By Staff Writer: Cyrena Nielsen
“Raise your hand if you’ve asked yourself ‘How much more do I have to do before I’ve done enough? How much of myself do I have to give? How smoothly do I have to polish myself before I can move through the world without friction?”
-Emily Nagoski, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
The other night, I was watching a few episodes of “Only Murders in the Building.” A show my mom has been begging me to watch since it aired in 2021. After agreeing that Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez make a great trio, I started realizing how much time was being wasted. “30 minutes per episode?! That’s so much time being taken from me”, I thought to myself, even though I was thoroughly enjoying the time being wasted. Then it hit me…I am on the course for a case of burnout.
Burnout is becoming more and more of an issue each year. With the need to constantly move forward in a capitalist society, we are reminded all around us that our productivity defines our worth. Almost as if the time we put into the world is our currency for just being here.
In current trends, burnout has become a societal trendy topic for celebrities to talk about the weird cocktail of medications they are prescribed or week-long yoga retreats that cost enough to pay several months rent in NYC. Trendy websites run by millionaire women telling me if I use whatever product they’re shilling, my problems will be solved and the stress will melt away.
Burnout is increasingly common for younger generations. Feeling the need to go even further to prove ourselves. Leaving little time for rest and putting energy towards things that
make us happy, we stop showing up for ourselves and allow the burnout to creep in. You tell yourself you’ll go to the gym tomorrow or finally grab drinks with friends you haven’t seen in a month but when tomorrow comes, you say you can’t find the time to set aside.
There’s an outdated saying that if you find something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. To find a job you love is a luxury not many people have access to, especially in the age of mass layoffs and low pay. It also overlooks that jobs we enjoy can give us burnout because we find ourselves coming down with imposter syndrome.
I would tell you to get some sun today or finally make it to that gym class you’ve been wanting to try but you’ve heard it all before. You’ve scrolled wondering why you can’t catch up or why you feel like you’re failing. You haven’t failed. You can’t fix a systemic issue on your own or with a spa night.