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Burnout Immunity: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Build Resilience and Heal Your Relationship with Work
A USA Today Bestseller
Financial Times Best Business Book of the Month April 2024
An essential guide to protect yourself from burnout by learning to develop and master key emotional intelligence skills
Why do some people in the world’s most stressful careers avoid burnout while countless others are overwhelmed by the demands of ordinary jobs? What can we learn from these resilient role models who seem to be naturally resistant to the psychological hazards of work?
After extreme stress caused a life-threatening health crisis in her own life, Dr. Kandi Wiens dedicated herself to understand why work was leaving millions of us sick, exhausted, unmotivated, and feeling stuck and ineffective. In her research, she discovered something Despite dangerous levels of work-related stress, some people seemed to be naturally “immune” to burnout.
So what did these people have that Dr. Wiens and millions of others did not? Regardless of their role, industry, or experience, all these professionals exhibited a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI). EI is the ability to clearly perceive, understand, and productively manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in service of one’s overall well-being and performance. The people with burnout immunity were relying on specific EI skills to successfully cope with stressful work environments and experiences. The result is that they were more productive; had happier careers and lives; and were free from the physical and mental ravages of exhaustion, negativity, and inefficacy that characterize burnout.
The good news is that everyone can build and boost emotional intelligence and use EI-based skills to manage workplace stress before it leads to breaking down or burning out. Burnout Immunity shows readers how
Build self-awareness to identify what makes you vulnerable to burnoutManage your stress triggers and response, and tap into moments of good stressRegulate your thoughts and emotions to remain effective in the midst of stressDevelop healing connections to keep burnout at bayRecover from moments of burnout, reconnect to things that bring you joy, and reimagine a new way forwardBolstered with research, exercises, self-assessments, and real-life stories from people with natural burnout immunity and those who’ve cultivated it, Burnout Immunity teaches workers how to positively cope with stress and to enjoy healthier and happier relationships with work.
Financial Times Best Business Book of the Month April 2024
An essential guide to protect yourself from burnout by learning to develop and master key emotional intelligence skills
Why do some people in the world’s most stressful careers avoid burnout while countless others are overwhelmed by the demands of ordinary jobs? What can we learn from these resilient role models who seem to be naturally resistant to the psychological hazards of work?
After extreme stress caused a life-threatening health crisis in her own life, Dr. Kandi Wiens dedicated herself to understand why work was leaving millions of us sick, exhausted, unmotivated, and feeling stuck and ineffective. In her research, she discovered something Despite dangerous levels of work-related stress, some people seemed to be naturally “immune” to burnout.
So what did these people have that Dr. Wiens and millions of others did not? Regardless of their role, industry, or experience, all these professionals exhibited a high degree of emotional intelligence (EI). EI is the ability to clearly perceive, understand, and productively manage emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in service of one’s overall well-being and performance. The people with burnout immunity were relying on specific EI skills to successfully cope with stressful work environments and experiences. The result is that they were more productive; had happier careers and lives; and were free from the physical and mental ravages of exhaustion, negativity, and inefficacy that characterize burnout.
The good news is that everyone can build and boost emotional intelligence and use EI-based skills to manage workplace stress before it leads to breaking down or burning out. Burnout Immunity shows readers how
Build self-awareness to identify what makes you vulnerable to burnoutManage your stress triggers and response, and tap into moments of good stressRegulate your thoughts and emotions to remain effective in the midst of stressDevelop healing connections to keep burnout at bayRecover from moments of burnout, reconnect to things that bring you joy, and reimagine a new way forwardBolstered with research, exercises, self-assessments, and real-life stories from people with natural burnout immunity and those who’ve cultivated it, Burnout Immunity teaches workers how to positively cope with stress and to enjoy healthier and happier relationships with work.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 19, 2024
I've read a lot of books on this topic, which isn't surprising since it is related to my area of research. This popped up on my educator ALC offerings via Libro.fm, so I wanted to give a listen/read. While there is a lot of overlapping information/advice in this book that you can and will find in any other book about burnout, I do appreciate that the spin on it is a bit different with the focus on the EI component. Is anything in here particularly groundbreaking? No, not really. But is it useful information (particularly if you're not someone who has read like 4329 books/articles on burnout already)? Absolutely. And, it has wide application in that the advice can be useful for anyone, not just those in leadership roles or who have the ability to make significant changes in the structure and culture of a workplace. (My complaint about many burnout books is that commonly they tell people to do things that most employees can't do without jeopardizing their work, like saying "that meeting isn't important for me to be at so I'm not going" or "I don't have the bandwidth to take on that project so I won't be doing that work."). This one doesn't have much of that.
