How a planner can help you stay on track with your studies
Between studies, assignments, paid work, volunteer work, sporting commitments, social life… is it any wonder things that student life can feel overwhelming? Here’s how to use your a study planner to organise yourself.
3 simple tips to organise your student life using a planner
By Joyce Chong
Student life can be pretty hectic. Sure, studying may be the main focus of student life, however there’s so much more going on including assignments, labs and projects; preparing for tests; volunteering/extra-curricular activities; paid work; family commitments; social commitments; and placements / practicums. When your commitments are that varied it’s also important to look after your physical health and psychological wellbeing so you can make it through the academic year!
With so much on your plate, it’s too easy to drop the ball, forget things, or even feel just overwhelmed. Importantly, this is not a sign of failure to thrive and adapt, just a sign that you might need a system to help you better juggle all of your commitments.
So today, we’re going to lift the lid on three simple tips for using a planner to organise your student life. You can use any planner (you might have a student planner lying around) though we’ve used our Productive Life Planner which has specific sections for projects (or goals) and managing your wellbeing. Let’s deep dive into how a planner can help.
TIPS TO ORGANISE YOUR STUDENT LIFE USING A PLANNER
Below we 3 tips for using a planner to help organise your student life that you can action today. These will give you a good starting point. Let’s see how using a planner can help Ali (whom you may recall from Planet Burnout).
Ali is a conscientious student, who spends every waking moment studying. However, the pressure he places on himself leads him to feel overwhelmed and he procrastinates as a result. Predictably, burnout creeps in at the end of semester and Ali barely has enough fuel in the tank to get through exams. He often feels like a failure.
Tip #1. Set UP A STUDY PLAN, GOOD HABITS, + HELPFUL ROUTINES
Groundwork is everything when it comes to succeeding, and as part of this try setting up a study plan with these questions:
What deadlines do you have for assignments? Work backwards from this point, breaking down all of the steps involved in completing and submitting these assignments. Add these to your planner.
What plan do you have for studying for the final exams? Break down your topics and schedule time to regularly summarise, review, and test yourself throughout the semester (don’t leave it up to cram in the study break just before exams!).
What habits support your studies? We’re talking physical and psychological habits that help you stay focused and on track with studies. It could be exercising, journaling, meditating, catching up with friends. All of these take time, so be sure to include them in your schedule so you can see your commitments over the days/weeks/months.
Once you see everything that is on your plate it becomes easier to set boundaries with yourself based on the available time that you have for that ‘quick coffee’ or ‘social media break’.
Ali, whilst prioritising his studies, has not taken into account the importance of physical and psychological habits that help him stay on track. He endeavours that this semester will be different, and aims to include exercise and self-care for sustainability in his studies. He could start off by:
Given Ali has a tendency to spend any available time studying, it will be best to first schedule in self-care activities. Thus he (i) Blocks out 3 x 30min blocks each week in his planner for exercise; (ii) Sets aside 30 minutes at the end of the day before sleep to wind down, practice mindfulness and journal (iii) Each fortnight he also prioritises his appointments with his psychologist to work through his perfectionism; and (iv) On alternate fortnights he sees friends.
With the remainder of his time he is able to devote it to his studies, and maps out upcoming assignments, tests, and exams.
Tip #2. TRACK THE THINGS THAT HELP YOU STAY ON TRACK WITH YOUR STUDIES.
Why should you track? Because tracking allows you to identify patterns in your study techniques and how you manage your physical and psychological health. We’re looking for patterns such as:
Studying for certain topics are easier at certain times of the day.
Being more likely to succeed with exercise habits when a friend is involved for accountability than when left to exercise on your own.
A few days consecutive days of feeling stressed primes you to experience heightened anxiety and panic symptoms.
Having all of this data allows you to make powerful decisions when it comes to making changes that work (see the next section!), thus enabling you to be more efficient.
Since Ali has a tendency to focus exclusively on studying (leading to burnout), a priority for him would be tracking how well he sticks to habits that benefit his physical health and psychological wellbeing (see example below in pink). He also uses a daily planner to track his schedule for the day, outline his Top 3 Priorities for the day, and other tasks on his To Do list.
Tip #3. Review how you’re going + make changes to re-ALIGN.
When planning doesn’t go according to plan, don’t give up! All of that information you’ve tracked gives you insight into how to make changes to realign and stay on track with your studies.
Maybe you tried to study a challenging topic at a time when you were most tired, and would be more likely to grasp the content if you studied it at a time when you were more alert;
Maybe what you’d planned to take on for exercising took far too much effort and coordination (e.g. stand up paddleboarding) and instead it would help to choose a more flexible and portable option (e.g. walking); or
Maybe you were underestimated how long tasks took, which led to feeling overwhelmed at your progress, in which case adjust your time frames to be more realistic when setting your schedule.
Maybe planning doesn’t come naturally until you schedule in some regular time each week/day to engage in it.
The point is - don’t give up. All setbacks provide insight into why something didn’t work.
Having tracked his student life for a good month, Ali looks back on the data he has collected and identifies that he is likely to fall behind with his wellbeing habits when there is little accountability. Thus, he decides to exercise with a friend, and sets up a reward system for himself.
Looking over what Ali tracked for his productivity and performance, he recognises that he underestimates how long things take (e.g. summarising a chapter) which can easily lead to feeling demotivated and thus procrastination when time frames blow out. As a result, Ali ends up allowing more time for each task.
Following these adjustments, Ali reviews again after another fortnight and sees there have been some improvements. It also reveals some additional changes that he can make regarding how he organises his student life.
These 3 simple tips are a good starting point to help you organise your studies using a planner. Importantly, it takes time to get into a rhythm and pattern that suits your student life, so don’t feel discouraged if it takes several iterations to find a flow that suits you.
And if you’re interested in learning how to improving study skills, why not check out Nimble Noodle, our online study skills program?
You can also book in with one of our psychologists for a more tailored approach to organising your student life.
Low Self-Esteem: Body Image + Eating Disorders
How are self-esteem, body image, and eating disorders related?
LOW SELF-ESTEEM: BODY IMAGE + EATING DISORDERS
by Annie Malcolm (updated 1st February 2022)
This week as part of our month of self-love, we’re taking a look at body image and self-esteem.
So why is body image relevant to self-esteem? Well it is relevant only for some people. For some, the way they look has very little with how they value themselves. For others, their body and how it looks is almost the only thing they use to determine their worth.
WHAT DETERMINES YOUR SELF-ESTEEM?
Self-esteem simply refers to a person’s evaluation of his or her own worth, and everyone’s self-esteem is based on a list of things that seem important to him or her.
One person’s list might look like this:
How smart I am
What kind of job I have
How much money I make
How hard I work
Another person’s list might look like this:
How pretty I am
How fit I am
How many friends I have
Whether I have a boyfriend/girlfriend or not
What does your own list look like? Take some time to reflect on those things on which you anchor your self-esteem.
