Working in communications—particularly in education—school public relations professionals face a unique vulnerability to burnout. The role is demanding, and the lingering effects of COVID, combined with increasing expectations, have only heightened the pressure.

That heightened pressure is what can lead to burnout. In this article, I’ll explore what causes burnout, highlight the symptoms of burnout, and most importantly, what we can do about it.

What is Burnout?

Burnout happens when we are bombarded with too much stress and not enough opportunity to recover. A small amount of stress is not a bad thing. It releases adrenaline, which helps us to perform. But repeated incidents of highly stressful situations, or a long-term rumbling of medium stress situations, results in both adrenaline and cortisol staying at high levels. Both chemicals help us respond in the short term, but long term, or repeated exposure, turns up the dial on our threat response.

We can start to feel jumpy, on edge, as if waiting for something bad to happen. We might have physical symptoms – tummy issues, headaches, rashes. If this goes on too long, our body resets in this place of high adrenaline and cortisol. That means less access to the thinking part of the brain. We can feel like we have brain fog; it becomes hard to make decisions.

Sleep can also be affected. We wake up early in the morning and can’t get back to sleep. Or we sleep like a log but feel drained when we wake up. This makes us tired, cranky and more likely to withdraw into ourselves and away from social activities that could help counter this.

If these levels of stress are sustained, we may move into a more “numbed” place. We lose interest in our work; our empathy is reduced, and we suffer from bone-deep fatigue that can’t be shifted. Long term stress like this can result in thinning of parts of the brain and cause memory loss. This is often the point at which people leave jobs. 

What You Can Do

• Prioritize Recovery: Burnout occurs when there is a lack of time to recover. Create a menu of activities to allow yourself a ready-made list of ways to recover after stress. Active relaxation, like exercise or crossword puzzles for instance, can often be more recharging than a passive activity like lying on the sofa watching TV. Your menu could include music, therapy, running, etc. Think of things that nurture you and build them into your working week.

• Create Downtime: Creating downtime can be in the form of creating a culture where it’s okay to take a break to walk around the block; where a few minutes of looking out the window and doing nothing is seen as restorative, not lazy. Create your own boundaries around when you will be available, and respect others' boundaries.
• Measure Your Stress: Measure your stress levels daily and check in with colleagues. If Bob feels like a 4/10 on stress and Amy is 8/10, can Bob ask how he can help Amy that day? This also recognizes that sometimes our work is not done in isolation. Checking in on our own stress levels helps us notice before things get too bad. Knowing that your resilience is low today may mean that you chose to catch up on valuable but less intense administrative work and give yourself time to recover for a high intensity meeting the next day. 
• Create a Culture of Safety: Feeling unsafe in the workplace is another contributor to burnout. A culture of zero tolerance around bullying, respect for health and safety, and ensuring that everyone feels they have a voice is vital. 
• Embrace Acceptance: PR and communications work is never done. We can rarely tick off a to-do list and sign off. There is always something to do or review. Recognizing we cannot complete everything and prioritizing well is a vital part of this role. Take moments to reconnect with why you are doing this and how it gives your life meaning.
• Talk: Talking can be the most empowering step to avoiding burnout. If you feel in danger of burnout, or have noticed a colleague showing signs, open up a conversation. Think about what can be done to ease the workload or stress. What ways of rest and recovery can be created? A workplace where issues can be raised, long before burnout, is one that can protect itself from burnout.  

Paula Gardner is a PR professional turned therapist and business psychologist, who advises on workplace issues like burnout, stress and teamwork. You can find out more at https://www.scarletthinking.com.