Burnout
Authors
Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. and Amelia Nagoski, D.M.A.
Subtitle
The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
Quick Facts
Authors: Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
Genre: Wellness, Stress Management, Personal Growth, Women's Health
Published: 2019
Best For: Women, educators, caregivers, leaders, helping professionals, and anyone experiencing ongoing stress, overwhelm, or emotional exhaustion
Core Themes: Burnout, stress, the stress cycle, rest, connection, emotions, expectations, resilience, and well-being
The authors distinguish between dealing with the stressor and dealing with the body's stress response. They also explore rest, human connection, frustration, societal pressures on women, and strategies for completing the biological stress cycle.
What It's About
Have you ever left the stressful situation but realized the stress came home with you?
The meeting ended.
You left the building.
The difficult conversation was over.
You got in your car and drove home.
But your shoulders were still tight. Your mind was still replaying what happened. You were irritated. Exhausted. Maybe you couldn't sleep.
The stressor ended, but your body didn't get the message.
That's one of the ideas that makes Burnout so relevant to the wellness conversation.
Emily and Amelia Nagoski explore the difference between the things that cause our stress and the physiological experience of stress itself. Removing or surviving the stressor doesn't necessarily mean the body's stress response has finished.
The book also looks specifically at the expectations and societal pressures women experience and how continually trying to meet those expectations can contribute to exhaustion and burnout.
For SILWELL-C, that creates an important question:
What are we doing with the stress after the stressful moment is over?
Why We Recommend It
At SILWELL-C, we believe wellness is about more than simply making it through another demanding day.
This book encourages readers to:
Understand the difference between stress and the stressor
Recognize when stress is still being carried after an experience has ended
Learn ways of helping the body complete the stress cycle
Recognize the importance of rest and meaningful human connection
Examine expectations that contribute to overwhelm
Think about burnout as more than simply being tired
The authors discuss several ways people can move through the stress response, with physical activity presented as an especially powerful strategy, alongside breathing, positive social interaction, affection, laughter, and creative expression.
And that connects beautifully with something we've already introduced through our Wellness Quick Tips:
Leaving work and leaving work behind are not necessarily the same thing.
Sometimes your body needs help making that transition too.
Get the BooK
📚 Get your copy on Amazon:
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle on Amazon
You can also learn more about the book through Penguin Random House.
Affiliate Disclosure: SILWELL-C is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Pair It With
🌿 Pair it with:The Burnout Challenge by Christina Maslach and Michael P. Leiter
These two books work especially well together because they examine burnout from different directions.
The Burnout Challenge asks us to examine the conditions surrounding the person.
Burnout helps us understand what may be happening within the person as stress accumulates.
Together, they reinforce an important SILWELL-C principle:
We can support individuals in managing stress while still holding organizations responsible for creating healthier environments.
It should never have to be one or the other.
SILWELL-C Reflection Prompt
“When the stressful moment ends, what am I doing to let my mind and body know that I don't have to keep carrying it?”