GETTING RUNS ON YOUR BOARDS…
Having low or high self-esteem isn’t just about figuring out what’s on your list. It’s also about how well you think you are doing with each item on that list.
Imagine two people have the same list – the one at the top. If intelligence, a good job, money and hard work are your yardsticks, and you happen to have just earned a degree and landed a great job, you will probably feel pretty good about yourself.
But imagine all these things are important to you, and you’ve just been made redundant, and are finding it hard to get a new job. The way you think and feel about yourself would be very different.
So different people use different yardsticks to measure their worth. And self-esteem is based firstly on what you use to judge your own worth, and how well you think you are doing with it.
Now maybe what we were saying about body image makes more sense. For some people, their body image might be positive or negative, but it has little impact on their self esteem because physical appearance just isn’t that important to them. For others it is hugely important, and will make or break how they feel about themselves overall.
BODY IMAGE + SELF-ESTEEM
Today our focus is going to be on those people who are unhappy with their bodies, and who also see physical appearance as being very important. That’s actually a pretty big portion of the population. As part of this, we are bombarded daily with images and messages that tell us what a “perfect” body looks like, and how important it is to try to attain it.
Indeed, when we look throughout history, an ideal body image has been championed for women to aspire to. Back in the Victorian era, women were driven as far as having ribs removed to create the perfect “wasp” shaped waist. Even further back, in medieval times, arsenic was swallowed as a way to improve the complexion.
In recent decades, however, there has been a strong drive towards thinness as an ideal. For instance, the weight of models appearing in Playboy, and Miss America pageants has been tracked from 1959, and shows a steady decrease[1], and alarmingly the Body Mass Index (BMI) of over half of these women would meet the BMI criteria for an eating disorder.
The message to be thinner is targeted primarily at women, and for many women is a significant factor in the development of a poor body image. Disturbingly, for females especially, this poor body image starts early in life. In Australian adolescent girls, body dissatisfaction sits at 70% and is ranked as one of the top items of concern for adolescents[2].
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF POOR BODY IMAGE?
So if there is a fair portion of the population for whom body image is important, and who also have negative views of their body, what are the consequences? Well some of the consequences can be positive. If a person has poor body image and is actually overweight, this may motivate them to start exercising, or adopting other healthy lifestyle habits.
However, there are negative consequences too. If a person has a poor body image regarding an aspect of their body that they cannot change, rumination over their dissatisfaction can lead to low mood, frustration, hopelessness, a worsening of their self-esteem, and depression.
Self consciousness about the body can lead many to unhelpful avoidance techniques – either going to great lengths to change or disguise the body, or an avoidance of social contact itself, in the hope of dodging the imagined criticism and judgement of others. Over time, avoidance like this can lead to isolation and a loss of social support.
BODY IMAGE AND EATING DISORDERS
Another potential risk for some people who suffer poor body image and low self-esteem is that of eating disorders. Sometimes an eating disorder can begin with seemingly harmless changes. A person who is a little overweight resolves to do something about it and starts to restrict their eating.
Slowly the weight comes off, a boost to their body image and the compliments of those around them make them resolve to restrict even further. The goal posts change as the initial target no longer seems enough, and so dissatisfaction with the body returns or grows. Control of what food gets put in the body takes on more and more importance, and the thought of eating a “bad” food, or skipping an exercise session causes unease, even fear.
Clearly, eating disorders are not a widespread consequence of poor body image, however it may be more widespread that you think. Between 1995 and 2005 the rates of disordered eating behaviour in Australia doubled for both males and females.
Eating disorders currently affect around one million Australians[3].
Around 15% of women will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime. Eating disorders as associated with other mental health issues - around 64% of individuals with an eating disorder also experience anxiety, 45% to 86% experience depression, and 58% experience a personality disorder.
The mortality rate when it comes to eating disorders is 12 times above that for individuals without eating disorders, and recovery will take an average of 7 years. For those who do recover, there are often permanent health consequences[4]
HOW TO HELP YOUR BODY IMAGE ISSUES
So what can we do? Well if you recognise some of the signs of restrictive eating or of eating disorders as outlined above, the best thing to do is to seek help. Go to a family member, a friend, your GP, speak to a psychologist, reach out in whatever way feels possible for you.
What if you don’t quite have the symptoms of an eating disorder but recognise that you have poor body image, low self-esteem, and want to avoid going down that path? Well, there are several things which psychologists call “protective factors”, or things you can focus on to help protect you from a poor body image spiralling out of control.
Protective factors include a supportive family which does not emphasise weight and appearance, a family which eats meals together, a social network that includes more than one group of friends, a focus on achieving academic challenges, good assertiveness and problem solving skills and an acceptance of the diversity of different body shapes and sizes[5].
Finally, want some more general tips to improve body image and self-esteem? Then consider these six steps:
1. Focus on the things you like about your body.
2. Remind yourself that no one is as critical about your body as you are. The people around you probably have things about their own bodies they are just as self conscious about.
3. Be a critical consumer of media. Remember many images are touched up and unrealistic.
4. Don’t compare yourself to others - we were all born with different bodies.
5. Would you judge someone else’s worth based on his or her weight or appearance? If not, why do it to yourself?
6. Remember that your physical appearance is just one of the things that make you who you are. Every time you hear some self criticism about your body, remind yourself of one of your strengths.
So if you’re one of those people with a poor body image try to ease up on yourself today. Remember your body is breathing, walking, talking, thinking, digesting and sleeping for you every day – it’s a pretty amazing thing, so enjoy it!
If you’d like assistance with self-esteem, body image, and problematic eating, why not Contact us to make an individual appointment?
REFERENCES
[1] Wiseman et al. “Cultural expectations of thinness in women: an update” International journal of eating disorders, 11, 85 – 89. 1992.
[2] Mission Australia Youth Survey 2013. https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/publications/research/young-people?start=10.
[3] The National Eating Disorders Collaboration. (2012). An Integrated Response to Complexity – National Eating Disorders Framework 2012. http://www.nedc.com.au/files/pdfs/National%20Framework%20An%20integrated%20Response%20to%20Complexity%202012%20-%20Final.pdf.
[4] Sullivan, P. (1995). Mortality in Anorexia Nervosa. American Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 1073-1074.
[5] Shisslak, C.M., & Crago, M. (2001). Risk and protective factors in the development of eating disorders. In J.K Thompson & L.Smolak (Eds), Body image, eating disorders, and obesity in youth: Assessment, prevention, and treatment (pp.103-125). Washington, D.C,: American Psychological Association.
Low Self-Esteem: The role of social comparison
Do you compare and then despair? Read on to learn how social comparison drags down your self-esteem.
LOW SELF-ESTEEM: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL COMPARISON
(updated 1 February 2022)
by Joyce Chong
In this series on low self-esteem we will be looking at how we have different domains of self-esteem in our post on body image and eating disorders, and we've also blogged about how our self-esteem can be stable or fluctuate in response to events.
