The Truth About Women And Burnout: Self-Care Is A Crock
This article discusses the issue of burnout among women and challenges the notion that self-care is the solution. The author argues that suggesting self-care places blame on individuals when it is actually the organization or workplace that needs to change. Jennifer supports this perspective and calls self-care a "downstream Band-aid" for a problem that requires upstream interventions.
Jennifer talks about the root causes of chronic stress, such as systemic discrimination, lack of fairness, lack of community, and overwork. These issues cannot be solved by simple self-care practices like listening to the rain or doing yoga. Instead, she suggests that workplaces need to make policy and infrastructure-based changes to properly support women. This includes implementing robust paid family leave, equitable maternity and paternity leave, and providing more support for caregivers. Jennifer also emphasizes the importance of encouraging men to take on caregiving responsibilities to alleviate the disproportionate burden placed on women.
The article acknowledges that burnout is a systemic issue, but also offers some immediate strategies for women battling stress. Ashley Margeson, a naturopath specializing in burnout prevention, suggests seeking third-party help to prioritize tasks. This could be a family member, partner, co-worker, or trusted friend who can assist in determining what tasks are most important and what can wait. Margeson emphasizes that running on adrenaline is not sustainable and that individuals need support and a plan to alleviate the physical burden of burnout.
This article challenges the idea that self-care is the solution to burnout among women. Jennifer highlights the root causes of chronic stress and advocating for systemic changes in workplaces. She argues that self-care practices are insufficient and that organizations need to provide more support and create policies that address the underlying issues leading to burnout.