Episode 019 - 3 Stages of "Conservation Burnout" and How to Prevent It From Happening to You!
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Show Notes
- One of my guests said something very interesting about the challenges of wildlife conservation after the recording stopped. He commented on "how heavy and hard this work can be." In fact over the past 19 years since my bachelor’s degree I’ve heard professors, managers, research colleagues, and friends talk about burnout in one aspect or another.
And even if they did not exactly say exactly the word burnout I believe that is what they were all describing.
In this episode I cover the serious topic of Conservation Burnout, why it happens, who it happens too, the three stages a person may experience, and various solutions to prevent it!
*PLUS I've included a $7 hypnotherapy recording to accompany this episode.
A general description of the health of a person, where emotional, mental, or physical overload take place is what I am considering conservation burnout. Burnout as it relates to people working in conservation is the result of an imbalance of time allowed for relaxation, emotional and mental recovery which is needed to keep going.
I think this topic is incredibly important to talk about among the folks working in conservation space. With the heaviness of extinction and climate change looming over our heads, and working as highly dedicated people committing our entire lives to protect wildlife and the world's resources there is no wonder that stress, exhaustion, and burnout will kick in at some point.
We only have so much fuel to burn within our mind and body before we lose our passion. Our bodies require relaxation, play, food, and sleep to keep going. We need a way to reduce stress and truly heal from exhaustion. A place to unplug.
The manifestation of burnout can be prevented if you take proper steps to prevent it. In this episode I share the three stages of burnout and a few ways to prevent it and/or overcome Burnout if it happens to you.
The three stages of burnout are:
- stress arousal
- energy conservation
- exhaustion
AND... The Solutions!
- Envision your body and mind as an ecological sanctuary - where you prepare a sustainability plan, monitor and measure, even record data. Knowing that it is important to take a break, a vacation, and everything you put into the ecological sanctuary is healthy, organic, healing, and enjoyable.
- Take time to throw something away.
- Cultivate a psychological sanctuary or mindful ecosystem to increase your imagination and enhance your creativity.
- Take time to really feel, see, and experience life.
- Take a vacation or sick leave.
- Meditate or do highly-focused hypnotherapy to connect with your life mission or higher purpose.
- It’s ok to keep checking in with what you desire, if you are on track with your life’s purpose and if you need to correct course. The more you focus and manifest your dreams and purpose the more you get what you really want.
- The quote I love is “Tomorrow is the result of your manifestation of today.”
- The more connected to your purpose the more joy you bring into your life and the less likely you are to experience conservation burnout.
- Take a long walk in nature to bring your body and mind back into balance.
- Eat healthy.
- Create achievable goals for yourself.
- Connect with others in conservation.
- Consult a good therapist - be open to all ways/modalities of healing.