Today we’re looking at how the process of social comparison impacts on self-esteem. We briefly talked about social comparison some time ago in our post on at the ways in which social media hurts our self-esteem, but let’s take a closer look at the relationship between social comparison and self-esteem.
SOCIAL COMPARISON: TO WHOM DO WE COMPARE OURSELVES?
To recap, social comparison refers to a tendency to evaluate ourselves against others, and we may compare ourselves to others across many domains including work performance, our marks in our studies, how much money we earn, the types of possessions that we have, how popular we are, how good at sport we are, and also how we look.
When we make comparisons, there are different types of comparisons that we may make[1], however we will focus on two that have been studied particularly in the area of self-esteem – upward and downward comparisons.[2]
Upward comparisons involve comparing ourselves to someone whom we view to be better than us in that particular domain. Thus, that may mean comparing ourselves to the employee of the month, the best student in our class, or the most popular person in our social circle.
In contrast, downward comparisons involve comparing ourselves to those whom we feel perform worse than us in that domain. Thus, we may compare ourselves to someone who performs worse than us or is less popular than us.
Research tells us that the lower our self-esteem, the more we tend to compare upwards [3], however the downfall is that this typically leads to feeling worse about ourselves – in other words, it is an unhelpful cycle. Let’s take a closer look at how comparing upwards may play out in our everyday thoughts:
AT WORK Why did she get the project over me? It’s because she’s so much better at her job than I am even though we’ve been working here for a similar number of years. I must be incompetent.
IN SPORT Look at his stats, they’re amazing and to think that he has only been training for six months. I’ve been at it for 18 months and I’m far worse than him. Why do I even bother if I can’t produce similar times?
WITH OUR FAMILIES Look at the Joneses, they have kids that sit politely and eat their meals quietly at a restaurant. Why do we have to have the rowdy kids?
WITHIN OURSELVES Just look at that photo of her, she looks so amazing. Ugh, I’m so frumpy in comparison. Why do I bother making an effort when I’ll never look like that?
That said, not everyone who makes upward social comparisons ends up feeling worse, and some people use upward social comparisons to motivate themselves to do better. Take, for instance, someone who aspires to run faster and compares himself to the best runner that he knows. This may motivate him to look at the best runner’s technique and preparation, using this as an opportunity to improve on his own technique and preparation.
So, what determines whether we feel better or worse when we make upward comparisons? The perception of how much control we have over changing our circumstances appears to an important factor[4]. If we think that we have the means, ability, and capacity to change then we’re more likely to see the end goal within our reach. If we don’t think that you have the means, ability, or capacity to change then we’re more likely to feel down.
CUSHIONING THE IMPACT OF UPWARD SOCIAL COMPARISON
If comparing ourselves to others is something that we naturally do, how do we cushion the negative impact that social comparison has on our self-esteem?
One strategy is to look at how we think about the situation, and rather than accept the status quo, look at what we can learn from it or develop a more realistic picture of the situation. Taking the same scenarios of our thoughts above, we can look at these situations differently:
AT WORK I may be bummed that she got the project rather than me, but I also know that she has specialised knowledge in that particular area and therefore was the more suitable choice for that project. I specialise in other areas that have led me to working on other projects, however if I want to I can think about reading up in her area of specialisation.
IN SPORT His stats look really good, maybe I can ask him what his training regime looks like and have a look at ways to tweak mine to improve my times.
WITH OUR FAMILIES Their kids have excellent manners, but I know that manners have been consistently drilled into them from very early on. It may take some time and effort on our part, but if we’re prepared to start consistently reinforcing manners at the dinner table in our household, we can head in that direction.
WITHIN OURSELVES Yes she does look amazing in that photo, but I also know that photos in magazines are often the product of careful styling, hair and make-up, and photoshopping. So, while I feel frumpy in comparison I will take what I see with a grain of salt, and focus on getting fitter and healthier to have a better version of my body.
Finally, it’s worth considering why we base our self-esteem on how we compare to others. Another way of thinking about it is to look at self-esteem on a continuum, with one end of the scale being Contingent Self-Esteem wherein our self-esteem is determined by how we compare to others, and the other end of the scale is Non-contingent Self-Esteem or “true self-esteem” where we don’t need validation from external sources, but rather focus on behaving consistently with our ‘core’ self[5].
By focusing less on gauging how we’re going by comparing ourselves to others, and focusing more instead on what guides, us we then set goals because we want to achieve them from a mastery perspective rather than achieving them because it makes us equal to or better than others. That is, the satisfaction we get from achieving these goals isn’t so much from gaining proof that we’re good enough, but rather a sense of satisfaction that we’ve done the job well.[6]
Now, wouldn’t that be a refreshing prospect?
Want more? You can Contact us to make an individual appointment to get started on making changes. You can connect with us face-to-face in Perth, Australia, or via telehealth.
REFERENCES
[1]Wert, S.R., & Salovey, P. (2004). A social comparison account of gossip. Review of General Psychology, 8, 122-137.
[2] Patrick, H., Neighbors, C., & Knee, C.R. (2004). Appearance-related social comparisons: The role of contingent self-esteem and self-perceptions of attractiveness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 501-514.
[3] Richins, M.L. (1991). Social comparison and the idealized images of advertising. Journal of Consumer Research, 18, 71-83.
[4] Wheeler, L., & Miyake, K. (1992). Social comparison in everyday life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 760-773.
[5] Patrick, H., Neighbors, C., & Knee, C.R. (2004). Appearance-related social comparisons: The role of contingent self-esteem and self-perceptions of attractiveness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 501-514.
[6] Kernis, M.H., Paradise, A.W., & Whitaker, D.J. (2000). Master of one’s psychological domain? Not likely if one’s self-esteem is unstable. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26, 1297-1305.
Low self-esteem: How perfectionism sets us back...
Why does wanting to be so good leave us feeling so bad?
LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND PERFECTIONISM
by Joyce Chong
We all recognise signs of perfectionism, whether it is within ourselves or within others. Yes, the constant pursuit of excellence can have its positive side, which we see in high-achieving individuals who set and attain lofty goals.
However, in our work as clinical psychologists we’re all too familiar with the negative side of perfectionism, which has been linked to poor body image and eating disorders, unrelenting standards and dissatisfaction in athletes and competitive sports, burnout, as well as anxiety and depression [1],[2],[3],.
In attempting to look at how perfectionism impacts on self-esteem, let's look at three dimensions of perfectionism[4]:
1. Self-oriented perfectionism where expectations of perfectionism are imposed on the self (e.g. “I should…”)
2. Other-oriented perfectionism where expectations of perfectionism are placed onto others (e.g. “They should…”)
3. Socially prescribed perfectionism where we perceive that others are imposing perfectionism on us (e.g. “Society expects that I should…”).
