The Vicious Cycle of Exhaustion
“When you see an individual who's suffering from imposter syndrome, they're more likely to burn out. And the folks who are burned out are more likely to be suffering from imposter syndrome."
There have been studies and surveys that link impostor syndrome to burn out. It appears to be a vicious cycle. One cognitive neuroscientist, Dr. Sahar Yousef put it this way,
“When you see an individual who's suffering from imposter syndrome, they're more likely to burn out. And the folks who are burned out are more likely to be suffering from imposter syndrome."
This quote immediately stuck out to me, as I have made similar observations in my own life.
Now, I want to be absolutely clear in what I am about to say. This is not backed by studies, surveys, or other scientific approaches. It is simply my own personal observations that I have made, that seem to be supported by medically-back studies that link impostor syndrome to burnout. My observation is that I feel impostor syndrome much stronger when I am emotionally and mentally exhausted.
I don’t usually feel impostor syndrome first thing in the morning. I don’t usually feel it during my morning meetings. But come 3 pm in the afternoon, I am exhausted from emails, instant messages, video calls, and my children screaming at me because I forgot to cut off the crust from their sandwich. It is these moments when impostor syndrome starts to creep in strongly.
Imagine you have a glass cup that is empty. Throughout the day, each time you have to explain yourself to a colleague, you put a tablespoon of water into your cup. Every time you are questioned about your choice of words, or you are asked to clarify yourself, you put a tablespoon of water into your cup. Every time you have to repeat what you’ve said to another person because they did not fully read your email, you put a drop of water into the cup.
Frankly, none of the activities I have listed above should be excluded from your day. Communication is important. Negotiating with various people, getting diverse feedback and experiences is vital to success. But the problem is that as you add drop after drop after drop to your cup, eventually the cup overflows; it can’t take any more. You are emotionally and mentally drained.
It is in these moments where I find I don’t have the will-power or mental capacity to shove any thoughts of impostor syndrome out of my head. I succumb much easier to the thoughts. The vicious cycle then starts. The more I think about the impostor syndrome, the more anxious I get. The more anxious I get, the more exhausted I get. The more exhausted I get, the stronger the imposter syndrome becomes. It goes on, and on, and on.
How do you stop it?
This is where having a plan or techniques in place can help you deplete your cup of water, and avoid or mitigate mental fatigue. If you haven’t already identified your own tips and tricks, then I am here to help you.
Get up and walk around. Getting your blood flowing and your body moving can help to reenergize you and mitigate some of the exhaustion you are feeling.
Soak up some Sun. If you have access to sunshine, get outside for a few minutes. Breathe in the fresh air (if it exists where you live) and soak up some Sun.
Workout. More than just walking around and moving, actually complete a workout. This could be a scheduled run, trip to the gym, or even a few sets of pushups and sit ups right at your desk. My personal favorite is to jump on the trampoline for 5 - 10 minutes.
Media Break. Take some time to do a task that rejuvenates your brain. It could be rocking out to music, listening to a podcast you enjoy, reading a few pages from a book, or watching a quick episode of your favorite show.
Play a quick game. I used to have an app on my phone for my favorite board game - that is until the app stopped being supported. But I could play a game in about 10 - 15 minutes. I would take periodic breaks to play one round, allowing myself to decompress.
There are many more ways that you can deplete the metaphorical water within your cup. You know better than anyone the tasks you can do to reset yourself mentally. Take the time to identify them, and then proactively plan them into your day. You may find that the severity of your impostor syndrome decreases.
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