Why not 5 stars? Because I finished it yesterday and I kind of already forgot the main takeaways of the book. So, nothing jumped out at me as being like "omg yes I need to remember this because it's such great advice." I also think the idea of "burnout immunity" is overselling it a bit, because no one is truly immune. But, it's a clever and marketable notion, so it works for the book.
But, a worthwhile read on the topic.
Thanks Libro.fm and Harper Audio for the ALC.
Why not 5 stars? Because I finished it yesterday and I kind of already forgot the main takeaways of the book. So, nothing jumped out at me as being like "omg yes I need to remember this because it's such great advice." I also think the idea of "burnout immunity" is overselling it a bit, because no one is truly immune. But, it's a clever and marketable notion, so it works for the book.
But, a worthwhile read on the topic.
Thanks Libro.fm and Harper Audio for the ALC.
June 26, 2024
Apparently bolstering your emotional intelligence can help heal and avoid burnout. (I can use all the help I can get but I felt like I didn't learn anything new from this book)
Notes:
- the lines between our professional and personal lives are increasingly blurred
- what if there was a way to not only recover from burnout but to become immune to it altogether?
- it’s no surprise that burnout results from chronic workplace stress.
EQ research?
- Wiens decided to officially study this critical area. In her research, she discovered a group of leaders in severely stressful jobs who showed absolutely no signs of burnout. The common factor amongst them? Emotional intelligence.
- Of course, if your work environment is toxic, abusive or is affecting your health – whether mental or physical – you should immediately start creating an exit plan.
- Reflect deeply on whether you feel appreciated and recognized at work, how engaged you are, whether your values and those of the company align, and if you feel supported within workplace culture. Also consider the well-being of your colleagues and the company leaders. Are they showing signs of stress and burnout themselves?
- EQ = self awareness
Burnout Immunity (seems self-explanatory nothing new)
- Now that you’ve honed your awareness, you’re ready to start developing burnout immunity.
- Firstly, consistently practice regenerative self-care: get enough sleep, eat well, and engage in renewing activities like yoga or a beloved hobby.
- Secondly, identify and set boundaries to safeguard your emotional and overall well-being – perhaps adding no contact times to your calendar, or directly telling a coworker that their negative attitude is making you uncomfortable.
How can we better respond to our body’s automatic stress responses?
- Firstly, flip how you view stress. Instead of seeing a stressful situation as a threat, approach it as a challenge. That way, your body will be less likely to release adrenaline or cortisol when it doesn’t need to.
- Keep in mind that stress has benefits too. In the right dose, it can make us more alert, enhancing mental performance and memory. And when our response to stress is healthy and well-regulated, we’re able to quickly return to that window of tolerance – the space within which we’re relaxed yet also engaged – even when sudden stressors knock us out of it for a bit.
Notes:
- the lines between our professional and personal lives are increasingly blurred
- what if there was a way to not only recover from burnout but to become immune to it altogether?
- it’s no surprise that burnout results from chronic workplace stress.
EQ research?
- Wiens decided to officially study this critical area. In her research, she discovered a group of leaders in severely stressful jobs who showed absolutely no signs of burnout. The common factor amongst them? Emotional intelligence.
- Of course, if your work environment is toxic, abusive or is affecting your health – whether mental or physical – you should immediately start creating an exit plan.
- Reflect deeply on whether you feel appreciated and recognized at work, how engaged you are, whether your values and those of the company align, and if you feel supported within workplace culture. Also consider the well-being of your colleagues and the company leaders. Are they showing signs of stress and burnout themselves?
- EQ = self awareness
Burnout Immunity (seems self-explanatory nothing new)
- Now that you’ve honed your awareness, you’re ready to start developing burnout immunity.
- Firstly, consistently practice regenerative self-care: get enough sleep, eat well, and engage in renewing activities like yoga or a beloved hobby.
- Secondly, identify and set boundaries to safeguard your emotional and overall well-being – perhaps adding no contact times to your calendar, or directly telling a coworker that their negative attitude is making you uncomfortable.
How can we better respond to our body’s automatic stress responses?
- Firstly, flip how you view stress. Instead of seeing a stressful situation as a threat, approach it as a challenge. That way, your body will be less likely to release adrenaline or cortisol when it doesn’t need to.