From the above description of these dimensions of perfectionism, it's easy to see how self-esteem can be affected. Consider the following examples:
Taylor believes that a hallmark of success in life is to excel in every area, that is, “having it all”. She places high expectations on the quality of work that she produces, often working long hours to get the job done so that it is faultless (and thus exempt from criticism). She also believes that she must look perfect and as a result goes to the gym after long hours at work, and follows a very restrictive diet. Taylor also feels that her house should look like it belongs in the pages of a magazine, that she must be the supportive and available friend that she expects her own friends to be, and that she should also be an excellent cook and the perfect hostess because that’s what’s expected nowadays.
Mark works long hours and has a keen passion for sport. Unfortunately, his desire to excel in sport is constrained by his work hours which rob him of the time he needs to train so as to perform at the level that he expects of himself. At the same time, he often has to cut back on overtime in order to meet up with his training buddies. As a result he feels unable to give work or sport 100% of his efforts. His other obligations also frustrate him as he feels that these dilute his focus at work and in sport. With his ‘go hard or go home’ attitude, Mark feels like he’s not excelling in any area of his life, which then impacts on how he feels about himself.
Looking at Taylor and Mark it’s easy to understand how perfectionism can impact on self-esteem when we consider the following:
- A drive for excellence leads to setting (unrealistically) high standards in one or various domains
- Time constraints mean that expending time and effort to excel in each and every single domain is not possible
- The inevitable failure to meet the unrealistically high standards impacts on feelings of self-worth
Thus, we see a picture of individuals whose self-worth and self-esteem are overly reliant on unrealistically high standards that are likely unattainable. This leaves them with regular feedback that they have failed to meet their goals.
So, how do you know if your own perfectionism is damaging your self-esteem? Watch out for these signs:
- Do you have standards that are unrealistically high (relative to others’ standards)?
- Do you base your self-worth on whether you achieve these standards (“If…then…” logic)[5]
- Do you feel like you fail to meet your expectations much of the time?
- If you do meet your expectations, do you then discount your achievements?
- Do you have negative self-talk and unhelpful thinking styles around achievement? (“Not good enough”, “I’m a loser if I can’t get it just right”, “I only did well because it was easy…anyone couldn’t done it”, “If I don’t get a High Distinction on this assignment then I’ve failed”).
MAKING CHANGES TO PERFECTIONISM
In working with perfectionism we often find that there is great reluctance to shift unrealistically high standards because of a belief that doing this is the same as failing. However, it’s helpful to reflect on the costs that may result from having such unrealistically high standards:
Is performance in other areas suffering because you focus all of your time and energy on one area?
Is your physical health suffering because of these high standards? Do you fail to listen to your body because in order to be the best you have to suffer and ‘push through the pain’?
Are your mental health and wellbeing suffering because of your perfectionism? Do you feel stressed, anxious, or depressed because of continually trying to meet your high standards?
Are your relationships suffering because of your pursuit of your own standards, or because you impose your unrealistic standards on others? Are you taking time away from nurturing relationships because you must constantly use that time to focus on achieving?
How can you help yourself? Let’s look at a few simple strategies to get you started:
Re-examine what you base your self-worth on. If it is only on achieving goals, and your goals are set so high that you’re unlikely to achieve them, then is it possible that you’re actually setting yourself up to continually feel bad about yourself?
Check your thoughts around effort and goal-attainment to see if they’re realistic. Do you believe that you will only succeed at a job if you devote 100% of your time and effort to the task? If so, you’re likely to run into problems if you expect to do jobs perfectly in all areas of your life (hello, competing demands!).
Alternatively, are your achievements discounted once you’ve attained them because if you can do it then it mustn’t be that difficult in the first place?
Develop realistic expectations and standards to work towards. No, you’re not lowering your standards; you’re developing realistic ones that you can reasonably attain.
Aim for sustainable excellence rather than perfection. Putting 100% effort in for 100% of the time towards a goal that is unlikely to be reached (or if it does, the goal posts then shift further away) sounds like a recipe for burnout. Having to take a break or ease off to restore and recharge yourself will then take you even further away from your unrealistic goal, and likely increase your feelings of frustration and failure.
Finally, a word about making changes when it comes to shifting perfectionism – given that perfectionism can be entrenched, it can be unrealistic and counterproductive to expect that change should happen instantly. Learning new skills to overcome longstanding ways of thinking and behaving takes time and practice, and slip-ups are to be expected. If you find it hard to shift your perfectionism, speak to a mental health professional to help keep you on track with your progress.
Contact us to make an individual appointment if you find that perfectionism is affecting your self-esteem.
REFERENCES
[1] Egan, S.J., Wade, T.D., Shafran, R., & Antony, M.M. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of perfectionism. New York: The Guilford Press.
[2] Koivula, N., Hassmen, P., & Falby, J. (2002). Self-esteem and perfectionism in elite athletes: effects on competitive anxiety and self-confidence. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 865-875.
[3] Philp, M., Egan, S.J., & Kane, R. (2012). Perfectionism, over commitment to work, and burnout in employees seeking workplace counselling. Australian Journal of Psychology, 64, 68-74.
[4] Hewitt, P.L, Flett, G.L., & Ediger, E. (1995). Perfectionism traits and perfectionistic self-presentation in eating disorders attitudes, characteristics, and symptoms. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 18, 317-326.
[5] Baldwin, M.W., & Sinclair, L. (1996). Self-esteem and “If…Then” contingencies of interpersonal acceptance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 71, 1130-1141.
Low Self-Esteem: Thoughts + Thinking Styles
Is your self-talk dragging your self-esteem down? Here’s how thoughts and thinking styles leads to low self esteem
WHAT IS LOW SELF-ESTEEM?
by Joyce Chong (updated 1st February 2022)
Many of us may be familiar with the concept of low self-esteem, but what does it really mean? Essentially, it refers to having a less-than-favourable opinion of yourself. Self-esteem can be considered from different angles [1], including:
Your global or trait self-esteem (how you generally feel about yourself across most situations),
Evaluations of yourself in specific domains (for example how you feel about your performance at work versus how you feel about yourselves as a worthy partner or even your level of body-confidence),
Your self-worth in response to events.
The messages that you hear over the years - from a young age via parents, teachers, other students at school, colleagues, partners - all serve to shape your self-esteem. Some of these messages may then be internalised, and form your internal dialogue, talking at you even when you don’t want them to. This unhelpful self-talk can be ever-present, or sit in the background until a setback (e.g. negative performance review, perceived criticism) causes it to flare up again.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF LOW SELF-ESTEEM?
Low self-esteem has a really long reach, affecting linked with many of the issues that we see in our work as psychologists. Consider how it presents in the following circumstances:
Social anxiety + low self-esteem
When you feel bad about yourself, any situation in which you may potentially be evaluated can cause significant anxiety. This can lead to avoidance of parties, gatherings, tests, classes, meetings - the list of situations seems endless. In turn, this can lead to loneliness - even if you wish to form a connection your anxiety stops you from relating to others in a genuine manner as all you can think about is what they think of you.
PERFECTIONISM + LOW SELF-ESTEEM
Feelings of inadequacy can push you to adopt a perfectionistic coping style as you try to be ‘good enough’ so that you appear faultless. This can manifest in different ways, for example:
Spending an excessive amount of time working on an assignment until it seems ‘good enough’.
