful way. Afzal suggests saying, “‘I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can take this on, as I have a lot on my plate. Can we delegate to someone else?’ For non-urgent matters, say, ‘I can take care of this next week, as I have a few things I need to address first.’” You could even save these sentiments in an email draft so you can quickly copy and paste the language into a message when needed.
In addition to setting boundaries, have upfront conversations about them. “You can have a mental plan in place, like not checking email on weekends, but if your boss or colleagues don’t know, it probably won’t be as effective,” Papa says.
3. Celebrate successes
“Our brains are biologically designed to forget something once we check it off our list, and anything left on the list is like a pop-up in your mind,” Ruan says. “This means we have to consciously focus on successes.” Because I document daily activities in my Google Calendar, I can review it at the end of the week to recognize my accomplishments—whether they include finally doing my laundry, submitting a project or catching up with a long-distance friend. Ruan also suggests reflecting on what you’re thankful for, as “setting your mind to a place of gratitude and abundance is helpful for avoiding burnout and promoting sleep.”
Afzal reports that journaling about successes is especially beneficial for maintaining motivation and a growth mindset, which can help prevent burnout. The Grid Diary and 5 Minute Journal apps offer guided gratitude prompts and reminders to reflect daily. Afzal and Papa agree that communal recognition is useful, too. Though celebrating wins in person is best, sharing successes in private online communities still has positive effects.
4. Form connections
Maintaining social relationships is a huge factor in cultivating resilience. You can find affinity groups like City Girls Who Walk through online research, join a workplace Slack or Discord to engage with colleagues in a miscellaneous channel or start a Zoom group with like-minded people. Last year I joined a Zoom writer’s group with two women I met in an online class, and their friendship and professional advice remain tremendous sources of support. In addition, consider connecting with existing friends through regular calls and apps like Music League, which helps you stay in touch through sharing music.
Technology can provide support that you might not have in person, especially if you live away from family. “There are Facebook groups for everything now,” Papa says, and they can “normalize the idea that I’m not alone if I join a group of people with similar experiences and learn from their burnout strategies.” Ruan says that when connecting online, maximizing contact with people who are meaningful to you is ideal, meaning “phone calls are better than texting because you hear someone’s voice, which is soothing to the nervous system. Zoom is better than phone calls because you also see someone.”
5. Embrace wellness resources
There are a plethora of online tools out there to support mental health. Papa recommends the mindfulness apps Headspace and Calm, as well as Tara Brach’s free meditation podcast. Ruan also endorses Insight Timer, an open-source app where anyone can post and review resources. Afzal suggests CBT-i Coach to improve sleep using cognitive behavioral therapy tactics and iBreathe for evidence-based breathing exercises.
You can also follow mental health professionals on social media so that your feed contains content that helps you cope with challenges. Ruan, who posts videos for her clients, warns that you must vet sources if you choose to curate your feed this way. Ask your therapist for legitimate individuals to follow, or access similar resources through online mental health retreats.
6. Take a tech break
Although technology can help alleviate burnout, sometimes you need a break. Pay attention to how you feel when using technology. “Are you using it for something helpful, or are you scrolling mindlessly? Am I tapping into community and having a productive break, or not?” Papa asks.
According to Afzal, healthy coping skills are key, and tech-free approaches like going for a walk, playing a sport and sharing feelings with friends can be powerful. Try scheduling tech-free moments, such as when you’re with family. Ruan says that you can use Pomodoro Technique timers to remind yourself to set down devices after a period of time. “If you want to eat healthy, you might make ice cream harder to get,” she says. “You can do this with technology, too, by leaving your phone outside your bedroom at night or turning it off at a certain point.”
To help myself, I changed my Instagram settings to prompt me to close the app when I’ve used it for one hour. I also disabled all other Instagram notifications to reduce my time spent scrolling.
Ultimately, technology is a tool. “It’s about not letting it control us and making the tech work for you,” Ruan says. Use technology as the tool that it is so that you can be your best self.
Photo courtesy of insta_photos/Shutterstock