- Keep in mind that stress has benefits too. In the right dose, it can make us more alert, enhancing mental performance and memory. And when our response to stress is healthy and well-regulated, we’re able to quickly return to that window of tolerance – the space within which we’re relaxed yet also engaged – even when sudden stressors knock us out of it for a bit.
September 23, 2024
Too many lists. This would have been better as a pamphlet.
September 18, 2024
idk this book didn’t say anything untrue but it also didn’t really say anything new. in summary: do self care, work less, maybe find a new job.
June 26, 2024
“Burnout Immunity: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Build Resilience and Heal Your Relationship with Work” by Kandi Wiens is a guide to recognizing, preventing, and overcoming burnout through the development and application of emotional intelligence (EI). This book emphasizes that burnout is not merely a result of overwork but a chronic workplace stress that can leave individuals feeling exhausted, ineffective, and detached. By bolstering one's emotional intelligence, individuals can build resilience and create a healthier relationship with their work.
Burnout is characterized by three main symptoms: exhaustion, cynicism or negativity towards one’s job, and a sense of professional inefficacy. In today’s fast-paced and high-pressure work environments, the boundary between personal and professional lives often blurs, leading to increased stress and the risk of burnout. Emotional intelligence, which includes self-awareness, social awareness, self-regulation, and relationship management, can be a powerful tool in combating and preventing burnout. Wiens shares her personal experience with burnout, which led to severe health issues. This experience spurred her interest in researching emotional intelligence and its impact on burnout. She discovered that leaders in highly stressful jobs who exhibited no signs of burnout shared a common trait: high emotional intelligence. The good news is that emotional intelligence can be learned and developed by anyone, regardless of their background or industry.
The first step in building emotional intelligence is cultivating awareness. Awareness comprises self-awareness and social awareness. Self-awareness involves understanding your own emotions, behaviors, and the underlying thoughts and beliefs, as well as recognizing the environments and situations where you thrive or struggle. It also involves knowing your values and how they align with your actions. Social awareness, on the other hand, involves understanding the emotions and behaviors of others and recognizing how your actions affect those around you. Developing these skills can be challenging but is essential for identifying the subtle signs of burnout. Reflecting on your job and the overall company culture is crucial for identifying stressors in your professional life. Consider whether you feel appreciated and engaged at work, if your values align with the company's values, and if you feel supported by your colleagues and leaders. This reflection helps you pinpoint areas that need attention to prevent or address burnout.
Once you have heightened awareness, the next step is to develop strategies for burnout immunity. Key strategies include:
1. Regenerative Self-Care: Prioritize activities that renew your energy, such as getting enough sleep, eating well, engaging in physical activities like yoga, and pursuing hobbies you love.
2. Setting Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries to protect your emotional and overall well-being. This might include scheduling no-contact times or communicating directly with coworkers about behaviors that affect you negatively.
3. Spreading Positive Energy: Emotions are contagious, so focus on projecting positivity. A smile, relaxed posture, and open body language can help create a positive environment.
Regulation, another crucial aspect of emotional intelligence, involves managing the body's response to stress. When faced with perceived threats, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol, which prepare it for a fight-or-flight response. However, chronic stress leads to sustained high levels of cortisol, which can cause various health issues, including anxiety and cardiovascular problems. To regulate the stress response:
1. Reframe Stress: Shift your perspective to view stress as a challenge rather than a threat. This reduces the likelihood of triggering a stress response and helps you approach stressful situations with confidence.
2. Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, and focusing on the present moment, can help manage stress and keep you grounded.
3. Develop a Support Network: Identify and rely on resources and support systems, such as friends, family, and colleagues, who can help you navigate stressful situations.
4. Recognize Stress Benefits: Understand that stress, in the right dose, can enhance mental performance and memory. Learning to return to a balanced state after experiencing stress is key to building resilience.
Shifting your mindset plays a crucial role in building emotional intelligence and resilience. Viewing stressful situations as opportunities for growth and learning helps you develop a positive outlook and reduces the impact of stress on your body and mind. This mindset shift requires practice and dedication but can significantly improve your ability to handle stress. The book provides practical strategies to integrate emotional intelligence into your daily life and work:
1. Reflect Regularly: Take time to reflect on your emotions, behaviors, and stressors. Journaling can be a useful tool for this.