Catering for a function to such a high standard so that others will form a favourable impression of you.
Acting in ways that others will be in awe of your achievements.
Unfortunately this type of coping can easily lead to burnout as you attempt to prove yourself worthy.
DEPRESSION + LOW SELF-ESTEEM
It can be hard to see a positive future when you don’t feel good about yourself. You may find yourself holding back, not attempting things that you think won’t turn out in your favour, then feel bad about your situation. Low self-esteem can really affect your quality of life because of these constraints, and in turn, your mood.
BODY IMAGE, EATING DISORDERS + LOW SELF-ESTEEM
Self-esteem can be determined by a range of factors, but for some, an overemphasis may be placed on body weight and shape. Where there is a drive for thinness, and the belief that losing weight is linked to feeling good, body image issues and even eating disorders may arise. Learn more about the link between low self-esteem, body image, and eating disorders here.
RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMs, ASSERTIVENESS + LOW SELF-ESTEEM
Self-esteem can lead to issues within your relationship including problems asserting yourself because you don’t believe in your own rights. You may doubt your wishes, assume that you are incorrect, and find it hard to cope in situations of conflict.
WHAT DO THOUGHTS AND THINKING STYLE HAVE TO DO WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM?
Individuals with low self-esteem often hold the core belief of “I’m not good enough”. In the various areas of their lives these thoughts may take on a slightly different form, for example:
In relationships and friendships, low self-esteem may lead you to think that you aren’t important enough or special enough to deserve your partner or friends, or that you will lose loved ones if they knew the real you. As a result, you may hide your true self, instead moulding your personality and taste to suit others.
At work you may worry that you’re not clever enough or good enough at your work if passed over for a promotion. Or, you may worry that you’re not smart enough or talented enough in comparison to others. These may then create a relentless pursuit of achievement, leading burnout.
Thinking styles help reinforce the ‘not good enough’ thoughts found in low self-esteem[2]. Some time ago we blogged about Thinking Styles that sabotage mental health here. Let’s take a closer look at how these may apply to you when it comes to low self-esteem.
NEGATIVE FILTER Any small negative outcome affects your view of entire events - you may focus on a small slip up even though the rest of the presentation went extremely well.
DISCOUNTING THE POSITIVES Here, anything that you did well in fails to shift your opinion of yourself. So, if you did well on a project you brush it off as something anyone else could’ve done, or if someone compliments you it’s seen as them taking pity on you. In fact, discounting the positives is commonly seen in Imposter Syndrome.
EMOTIONAL REASONING When you feel down about yourself you treat these feelings as facts. For example if you feel inadequate in response to some feedback on a report you wrote, you may interpret this as evidence that you’re a failure.
PERSONALISATION You automatically assume things are your fault and discount the contribution of external factors, or you shoulder far more responsibility for outcomes than is justified. So, while you may have had a disagreement with a friend, you assume that it is entirely your fault, and ignore how their role in the disagreement.
SHOULDS + MUSTS By setting rigid standards for yourself with little wiggle room, you set yourself up to fail or feel disappointed. This may take the form of believing you must work in a particular profession, be of a certain weight, dress a particular way, have a certain number of followers, earn a particular income…the list can be endless. Set these standards too high and you set yourself up for likely failure and the inevitable blow to your self-esteem.
LABELLING Here you view your mistakes to be due entirely to stable internal qualities (i.e. it’s you!), without taking into consideration the situation. So, rather than recognising you didn’t do well at soccer because you’re out of practice, you label yourself as clumsy and useless. By telling yourself that the reason why things don’t work out is because of stable, internal qualities, will that give you a sense that change is possible?
MIND READING Assuming that others think the worst of you is something that people with low self-esteem commonly experience. The difficulty is that treating assumptions as facts means you’re not likely to look for evidence that disconfirms your belief.
HOW TO SHIFT UNHELPFUL THINKING STYLES IN LOW SELF-ESTEEM
Sometimes when you hold a mirror up to yourself it can be daunting to see how entrenched your thoughts and thinking styles are. The challenge of changing these entrenched thoughts and thinking styles can also be quite daunting. Let's break it down by looking at three lines of questioning to get you started:
Where did the messages come from? What was your earliest recollection of feeling this way about yourself? Do these messages still apply in your life today?
Have there been any examples, however small, that contradict how you see yourself? For example, if you believe that you're a terrible student, cast your mind back - have you ever received positive feedback?
What thinking styles are at play? Are you reinforcing your negative self-view by tuning out positives? Are your unrealistic expectations setting you up to feel bad about yourself? Are you assuming what others think of you to be true without stopping to check if your thoughts are accurate?
Make a start on changing how you see yourself using the above questions. If you’re after a more tailored approach and would like to make an appointment (in Perth or via telehealth) feel free to contact us.
REFERENCES
[1] Brown, J.D., Dutton, K.A., & Cook, K.E. (2001). From the top down: Self-esteem and self-evaluation. Cognition and emotion, 15, 615-631.
[2] Edelman, S. (2003). Change your thinking. ABC Books.
Positive Psychology: 5 Key Concepts (and how journalling helps with intentional practice)
Boost your wellbeing and resilience with Positive Psychology. In this article we look at 5 key concepts in the field of positive psychology, and how journalling can help you achieve better wellbeing.
Positive Psychology: 5 Key Concepts (and how journalling helps with intentional practice)
By Giulia Villa
“Curing the negatives does not produce the positives.” opined Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology. With this, Seligman started a movement - and a refreshing detour from traditional psychology by turning our focus away from fixing negatives to maximising positives - to become more resilient. Specifically, those skills used to ‘fix’ our unhappiness differ from those that enable us to become better, more resilient versions of ourselves. Key concepts such as the three routes to happiness, PERMA/PERMAH, strength and values, grit, and gratitude, have found their places in our psychological toolkits. And if there’s anything that the Covid pandemic of the past 18 months has taught us, it’s that we can’t predict the challenges and setbacks that life may throw at us – resilience is key for us to thrive under difficult circumstances.
Positive psychology provides not only a framework, but also outlines behavioural interventions for a happier, more satisfying life. In this article, we highlight five key concepts of positive psychology, look at evidence regarding the effectiveness of psychological interventions, and examine how you can stay focused on the positive psychology track.
5 key concepts in positive psychology
1. The three types of happiness
The concept of happiness is perhaps viewed as synonymous with positive psychology, and the exemplar of positive emotions. Seligman proposed that there are three paths to achieving happiness. The twist is: they are not all equal. The first path, or level, is the Pleasant Life. We all have things that bring us happiness in the moment: that delicious slice of cake, sleeping in to avoid work, a few (maybe too many) drinks with friends. However whilst these bring us pleasure in the short term, the instant gratification we get from the Pleasant Life does not necessarily translate long-term happiness.
