Jennifer Moss

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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.