Beyond Burnout: Understanding Workplace Trauma

Photo by Mizuno K

I have to be honest— I have issues with the term burnout. 

I’m not suggesting that burnout isn’t a real and pervasive issue. It is. Many of us are grappling with the demands of capitalism, rising costs, failing systems, and the never-ending quest for work/life balance. In one way or another, we are all exhausted. 

We recognize burnout when we can no longer function as quickly or effectively as we once did. When we find ourselves disconnected, brain fogged, or constantly feeling stressed. The physical and emotional effects are damaging, and they can impact our personal lives and relationships. 

When navigating burnout, self-care and rest are often viewed as the remedy. It is placed on the individual to push through their depleted state and somehow reignite their passion. 

The issue with this, though, is that for some, self-care alone isn’t enough to recover.

Photo by Iulia Mihailov

Now more than ever, we recognize that our wellbeing at work is not just a luxury, but a necessity. We have experienced toxic workplace cultures, ineffective leadership, and the burden of unfair expectations and unpaid labor. For some, like Anna Sebastian Perayil and professors Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey, Joanne A. Epps, and Dr. Orinthia T. Montague, this level of stress and overwork has led to their untimely deaths. 

We need to call this experience what it is–trauma. 

Workplace trauma, like other forms of trauma, is characterized not only by the recounting of a series of events but also by the impact it has on your well-being and your sense of safety. While someone may be experiencing physical and emotional exhaustion from work-related stress, workplace trauma can create a prolonged state of anxiety and depression. Both things can happen simultaneously however, workplace trauma may have additional effects including intrusive thoughts, hypervigilance, avoidance, self-blame, and guilt.

Workplace trauma can lead us to question our inherent worth, causing us to grieve an identity we held on to, a life we aspired to have, and a sense of hope for our future that we fear may never return.  

Photo by Nicola Baers

The source of our grief may not always start at work, but our workplace experiences can resurface feelings of inadequacy, alienation, or our desire for external validation. Consider your relationship to work and productivity. What stories, beliefs, or values shape the way you view work? Some questions to consider are: 

1. What messages did you receive growing up about what it means to be a “hard worker”?

2. What are the unspoken rules you received about success from your family, community or school? 

3. How do you feel in your body when something goes wrong at work?

4. Has anyone ever modeled rest, softness and slowness to you? If not, how has that shaped you? 

5. What brings you joy, purpose, or meaning outside of productivity?

Have you ever faced any challenges at work? Lost a job? Felt like you were treated unfairly? Reflect on how those experiences impacted the way you saw yourself. 

We can begin to feel like we have failed if we are unable to perform well under harsh conditions. We may find ourselves then, in a dysfunctional relationship with work; one in which we ignore our own intuition and boundaries, disregard signs from our bodies, or push through unfair treatment just so that we can survive. 

Even in instances where we decide to leave a harmful work environment, the impact of the experience can be long-lasting. We may find ourselves questioning our decision-making, recounting events, and being critical of our behaviors. This can cause sadness, anger, uncertaint,y and disappointment.

Photo by Sebastian Enrique

Outside of addressing the systemic issues that cause workplace trauma, recovery can look like accepting that the greatest and most important work we will ever need to tend to is ourselves. By reframing our relationship to work, we can create space for a more fulfilling sense of purpose and develop an identity that isn’t dependent on what we can produce or do for others.

Some ways to reclaim your sense of identity are: 

1. Affirm that you are not your job: identify what other roles you have, what your interests are, who you matter to, and what your vision for your life is outside of work.

2. Reflect on your relationship with work: explore what held stories, beliefs, or experiences have shaped your relationship with work.

3. Take time to feel your feelings: grief isn’t linear. Acknowledge what may come up for you as you process your experiences. Be patient with yourself and try being curious about what these feelings may mean to you.

If you want to reevaluate what’s important to you and seek clarity on your values and how you want to express them at work. I am holding a workshop called Beyond Burnout – an 8-week series to reconnect with your body, reclaim your agency, and reimagine who you are beyond productivity. Click here to register and join us on this journey.