University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
Extinguish Burnout
Book

Extinguish Burnout

A Practical Guide to Prevention and Recovery

Robert Bogue and Terri Bogue
SHRM, 2019
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Well Structured
  • Concrete Examples

Recommendation

Many people are suffering from burnout. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement even calls burnout an epidemic. If you’re among the afflicted, business owner Robert Bogue and clinical nurse specialist Terri Bogue have good news for you: Burnout is curable, and the cure starts with you. In short chapters that you can digest quickly and easily, they provide you with two models – “the bathtub model” and the “perception model” – that help you understand how burnout functions. They also offer a comprehensive collection of practical tips on how to develop skills that help you counter and even recover from burnout.

Summary

Constantly feeling drained, pessimistic and ineffective might be symptoms of burnout, a widespread yet treatable condition.

If you constantly feel drained, pessimistic and ineffective, you might be suffering from burnout. People who are burned out often feel like hollow versions of themselves. They frequently withdraw from others and turn to addictions and acedia – that is, they no longer care for the pursuits they used to enjoy. They think they can’t change their situations and often fall into the trap of “learned helplessness.” According to Gallup, only a third of employees report feeling engaged at work, and two-thirds of full-time workers suffer from burnout. 

To prevent burnout, take charge of your “personal agency.” Think of it as a bathtub you need to fill as demands from the outside drain it. Realizing that your work is making a difference and seeing results can help you increase your reservoir of personal agency. Pour in self-care and support from others. Finally, keep the plug on your bathtub secure by limiting the demands that deplete your personal agency.

Develop a fairer perspective on your results by...

About the Authors

Business owner Robert Bogue and clinical nurse specialist Terri Bogue have written more than two dozen books on careers and technology.

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