This brings us to the second type of happiness - the Good Life. We pursue happiness through this path by being engaged in what we do. We become engaged and live the Good Life when we frequently use our strengths and virtues in our day-to-day life. Engagement might look like being passionate about your work, building your personal relationships, or pursuing new hobbies.
The ultimate path to happiness is the Meaningful Life. We can lead a Meaningful Life when we use our strengths and character traits to serve a cause or purpose that is bigger than us. There is no singular cause that will be important to everyone, so infusing our life with meaning involves reflecting on what really matters to us.
To learn more about the 3 types of happiness head on over to this article.
2. PERMA/PERMAH
Another important concept in Positive Psychology is that of PERMA, which are the five building blocks of resilience and wellbeing identified by Seligman - Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment. Let’s refresh these five components before we introduce the latest building block. In brief:
Positive emotions are important for resilience and wellbeing. In the moment, we can increase positive emotions by simply choosing to do things we enjoy. Practicing gratitude is a great way to feel more positively about the past and future.
We experience Engagement when we are fully immersed in an activity that requires our strengths, skills, and focus.
Intentionally investing in positive Relationships gives us purpose whilst building a protective tool against our own struggles.
We can all live a life filled with Meaning by working towards a purpose that is bigger than ourselves.
We gain a sense of Accomplishment by achieving goals that are important to us.
The latest research in positive psychology has expanded this model to add a sixth determinant of wellbeing: physical Health. We can break this down into three pillars:
Movement Recent research shows that those who exercise regularly are less likely to suffer from mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.[1] Physical activity can reduce stress, boost mood and improve self-esteem.[2]
Healthy diet What we eat impacts how we feel not only physically but mentally. Alongside reducing the risk of chronic disease, a balanced diet can improve mood as well as cognitive function. A population study found that consumption of fruit and vegetables was the most consistent predictor of mental wellbeing.[3]
Sleep It’s challenging going about daily life under a cloud of tiredness, let alone try to improve ourselves. A lack of sleep can leave us feeling cranky and struggling to concentrate (hello brain fog). On the other hand, being well-rested is associated with positive emotions and having purpose – which we already know is key to achieving a Meaningful Life![4]
Learn more about the relationship between physical health and psychological wellbeing.
3. Strength and Virtues
So far, we have mentioned using your strengths to live an engaging and meaningful life, but it can be challenging to look inwards and know what these strengths are. Seligman and his colleague Peterson developed the Values in Action (VIA) Character Strengths Survey, comprising 24 character strengths categorized under six overarching virtues (Wisdom and knowledge, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence).[5]
In a similar vein to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is used for classification and diagnosis in traditional psychology, the VIA provides a framework to empirically assess and classify positive traits.
The VIA Strengths survey helps identify particular strengths, and by frequently applying and working on these strengths we are able to thrive and flourish.
Dr. Niemic from the VIA Institute on Character encourages us to be mindful and reflect on the role of our strengths in our lives: what strengths do we use when we are at our best? What about to overcome our struggles? We may notice that we have gravitated towards job opportunities, study paths, or hobbies which call on our strengths. Setting goals involving identifying strengths we wish to use more often, and integrating it into our daily routines. The more we practice tapping into our strengths, the more likely they are to become part of our routines and increase meaning and satisfaction in life. Head here for some great articles on how to harness strengths on a daily basis.
4. Grit
Grit is defined as passion for, and perseverance towards, long-term goals. It’s what keeps us going in the face of challenges. Research has found that grit is a greater predictor of success than other measures such as IQ and conscientiousness.[6] Not only do grittier people experience more success, they are also more resilient and find it easier to bounce back from adversity.
Unlike IQ, which remains relatively stable throughout adulthood, we can actually work to improve our own grit through intentional practice. Becoming ‘grittier’ requires a shift in mindset, involving examining those beliefs that hold us back, those beliefs that lead us to give up on things when we feel frustrated, or those that stop us from attempting a challenge out of fear.
Increasing grit involves crafting a balance between maintaining effort and interest. By varying mindset, seeing challenges and setbacks as learning opportunities, and incrementally stepping in the right direction, grit can be strengthened.
5. Gratitude
The practice of gratitude is not just the latest fad taking the wellness world by storm. Being grateful is a great way to amplify the effects of what is going ‘right’ in our life: a key tenet of positive psychology. In fact, the very act of expressing or receiving gratitude triggers the release of “happy” neurotransmitters in our brain: dopamine and serotonin.[7] These chemicals help us feel good and tap into those positive emotions, which we know are essential for wellbeing. The key to strengthening these neural pathways is to make gratitude a habit. To increase the likelihood of success, anchor gratitude practice to everyday tasks. Some examples of this are:
Jotting down a gratitude list whilst on the train to work.
Ending each day by naming three good things that happened that day, for example by journalling.
Writing a thank you message to a friend after spending some time with them.
How does positive psychology apply to real life?
Does positive psychology have the potential to trigger long term positive change? Let’s take a look at the evidence. For many, the workplace is an environment that conjures stress and anxiety. With the additional weight of the pandemic on our shoulders, it is no surprise that 63% of workers are experiencing decreased mental health due to workplace changes.[8]
To learn more about causes of burnout at work, check out our previous blog posts Early Career Burnout: Part 1 – Personal factors and Early Career Burnout: Part 2 – Workplace factors. Alongside addressing the personal and organisational factors mentioned in these articles, research suggests that positive psychology plays an important role on workplace performance and wellbeing. Positive psychology interventions in the workplace, such as gratitude diaries and capitalising on individual strengths, are linked to reduced stress and burnout amongst employees.[9]
Positive psychology is not just for adults. In schools, intervention programs based on positive psychology concepts have been successful at improving relationships and academic performance whilst reducing stress levels and symptoms of anxiety and depression in students.[10][11]
How journaling helps you practice Positive Psychology
So far, we have learnt about the key concepts in positive psychology and the effectiveness of positive psychology. But how can we maintain regular practice in order to reap the benefits of positive psychology in daily life? The answer: Intentional practice.
Intentional (or deliberate) practice aims to bring awareness and intent to all components of the to-be-implemented change. This means being mindful of the “what” and the “how”. Start by asking the following questions:
What is the desired outcome?
What behaviours need to be practised to achieve that outcome?
How will these behaviours bring about the desired outcome?
Resilience can be built through the intentional practice of evidence-based wellbeing interventions [12] in much the same way as deliberate practice helps with learning, skill acquisition, and expert performance in a wide range of areas (e.g. athletics, musical performance, etc.). Thus, for all of the 5 key concepts of positive psychology covered above, intentional practice can be applied in the following ways:
Positive emotions can be amplified through our intentional choice of activities that make us feel good.
A regular conscious practice of gratitude teaches us to intentionally focus on the positive sides of an experience.[13]
The intentional choice of activities in which we can express our strengths brings meaning and satisfaction to our lives.