2. Engage in Continuous Learning: Invest in learning opportunities, such as workshops, courses, and books, to enhance your emotional intelligence skills.
3. Seek Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from trusted colleagues and mentors to gain insights into your emotional responses and behaviors.
4. Implement Small Changes: Start with small changes to your routine and gradually build more comprehensive strategies to manage stress and prevent burnout.
Burnout Immunity: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Build Resilience and Heal Your Relationship with Work by Kandi Wiens offers valuable insights into understanding and combating burnout through the development of emotional intelligence. By cultivating awareness, regulating stress responses, and adopting a positive mindset, individuals can build resilience and create a healthier relationship with their work. Emotional intelligence is a learnable trait that, with practice, can help you heal from and avoid burnout, ultimately allowing you to thrive in your professional and personal life.
Burnout is characterized by three main symptoms: exhaustion, cynicism or negativity towards one’s job, and a sense of professional inefficacy. In today’s fast-paced and high-pressure work environments, the boundary between personal and professional lives often blurs, leading to increased stress and the risk of burnout. Emotional intelligence, which includes self-awareness, social awareness, self-regulation, and relationship management, can be a powerful tool in combating and preventing burnout. Wiens shares her personal experience with burnout, which led to severe health issues. This experience spurred her interest in researching emotional intelligence and its impact on burnout. She discovered that leaders in highly stressful jobs who exhibited no signs of burnout shared a common trait: high emotional intelligence. The good news is that emotional intelligence can be learned and developed by anyone, regardless of their background or industry.
The first step in building emotional intelligence is cultivating awareness. Awareness comprises self-awareness and social awareness. Self-awareness involves understanding your own emotions, behaviors, and the underlying thoughts and beliefs, as well as recognizing the environments and situations where you thrive or struggle. It also involves knowing your values and how they align with your actions. Social awareness, on the other hand, involves understanding the emotions and behaviors of others and recognizing how your actions affect those around you. Developing these skills can be challenging but is essential for identifying the subtle signs of burnout. Reflecting on your job and the overall company culture is crucial for identifying stressors in your professional life. Consider whether you feel appreciated and engaged at work, if your values align with the company's values, and if you feel supported by your colleagues and leaders. This reflection helps you pinpoint areas that need attention to prevent or address burnout.
Once you have heightened awareness, the next step is to develop strategies for burnout immunity. Key strategies include:
1. Regenerative Self-Care: Prioritize activities that renew your energy, such as getting enough sleep, eating well, engaging in physical activities like yoga, and pursuing hobbies you love.
2. Setting Boundaries: Establish clear boundaries to protect your emotional and overall well-being. This might include scheduling no-contact times or communicating directly with coworkers about behaviors that affect you negatively.
3. Spreading Positive Energy: Emotions are contagious, so focus on projecting positivity. A smile, relaxed posture, and open body language can help create a positive environment.
Regulation, another crucial aspect of emotional intelligence, involves managing the body's response to stress. When faced with perceived threats, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol, which prepare it for a fight-or-flight response. However, chronic stress leads to sustained high levels of cortisol, which can cause various health issues, including anxiety and cardiovascular problems. To regulate the stress response:
1. Reframe Stress: Shift your perspective to view stress as a challenge rather than a threat. This reduces the likelihood of triggering a stress response and helps you approach stressful situations with confidence.
2. Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, and focusing on the present moment, can help manage stress and keep you grounded.
3. Develop a Support Network: Identify and rely on resources and support systems, such as friends, family, and colleagues, who can help you navigate stressful situations.
4. Recognize Stress Benefits: Understand that stress, in the right dose, can enhance mental performance and memory. Learning to return to a balanced state after experiencing stress is key to building resilience.
Shifting your mindset plays a crucial role in building emotional intelligence and resilience. Viewing stressful situations as opportunities for growth and learning helps you develop a positive outlook and reduces the impact of stress on your body and mind. This mindset shift requires practice and dedication but can significantly improve your ability to handle stress. The book provides practical strategies to integrate emotional intelligence into your daily life and work:
1. Reflect Regularly: Take time to reflect on your emotions, behaviors, and stressors. Journaling can be a useful tool for this.
2. Engage in Continuous Learning: Invest in learning opportunities, such as workshops, courses, and books, to enhance your emotional intelligence skills.
3. Seek Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from trusted colleagues and mentors to gain insights into your emotional responses and behaviors.
