26 | POSSIBLE

Burnt Out

Anita Kothari is faculty member at Western University. In addition to work, she's a mom, runner and general extrovert. Her life motto at the moment is: everything is possible.

The Burnt Out Experience

Anita feels that there are two distinct types of burnout; mini and major.

We all work hard each week, in our parenting roles, paid roles, or our personal roles. The hard work we put in each week causes us to have these mini or micro burnouts.

Within her first six years at university (pre-tenure phase), Anita started feeling immensely tired. Academics work especially hard when they first start because they fall into the trap of "publish or perish." They're still learning the rules of the game and it feels like grinding to the bone is the only way through.

How did she deal? Sabbatical

Since starting Burnt Out, I have come to love this word and aspire to have it in my life someday.

Anita suggests that a change of routine or a change of environment can help you change your thinking. It can help you to relax. In fact, at the time we recorded this podcast, Anita was on Sabbatical with her family in London.

Sabbatical doesn't mean she isn't working, it just means she changes pace and place. It kicks her out of the everyday that can often become numbing and allows her to feel new in her mind and her work.

Feel how you feel

Anita allows herself to feel upset, sad, or angry and use obscene words for 48 hours, but after that, it's time to move on.

Hilarious? Yes! Helpful? Also, yes.

To allow yourself time to feel the way you feel in reaction to something is important. Moving forward, past that event that made you feel upset, burnt out, or sad is just as important.

Take time for you each week

For Anita, this might mean just having one day that's not planned or an hour to focus on herself.

Do what rejuvenates you - if you don't know what that is, I suggest trying everything until you find something that makes a difference in your life and how you're feeling. Trial and error is the best way to test what works for you.

Leadership

Working with the people their leading Hands-on Goes with the flow of team's personal lives Sympathetic and wholistc

Notable Quotes

“How we view failure isn't a static thing. As people, we are always changing and so is failure.”

"That doesn't mean I won't have tears later on, but it's the shift in attitude that's important."