How Mindfulness Helps Beat Burnout

[Originally posted to Psychology Today on 22 August 2024]

In the first part of this series Escape the Burnout Trap: How Mindfulness Can Help, we explored what mindfulness is and how it works. Now, let’s dive into the next question: How does mindfulness support burnout recovery?

Mindfulness has proven to be a valuable tool in addressing and alleviating burnout symptoms. Numerous studies across various professions and organizational settings have investigated its effectiveness. Most mindfulness interventions utilize mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), delivered through group settings, individual sessions, online platforms, or face-to-face interactions. The majority of these studies have found that mindfulness can:

• Reduce stress

• Improve burnout symptoms including emotional exhaustion (EE), cynicism, depersonalization, and professional efficacy/sense of achievement.

• Increase self-compassionfirst part of this series

• Enhance feelings of satisfaction derived from helping others

• Improve job satisfaction

• Reduce mental distress

• Decrease physical complaints related to stress.

• Enhance overall well-being

• Increase emotional resilience

• Reduce ruminative thinking and improve cognitive flexibility

Supporting Research

A 2023 study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that employees who engaged in regular mindfulness practices reported lower levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, key components of burnout. This study concluded that mindfulness-based interventions effectively increase emotional resilience and reduce stress.

Another study from 2022 highlighted that mindfulness improves cognitive flexibility and reduces rumination—both of which are critical in preventing and addressing burnout. By fostering a non-judgmental awareness of one’s thoughts and feelings, mindfulness helps individuals break free from the cycle of overthinking and stress.

The Role of Organisational Responsibility

While mindfulness is a potent tool for individual well-being and stress management, it’s crucial to recognise that it is not a cure-all for burnout, particularly in workplace settings. Organisations must acknowledge that mindfulness interventions alone cannot address the systemic and structural issues contributing to employee burnout.

Organisations have a responsibility to support employee well-being, which they can do by taking these key steps.

• Address excessive workload: Ensure workloads are manageable and realistic.

• Provide adequate support: Offer resources and support to employees to help them manage stress.

• Set realistic expectations: Avoid setting unrealistic goals and deadlines.

• Promote work-life balance: Encourage practices that support a healthy balance between work and personal life.

Mindfulness should be part of a broader strategy that includes policies and practices aimed at addressing the root causes of workplace stress. By combining mindfulness with efforts to create a supportive and inclusive work environment, organizations can better support employee well-being and prevent burnout.

In the next part of our series, we will explore various psychotherapies that incorporate mindfulness, each offering unique approaches to enhancing mental health and supporting burnout recovery. 

References

Kim, S., & Hunter, S. (2023). Can brief online mindfulness programs mitigate healthcare workers' burnout amid the COVID-19 pandemic? Mindfulness, 14, 1930-1939. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-023-02175-8

Moyano, N., et al. (2021). Burned or engaged teachers? The role of mindfulness, self-efficacy, teachers and students' relationships, and the mediating role of intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness. Current Psychology, 42, 11719-11732. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-021-02433-9