4. Implement Small Changes: Start with small changes to your routine and gradually build more comprehensive strategies to manage stress and prevent burnout.
Burnout Immunity: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help You Build Resilience and Heal Your Relationship with Work by Kandi Wiens offers valuable insights into understanding and combating burnout through the development of emotional intelligence. By cultivating awareness, regulating stress responses, and adopting a positive mindset, individuals can build resilience and create a healthier relationship with their work. Emotional intelligence is a learnable trait that, with practice, can help you heal from and avoid burnout, ultimately allowing you to thrive in your professional and personal life.
June 13, 2024
The title caught my interest, although I initially felt some resistance. How could anyone be immune to something like burnout?
It turned out to be a very interesting book, with lots of insights. Even though I firmly believe you cannot be entirely immune (life can throw so many things at you that even the most resilient person collapses under its pressure).
The author started with a personal confession – one where she stated she herself coped badly with stress, and she could only shift her paradigm after it was too late. She acknowledges that most of us simple persevere through physical and mental pain – one more stretch and it will be just fine….
Key question she tries to answer: does success always require this kind of sacrifice? It shouldn’t.
She firmly believes that Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the differentiating factor between people being able to avoid burnout with those who are not (understanding yourself, managing yourself, understanding others and managing relationships effectively).
EI helps to regulate emotions and to respond effectively in the midst of high stress situations. However, she recognizes that a burnout can sneak up on us – workplace stress can increase incrementally. Therefore, awareness, knowing yourself and have an effective plan to reduce stress is vital. This isn’t a onetime effort; it is a way of living.
She is quite vocal about the fact that burnout isn’t your fault – it is not the individual but the organization that needs to change.
There is specifically a high-risk of burnout when there is a mismatch between:
- Demand and capacity to deliver.
- Lack of control to change or how you want to execute your work.
- Lack of reward (and no, this isn’t only about monetary reward).
- Incongruence with your values and how the organization operates.
- Lack of fairness.
How to protect yourself?
- Have an exit strategy if you work in a toxic environment which will not change. She was very vocal about this.
- Focus on self-care (sleep, healthy food, and sufficient exercising).
- Safeguard your boundaries (do you know your boundaries in the first place?).
- Become more mindful of your moods (and the swings in your mood).
- Reach out for help and continue to invest in relationships with others.
- Take (micro) breaks.
- Manage your mindset.
Even though burnout isn’t your fault, there are ways to manage your response more effectively. Sometimes, perceived stress doesn’t align with reality—our brain can distort signals, leading to ineffective reactions. The author refers to these distortions as ‘Thinking Traps.’ We might have a negative filter (focusing only on negatives), perceive tasks as impossible (lacking efficacy), set unrealistic expectations (denying ourselves a fair chance), or catastrophize our environment (expecting the worst).
Understanding your inner voice helps identify your mindset and kick-starts a more positive outlook. Throughout the book, reflective exercises bridge theory and practice.
She ends the book with a focus on Recover, Reconnect, and dare to Reimagine. Recover in a sense that you need to acknowledge you cannot heal in an environment which made you sick; try reconnecting with what truly matters to you and reimagine a new way forward which is in alignment with your ideal self.
In summary, it’s a great read.
It turned out to be a very interesting book, with lots of insights. Even though I firmly believe you cannot be entirely immune (life can throw so many things at you that even the most resilient person collapses under its pressure).
The author started with a personal confession – one where she stated she herself coped badly with stress, and she could only shift her paradigm after it was too late. She acknowledges that most of us simple persevere through physical and mental pain – one more stretch and it will be just fine….
Key question she tries to answer: does success always require this kind of sacrifice? It shouldn’t.
She firmly believes that Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the differentiating factor between people being able to avoid burnout with those who are not (understanding yourself, managing yourself, understanding others and managing relationships effectively).
EI helps to regulate emotions and to respond effectively in the midst of high stress situations. However, she recognizes that a burnout can sneak up on us – workplace stress can increase incrementally. Therefore, awareness, knowing yourself and have an effective plan to reduce stress is vital. This isn’t a onetime effort; it is a way of living.
She is quite vocal about the fact that burnout isn’t your fault – it is not the individual but the organization that needs to change.
There is specifically a high-risk of burnout when there is a mismatch between:
- Demand and capacity to deliver.
- Lack of control to change or how you want to execute your work.
- Lack of reward (and no, this isn’t only about monetary reward).
- Incongruence with your values and how the organization operates.