One simple way to engage in intentional practice is via guided journalling, which is easily accessible to anyone. Journaling has been shown to improve psychological wellbeing and stress management.[14][15] It’s a highly portable activity that does not require significant planning, and the act of journalling gives you time to focus on enhancing your wellbeing.
Committing to journaling regularly, and in a guided manner to focus on the principles of positive psychology, can help you reach your goals and boost your wellbeing. It can be as simple as journalling about the positive aspects of your day, about a positive memory, or things that make you happy. Make a start today, and start journalling your way to improved wellbeing and resilience.
If a more structured approach is what will help you stick with the task, why not try guided journalling? Check out My Happy Place, a 30-day positive psychology-based journal with guided prompts.
If you’d like a tailored approach to building up your resilience and wellbeing reserves, why not contact us to make an appointment and get started?
REFERENCES
[1] Kandola, A. A., Osborn, D. P., Stubbs, B., Choi, K. W., & Hayes, J. F. (2020). Individual and combined associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and grip strength with common mental disorders: a prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank. BMC Medicine, 18(1), 1-11.
[2] Mikkelsen, K., Stojanovska, L., Polenakovic, M., Bosevski, M., & Apostolopoulos, V. (2017). Exercise and mental health. Maturitas, 106, 48-56.
[3] Stranges, S., Samaraweera, P. C., Taggart, F., Kandala, N. B., & Stewart-Brown, S. (2014). Major health related behaviors and mental wellbeing in the general population: The health survey for England. BMJ Open, 4(9).
[4] Steptoe, A., O'Donnell, K., Marmot, M., & Wardle, J. (2008). Positive affect, psychological well-being, and good sleep. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 64(4), 409-415.
[5] Peterson, C., & Seligman, M.E.P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. New York: Oxford University Press and Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
[6] Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087.
[7] Zahn, R., Moll, J., Paiva, M., Garrido, G., Krueger, F., Huey, E. D., & Grafman, J. (2009). The neural basis of human social values: evidence from functional MRI. Cerebral Cortex, 19(2), 276-283.
[8] Relationships Australia. (2020). COVID-19 and its effects on relationships. https://relationships.org.au/what-we-do/research/online-survey/AprilSurveyReportRelationshipsAustralia3.pdf
[9] Meyers, M. C., van Woerkom, M., & Bakker, A. B. (2013). The added value of the positive: A literature review of positive psychology interventions in organizations. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 22(5), 618-632.
[10] Shoshani, A., & Steinmetz, S. (2014). Positive psychology at school: A school-based intervention to promote adolescents’ mental health and well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(6), 1289-1311.
[11] Waters, L. (2011). A review of school-based positive psychology interventions. The Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 28(2), 75-90.
[12] Kaye-Kauderer, H., Feingold, J.H., Feder, A., Southwick, S., & Charney, D. (2021). Resilience in the age of COVID-19. BJPsych Advances, 27, 166-178.
[13] Emmons, R. A., & Mishra, A. (2011). Why gratitude enhances well-being: What we know, what we need to know. In K. M. Sheldon, T. B. Kashdan, & M. F. Steger (Eds.), Designing Positive Psychology: Taking and Moving Forward (pp. 248-262). NY: Oxford University Press.
[14] Dimitroff, L.J., Sliwoski, L., O’Brien, S., & Nichols, L.W. (2017). Change your life through journaling – The benefits of journaling for registered nurses. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 7, 90-98.
[15] Pastore, C. (2020). Stress management in college students: why journaling is the most effective technique for this demographic. (Unpublished Honours thesis, State University of New York, New York). Retrieved from https://soar.suny.edu/handle/20.500.12648/1512
Early career burnout - Part 2: Workplace factors
Burnout is on the rise, and it’s disproportionately affecting millennials, Gen Zs, and those in the early stages of their career. Read on to learn what workplaces can do to help.
EARLY-CAREER Burnout (Pt 2: workplace factors)
by Giulia Villa, Fel Donatelli + Joyce Chong
EARLY CAREER BURNOUT – A REFRESHER
In case you missed it, our last article was a primer on early career burnout and those individual factors that increase the risk of suffering from this affliction. To refresh:
Early career burnout refers to the work-related state of mind comprising exhaustion, distancing from one’s work, and decreased personal achievement [1] affecting new graduates.
Burnout is affecting millennials at a higher than average rate compared to the general population (84% vs. 77%), resulting in higher levels of turnover according to a survey on burnout conducted by Deloitte.
The proportion of Gen Z experiencing burnout is catching up to Millennials, with this in part attributable to the Covid-19 pandemic that saw the lines between work and play blurred even further, as well as removing office-based social networks as a coping strategy.
Individual factors that lead to early career burnout include constant connection to work (no) thanks to technology, a fear of failure and negative feedback, as well as mindset, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism.
Looking at individual factors in burnout sheds light on only one piece of the puzzle. Critically, workplaces shape conditions that lead new graduates down the path of burnout. In this second part of our series on early career burnout, we look at those organisational factors and see what actions workplaces can take.
Organisational factors in early career burnout
Various organisational factors contribute to early career burnout, and it’s helpful for workplaces to consider how they can promote better wellbeing to buffer against it.
Job characteristics and design
The overall environment of a workplace is a major contributor to the wellbeing of every employee. Burnout has been linked to excessive workload, inadequate compensation, lack of community and absence of administrative support [2] . More specifically, the following job characteristics are believed to contribute to burnout:
Low autonomy and job control where an employee does not have much independence or influence in their role.
Low role clarity where an employee has low understanding of their role and responsibilities.
Subjective overload where the expectations of the workplace exceed the employee’s capabilities.
Optimising job design means crafting a balance between keeping the employee engaged and benefitting the organisation. The presence of low autonomy/job control, low role clarity, or subjective overload, all pose a risk to employee motivation and satisfaction. Indeed, job characteristics are more likely to predict burnout than individual factors, suggesting that job re-design is the most effective way to prevent burnout.
Onboarding processes: Lack of adequate support, training, and socialisation in the role
Commencing a new role is fraught with confusion and uncertainty. Questions fill the heads of new graduates - what will my colleagues be like? What does my future have in store? What’s expected of me? Indeed, a lack of role clarity is most frequently observed as ambiguity in relation to:[3]
How their job performance will be evaluated.
Whether there are paths for career progression.
What is the scope of the responsibilities.
The expectations of others.
This confusion about their role is just another thing for new starters to worry about and in fact has been linked to higher stress levels and emotional exhaustion.[4] A good understanding of the job description and the relevant duties and responsibilities is crucial to ease the anxiety and inadequacy often experienced by new graduates. It is important to inform new starters of all things relating to their role as part of their onboarding process.
Sometimes, new graduates face a culture of ‘learning by osmosis’. However, a lack of adequate support, training, and socialisation as part of an onboarding process, can contribute to individuals feeling overwhelmed early on in their career. This can lead to feeling underprepared for the role, and inadequacy and frustration can set in thereafter. A lack of socialisation with peers into the role may mean new graduates struggle to assimilate into the role.
