Life Stressors Are Different in 2022: How These Three “M’s” Can Help Battle Burnout

Battling Burnout - The "3M Approach"

Throughout history, humans have traditionally dealt with stress in short and complete cycles. We encounter danger, experience a physiologic stress response, and then calm down. 

However, many modern day stressors do not follow this cycle. Instead, they tend to build on each other, many continuing to brew without completion. 

Let's think about what modern day stressors look like for us - We wake up in the morning, and the first thing that we see are notifications on our phone, for example, maybe an important email that we don’t have time to deal with it because we need to get to our work shift.

We start the shift with that email on the back of our mind, and then encounter a critical situation that we didn’t anticipate. We deal with it, and return to our phone ringing, track board notifications, etc. As we work we get behind on notes, and all of these stress cycles continue to brew in the back of our minds. Little by little, we accumulate these little upticks in cortisol. This is why burnout is like “death by a thousand papercuts.” These uncompleted stress cycles just continue to accumulate for days and weeks on end. 

What can we do to help?

A highly effective, researched-backed framework for avoiding burnout is called the 3M framework. It involves actively taking three types of breaks to fully disengage from work stress and restore our energy. And when we say break, it doesn’t mean kicking back and scrolling your phone or sending a quick email. By break, it means true psychological detachment from work. 

Macro breaks: Every month, take a half to a full day off. Consider going out into nature, on a local hike, or a day trip exploring something new. 

Meso breaks: Every week, try to take 1-2 hours to disengage completely. Practice a hobby, play a sport, cook a special meal. 

Micro breaks: Closing your eyes for a 1-2 minutes, a few times a day. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Even taking as little as five seconds for a few mindful breaths has big potential to be restorative. 

I know this is easier said than done, and many times our monthly schedules won’t be able to accommodate, but hey it’s worth a try. By carving out these little chunks of time, you send a message to your brain that no matter what chaos is going on, you’re still here, and you’re doing fine. 

Have a great week,

Dan

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