- Lack of fairness.
How to protect yourself?
- Have an exit strategy if you work in a toxic environment which will not change. She was very vocal about this.
- Focus on self-care (sleep, healthy food, and sufficient exercising).
- Safeguard your boundaries (do you know your boundaries in the first place?).
- Become more mindful of your moods (and the swings in your mood).
- Reach out for help and continue to invest in relationships with others.
- Take (micro) breaks.
- Manage your mindset.
Even though burnout isn’t your fault, there are ways to manage your response more effectively. Sometimes, perceived stress doesn’t align with reality—our brain can distort signals, leading to ineffective reactions. The author refers to these distortions as ‘Thinking Traps.’ We might have a negative filter (focusing only on negatives), perceive tasks as impossible (lacking efficacy), set unrealistic expectations (denying ourselves a fair chance), or catastrophize our environment (expecting the worst).
Understanding your inner voice helps identify your mindset and kick-starts a more positive outlook. Throughout the book, reflective exercises bridge theory and practice.
She ends the book with a focus on Recover, Reconnect, and dare to Reimagine. Recover in a sense that you need to acknowledge you cannot heal in an environment which made you sick; try reconnecting with what truly matters to you and reimagine a new way forward which is in alignment with your ideal self.
In summary, it’s a great read.
May 8, 2024
A guide to hacking burnout using emotional intelligence skills.
This is a topic I have been geeking out over as of late, not just because I am suffering from burnout but also because students are lacking the resiliency of those who came before them when it comes to all things stress management. Listen, this isn't always a bad thing. I envy this generations ability to set and hold boundaries...but either you have that skill or you don't, and there is no in between. So I have been a search for tools that will not only help me recover from a burnout cycle I have been in for nearly two years, but may prevent students from dipping their toes into the burnout pool.
That said, nothing I read was earthshattering. I marked it up, in aaaalllll the colors, and took notes. There are some techniques I plan to try out over the summer months so that *if* they work for me, they are engrained habits by the time the Fall semester rolls around. I really appreciate Wiens' writing -- it is interesting, straightforward but also laidback; overall, easy to follow and enjoyable. It did take me longer to read than usual, but I imagine that had more to do with my mindset than the content itself (my therapist literally banned me from reading it for several weeks because I was not in the right headspace and it was causing me additional stress) I particularly enjoyed the section regarding compassion vs empathy, For me, the highlight was the three R's...iykyk.
The one standout of this book over the others books/articles/all the things I've read is the focus on emotional intelligence. And I was hitting myself in the head for not seeing the connection sooner. Hone your EI skills + you're less likely to suffer from burnout. Ta-da! I know it seems like I am being sarcastic, as that is my primary language, but I'm not. I was floored when I stepped back and thought to myself "Why has no one worded it this way before?" Many of the techniques are the same as I've read elsewhere, but looking at it through the EI lens just made something click for me. Here's hoping it does for you too!
This is a topic I have been geeking out over as of late, not just because I am suffering from burnout but also because students are lacking the resiliency of those who came before them when it comes to all things stress management. Listen, this isn't always a bad thing. I envy this generations ability to set and hold boundaries...but either you have that skill or you don't, and there is no in between. So I have been a search for tools that will not only help me recover from a burnout cycle I have been in for nearly two years, but may prevent students from dipping their toes into the burnout pool.
That said, nothing I read was earthshattering. I marked it up, in aaaalllll the colors, and took notes. There are some techniques I plan to try out over the summer months so that *if* they work for me, they are engrained habits by the time the Fall semester rolls around. I really appreciate Wiens' writing -- it is interesting, straightforward but also laidback; overall, easy to follow and enjoyable. It did take me longer to read than usual, but I imagine that had more to do with my mindset than the content itself (my therapist literally banned me from reading it for several weeks because I was not in the right headspace and it was causing me additional stress) I particularly enjoyed the section regarding compassion vs empathy, For me, the highlight was the three R's...iykyk.
The one standout of this book over the others books/articles/all the things I've read is the focus on emotional intelligence. And I was hitting myself in the head for not seeing the connection sooner. Hone your EI skills + you're less likely to suffer from burnout. Ta-da! I know it seems like I am being sarcastic, as that is my primary language, but I'm not. I was floored when I stepped back and thought to myself "Why has no one worded it this way before?" Many of the techniques are the same as I've read elsewhere, but looking at it through the EI lens just made something click for me. Here's hoping it does for you too!
