Burnout in the time of Covid

[Puget]

Agree, Puget and Caracal meant well and weren't mean-spirited.

I certainly didn't mean to be mean-spirited, and I'm sorry if it came across that way.

I'm all for taking science-supported precautions, but I genuinely worry about people who are unnecessarily limited their life activities and social engagement. I study risk for anxiety and depression, and these are huge risk factors, as is catastrophic thinking in general. I've seen this play out both in our data and among people I know. That's why I think it is so important to follow the science on what the actual risks are, and what actually mitigates those risks, rather falling into a pattern of treating everything as unsafe.

Maybe none of that applies to mamselle, and that's great if so, but I wouldn't want others reading here to get the impression that that the things she is doing are necessary for most people (even very cautious people).

[dr_evil]

Thanks, everyone for the ideas.  I also understand the idea of doing some things that may not really be necessary, but cut down on my anxiety. Unfortunately, one of those things that makes me anxious is going out, which I also need to do to keep from getting down too much. I'm going to have to work to strike a balance.

I'm looking for ideas on something to enjoy about my work again. It seems like so much of the same, so much frustration (students clueless and/or cheating). I have been doing this for quite a while, so maybe I need something new to add to my classes, but not much has changed at this level of Evil Science.

[Caracal]

Thanks, everyone for the ideas.  I also understand the idea of doing some things that may not really be necessary, but cut down on my anxiety. Unfortunately, one of those things that makes me anxious is going out, which I also need to do to keep from getting down too much. I'm going to have to work to strike a balance.

I hope you won't see this as too intrusive, but the problem with anxiety is that it is rarely just totally irrational. Most of us who deal with anxiety worry about stuff that is very real and could happen. What makes it pathological is when the anxiety becomes excessive or obsessive in ways that interfere with functioning and make us unhappy.

Someone with social anxiety may worry too much about how they come across to other people. However, I've met people who do not seem to worry at all about how they come across to anyone else...and those people are huge jerks. The point is that it is totally rational to worry about getting Covid-especially if you are more vulnerable-but that worry could still be a problem. Something like Covid could be especially tricky because the ideas about what is more and less risky have changed pretty dramatically even though there's still a crisis. Eighteen months ago, you had governments actually mandating that lots of people shouldn't leave their house, but most of us see that kind of thing as pretty unnecessary now. Anyway, it might be worth thinking about whether you could talk to a therapist (virtually) not because you seem like you're losing your mind or something, but because balancing risks and managing anxiety is the kind of thing therapy is really good for .

[mahagonny]

I used to relate more to the other mindset, but these days...among other things, thinking that I may live longer than I really want to gives me anxiety. So I go outdoors regularly to have a small amount of risk in my life. Also stimulation. I am older and people depend on me less than before. I have an artistic self-employment career that is satisfying though not in any way vital to the field. As a teacher I am absolutely replaceable. I am arrogant enough to be just as likely to think my employer doesn't deserve my teaching as I am to care about it being missed. Burnout? Sure, some, but every hour worked is billable. There's something to be said for compartmentalizing your life.

[AvidReader]

Thanks, everyone for the ideas.  I also understand the idea of doing some things that may not really be necessary, but cut down on my anxiety. Unfortunately, one of those things that makes me anxious is going out, which I also need to do to keep from getting down too much. I'm going to have to work to strike a balance.

I don't know where I saw this. It may well have been these fora, in which case you may also have seen it, but I've found https://www.microcovid.org
a useful tool for gauging the risks of certain activities, obviously imprecisely. Some of the variables make a huge difference and might help you think about modifications that would make certain forms of going out lower risk.

I hope you find a good balance and that you find something that sparks your interest in research again.

AR.

[Wahoo Redux]

I'm hoping someone out there might have some suggestions, or just support, as there are probably many that could be helped by sharing ideas.

I am fortunate that I have a wife, and we are companionable, so I am never completely lonely, but we teach and run and we don't go out.

We each have an elderly parent facing serious medical conditions, and this weighs on us. 

I understand your anxiety.

I have the outlet of walking the dog every day.  I walk for 45 minutes or an hour in different parks or the campus and listen to books on YouTube through my phone.  I also play a music instrument, and that helps get energy out.  My wife likes to cook to relax and dispel energy.  We both watch light and happy sitcoms (Everybody Loves Raymond tonight) just to dispel the gloom.

Maybe try to go someplace where you are around people but not in close proximity.  I feel fairly safe in that situation.

Oh, and here's some of this: SUPPORT!!!

Hang in there.  This is actually coming to an end.

[Cheerful]

Thanks for the encouraging and inspiring post, Wahoo Redux.

Wishing support, optimism, and a happy October to all.