Flexible work practices and ever-evolving technology breeds the ‘always on’ culture
Even before COVID-19’s arrival we were witnessing an increasingly blurred boundary between work and play due to technology and flexible work practices (in fact, take a look at this article on constant connection contributing to burnout amongst millennials ). Smartphones and laptops have revolutionised the way that we work; their portable nature means we can essentially always be ‘always on’. Notifications and alerts can lead to overwhelming ‘telepressure’: the feeling that you have to respond to any email as soon as it arrives[5] .
If the separation between work and play wasn’t already challenging enough, the global pandemic transformed traditional ideas of what can constitute a workplace. Many companies opted out of physical office spaces indefinitely in favour of working from home, whilst others were in prolonged lockdown and forced into a more permanent state of blurring the boundaries between work and home lives.
Unfortunately for those commencing their careers just before, or during the pandemic, working from home early in the piece meant missing out on structured formal onboarding processes as well as the informal, ad hoc collegiate support that emerges from being co-located. Put simply, it meant that some new graduates were left to navigate the overwhelming world of their new career from the solitude of their home.
Organisational culture
Workplaces play a pivotal role through their culture, so is your organisational culture building graduates up or burning them out? Organisational cultures that expect high performance and value output above all else, reinforce maladaptive perfectionistic behaviours, emphasise constant connection with the expectation of immediate replies to emails sent all hours of the day, and disparage errors made upon first attempt, are environments that may contribute to burnout.
Certainly, organisations hiring graduates are aware that they are in the early stages of their career, thus careful consideration should be given as to how to support them through this process through a combination of setting expectations in relation to a learning and feedback culture, as well as communicating realistic work practices and performance expectations.
Tips for organisations
Given the importance of the workplace in fostering burnout or sustainable work practices amongst new graduates, how can organisations better support those in the early stages of their careers?
1. NURTURE A SUPPORTIVE ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
Getting an organisation’s culture right is critical as it serves to support new graduates early on in their career. Ways to promote a positive organisational culture include:
Hiring the right leaders who practice intentional leadership styles who will promote a culture of support and sustainability across the employee lifecycle and emphasise realistic work practices as well as valuing the idea of failing forward. The standards and behaviours imposed by leaders trickle down to affect all employees, greatly influencing organisational culture. Transformational leaders, who engage and motivate employees to enact the change they want to see, have been shown to decrease burnout by improving job satisfaction, performance and personal accomplishment.[6][7]
Actively discourage leaveism, or the practice of working when one is not supposed to be working, including using annual leave, sick days, or weekends to catch up.[8] This may include limiting access to technology and encouraging ‘proper’ time off. Discourage long working hours and constant connection as badges of honour, and instead stress the responsibility of employees to look after themselves to enable optimal performance when they are at work.
Model realistic work practices and work/life balance, particularly in high performance cultures. It’s important for early career individuals to get an idea of how to step into this next phase of their lives, and how to set boundaries around work so that they have time to recuperate and focus clearly the next day.
Have a culture of learning and foster a feedback culture insofar that a new graduate is expected to not know the answers, to make errors, and to fail and these are all viewed as a necessary part of career development. Emphasise the value that new graduates can bring to the organisation. A rigid feedback culture can foster feelings of frustration and hopelessness in new hires. The ability to give feedback is an important component of any employee’s job control and engagement, which we know can be a predisposing factor for burnout.
2. HIRE NEW GRADUATES FOR ‘BEST FIT’ AND CHECK IN REGULARLY
Organisations that hire on the basis of school grades fail to consider if a graduate will be a good fit for that particular role. Developing capability frameworks and success profiles means that organisations are aware of what it takes to succeed in the roles they are hiring for. This cascades down to the hiring process, and incorporating psychometric assessment to match job characteristics to new graduates can not only reveal who may be the ‘best fit’ for the role, it may also reveal areas for an employee’s development and potentially reduce turnover.
Once hired, it’s important to check in on a regular basis with graduates particularly on those aspects known to contribute to burnout (autonomy, job control, role clarity, workload) and make adjustments to their role where indicated.
3. INVEST IN YOUR LEADERS (and, in turn, your culture)
Leadership plays a vital part in your organisational culture.[9] Leaders set the tone for their team in terms of expectations for performance, they can motivate them towards high performance and cohesion, and in doing so weather challenging times.
There are factors that contribute to good leadership, and by investing in the development of their leaders organisations are investing in better organisational culture. Perquiro outlines these factors in their A BRAVE Leader model, identifying these qualities as critical to good leadership:
Authentic leaders have a strong understanding of their own values and act with integrity.
Balanced leaders remain calm in challenging situations and are open to feedback.
Rational leaders use logic to guide decision making, are consultative, and check their own assumptions.
Action-oriented leaders act promptly and demonstrate accountability.
Visionary leaders communicate the organisation’s vision and invests in building collective goals.
Empathetic leaders show genuine care and concern for others.
4. SEEK ASSISTANCE
In much the same way that we would encourage individuals to reach out and seek help if they’re experiencing burnout, organisations would be well-placed to call in consultants to look at their overall culture, as well as their hiring and onboarding processes, and how these facilitate or buffer against burnout in their team and, particularly, their new graduates.
A blend of organisational design and workplace consultants (such as our organisational psychology arm Perquiro) and clinical and registered psychologists that focus on workplace mental health (that’s us!) can help set your organisation on the right path through helpful work design, appropriate recruitment practices, and equipping employees with the right tools to help them manage their own wellbeing.
Early-career burnout getting you down? Grab our tip sheet below to learn more about how to help yourself.
REFERENCES
[1] Maslach, C., Schaufeli, W.B., & Leither, M.P. (2001). Job burnout. Annual Review in Psychology, 52, 397-422.
[2] Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2008). The truth about burnout: How organizations cause personal stress and what to do about it. John Wiley & Sons.
[3] Handy, C.B. (1976). Understanding Organisations. Penguin, Harmondsworth.
[4] Jackson, S. E., Schwab, R. C., & Schuler, R. S. (1986). Towards an understanding of the burnout phenomenon. Journal of Applied Psychology 71, 630-640.
[5] Peake, M. (2015, July 10). Do you have early career burnout? Friday Magazine. https://fridaymagazine.ae/life-culture/people-profiles/do-you-have-early-career-burnou-1.1547679
[6] Lowe, K. B., Kroeck, K. G., & Sivasubramaniam, N. (1996). Effectiveness correlates of transformational and transactional leadership: A meta-analytic review of the MLQ literature. The leadership quarterly, 7(3), 385-425.
[7] Zopiatis, A., & Constanti, P. (2010). Leadership styles and burnout: is there an association?. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
[8] Hesketh, I., & Cooper, C.L. (2014). Leavism at work. Occupational medicine, 4, 146-147.
[9] Mohelska, H., & Sokolova, M. (2015). Organisational culture and leadership – joint vessels? Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 171, 1011-1016.
How can you counter the winter blues? Check out our tips on how to boost your wellbeing during the colder months.