June 26, 2024
Summary:
The book discussed that how emotional intelligence can combat or prevent it. Specifically, how increased awareness, both self-awareness and social awareness, and practicing regulating techniques can help deal with stressors in the workplace, and in everyday life, of course. Shifting your view of stressful situations to a time when shifting your view of stressful situations to a challenge rather than a threat takes dedication. But once you've mastered this skill, burnout will take a backseat in your life, leaving you free to reach your full potential. Be empowered by knowing that emotional intelligence is a learnable trait, and that with proper practice, you can both heal from and avoid burnout in the first place. If you've already got burnout immunity yourself, congratulations. And if you're just starting on the journey of building emotional intelligence, best of luck. You've got this. Keep in mind that even with emotional intelligence and healthy coping mechanisms in place, sometimes life truly throws more at us than we have the capacity to deal with. If you find yourself facing significant change, even positive change, that leaves you feeling overwhelmed with stress, cut yourself some slack, prioritize regenerative self-care, and reach out for help.
The book discussed that how emotional intelligence can combat or prevent it. Specifically, how increased awareness, both self-awareness and social awareness, and practicing regulating techniques can help deal with stressors in the workplace, and in everyday life, of course. Shifting your view of stressful situations to a time when shifting your view of stressful situations to a challenge rather than a threat takes dedication. But once you've mastered this skill, burnout will take a backseat in your life, leaving you free to reach your full potential. Be empowered by knowing that emotional intelligence is a learnable trait, and that with proper practice, you can both heal from and avoid burnout in the first place. If you've already got burnout immunity yourself, congratulations. And if you're just starting on the journey of building emotional intelligence, best of luck. You've got this. Keep in mind that even with emotional intelligence and healthy coping mechanisms in place, sometimes life truly throws more at us than we have the capacity to deal with. If you find yourself facing significant change, even positive change, that leaves you feeling overwhelmed with stress, cut yourself some slack, prioritize regenerative self-care, and reach out for help.
June 26, 2024
I am starting grad school soon and was a bit worried about how I would handle it since I had some issues with managing life+academics in college. I did a lot of inner work towards the end of college and afterwards which I think will allow me to better succeed in grad school, but nonetheless I was still nervous about starting an academically rigorous course load. So, when I saw this book at my local library I figured I'd check it out. It took me a while to get through (I don't find non-fiction as interesting as fiction) but I found it to have some extremely good points. I also like that it focuses on preventing burnout instead of treating it since frankly, like most illnesses/injuries, it's easier to prevent than to treat (although there is advice on recovering from burnout as well). That being said, I wanted to develop some tools to keep myself from getting burned out in grad school (and beyond). I haven't done the workshops in the book yet, but I plan to in the coming weeks. I suppose I won't know how helpful the advice in this book will be until I'm actually in the throes of it all, but I'm glad I read it and I do plan on incorporating some, probably most, of the advice from this book into my life.
October 29, 2024
"Burnout, if nothing else, is clarifying. Once you experience it, you know what does and does not work for you, and what you’re willing to sacrifice for work and what you are not. Even if you don’t hit bottom (...) burnout insists that you face what you can no longer ignore, deny, pretend, or put off: something must change."
" (...) no one is immune to stress, but everyone can acquire burnout immunity."
" (...) excessively worried, pessimistic, cynical, a lack of interest in things that once engaged you, low self-esteem, a lack of control, overwhelmed, anxious, sad, discouraged or demoralized; you experience stress dreams; you begin relying on unhealthy coping mechanisms (...) to lower stress or “numb out.” (...) You find yourself more irritable with colleagues and loved ones; you’re experiencing more conflict; you’re less tolerant of others’ mistakes, shortcomings, or learning curves; you’re more argumentative, less willing to engage in teamwork, less willing to listen to others’ input; you avoid people; you’re simply not enjoying time with other people like you once did.(...)You find that you can’t focus or concentrate (...) "
This book is very well written, has plenty of examples and techniques to help you identify burnout and work towards avoiding it's claws.
" (...) no one is immune to stress, but everyone can acquire burnout immunity."
" (...) excessively worried, pessimistic, cynical, a lack of interest in things that once engaged you, low self-esteem, a lack of control, overwhelmed, anxious, sad, discouraged or demoralized; you experience stress dreams; you begin relying on unhealthy coping mechanisms (...) to lower stress or “numb out.” (...) You find yourself more irritable with colleagues and loved ones; you’re experiencing more conflict; you’re less tolerant of others’ mistakes, shortcomings, or learning curves; you’re more argumentative, less willing to engage in teamwork, less willing to listen to others’ input; you avoid people; you’re simply not enjoying time with other people like you once did.(...)You find that you can’t focus or concentrate (...) "
This book is very well written, has plenty of examples and techniques to help you identify burnout and work towards avoiding it's claws.
April 23, 2024
This is the best book on managing stress I have ever read. Kandi Wiens' writing is clear, compelling, and easy to read, even when the concepts she is covering are very complex. What I particularly appreciated was that the model for managing stress and avoiding burnout is based on sound research. Too many books are heavy on trendy opinions, light on science-not Burnout Immunity. The author's guidance for dealing with (inevitable) stress is excellent-- again grounded in research and actionable. I feel that I can actually diminish stress and improve my life if I follow her direction. The information on the impact of stress, how to use my own self awareness to manage it, and the chapter on control are particularly good! I highly recommend reading this excellent book.
April 23, 2024
Not only will this book inoculate you against burnout at work, it gives you insight, context, and skills to manage challenges in relationships and situations anywhere. The exercises are thoughtful and interesting, the research is informative, and the tone—I love it! Kandi writes with warmth, compassion and levity (which helps such a serious topic feel manageable and hopeful). The stories (hers and others—especially Chief Luna) make me feel connected and reassured. What's staying with me most is managing my emotional investment in work, the servant-leader mindset shift, and reimagining. This book left me feeling buoyed up, self-aware/educated, and grateful.
June 27, 2024
Where was the book when I was struggling at my workplace?
Jokes aside, I think the book is useful for those who at least acknowledge that burnout is real.
Instead of giving out a manual on how to recover from workplace stress physically, the book guides us to practice and improve our emotional intelligence (EI), which apparently is learnable.
I don't believe I have learned anything new from the book other than the EI concept but it still comes handy when you have experienced or are experiencing burnout first-hand.
Jokes aside, I think the book is useful for those who at least acknowledge that burnout is real.
Instead of giving out a manual on how to recover from workplace stress physically, the book guides us to practice and improve our emotional intelligence (EI), which apparently is learnable.
I don't believe I have learned anything new from the book other than the EI concept but it still comes handy when you have experienced or are experiencing burnout first-hand.
August 25, 2024
My takeaways:
- Attitudes are contagious, even/especially positive attitudes. Try to surround yourself with positive people and exhibit positivity yourself
- It's important to find work that aligns with your values. Journaling about your daily activities and how they connect with your values can create benefits, including long term ones
- Find good regulation strategies (ex: mantras "breathe in confidence, breathe out worry")
This might be a good book to revisit before starting grad school to set some intentions for the upcoming years
- Attitudes are contagious, even/especially positive attitudes. Try to surround yourself with positive people and exhibit positivity yourself
- It's important to find work that aligns with your values. Journaling about your daily activities and how they connect with your values can create benefits, including long term ones
- Find good regulation strategies (ex: mantras "breathe in confidence, breathe out worry")
This might be a good book to revisit before starting grad school to set some intentions for the upcoming years
October 19, 2024
This was a quick read that offered clear definitions of burnout and how to overcome burnout through emotional intelligence. It was much like many other self help books about the power of positive thinking, but it very well may resonate with readers who are desperate to feel hope.
November 12, 2024
I had high expectations for this book. Naur. Reading this book was like nails on a chalkboard the last 30%. I dont know how many more times I could read “improve emotional intelligence to lower risk of burnout” gee thanks, mate.
April 23, 2024
I deeply enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn how to avoid burnout and build resiliency!
May 7, 2024
Thought provoking and reminded me of values I should strive to put into practice for a sustainable career.
July 27, 2024
Good book with insightful recommendations for burnout!
September 8, 2024
Bab ini membahas pentingnya menemukan tujuan, membangun hubungan bermakna, dan menjunjung nilai-nilai dalam pekerjaan untuk mencegah burnout.
October 20, 2024
What an atrocious book. Horrific that this book is printed. Waste of paper.
The author seems to love droning the same thing over and over and over. Absolute garbage.
The author seems to love droning the same thing over and over and over. Absolute garbage.
July 23, 2024
2 1/2⭐️, really too long. I think a checklist would’ve been more effective for this ADHD brain.
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