Demoralization isn't the same as burnout

I read a very helpful article this morning: Teacher Demoralization Isn't the Same as Teacher Burnout.

Says the article: "It is worth distinguishing teacher demoralization from burnout. Teachers' ongoing value conflicts with the work (demoralization) cannot be solved by the more familiar refrain for teachers to practice self-care in order to avoid exhaustion (burnout). Demoralization occurs when teachers cannot reap the moral rewards that they previously were able to access in their work. It happens when teachers are consistently thwarted in their ability to enact the values that brought them to the profession." (my emphasis)

Without detracting from the very real and pervasive issue this is for teachers right now, I found this to be a useful distinction that resonated for me and also provides a useful lens for looking at workplaces in general.

Much of Co-Creating Inclusion's work is in the non-profit sector or in industries that are very mission-driven, such as architecture, where the idea of doing "good work" (white saviorism aside) will resonate. I think it is why it is particularly painful and, yes, demoralizing when you are hired to do a job and then punished for doing it, especially when it was the opportunity for creating a positive impact that attracted you to the job in the first place.

There are times when I feel energized despite feeling exhausted - I am energized by the opportunity to make an impact, despite being burned out, and I can also operate on relatively little sleep.

At other times, I feel exhausted, and getting more rest doesn't seem to really help or feel like what I need. It feels like depression, but I think it is (in my case) less a clinical state and more a reaction to obstacles that are getting in the way of me being to enact my values and create the kind of impact I know I can make. That's demoralization.

The article doesn't give much in the way of solutions, but it does say something we often talk about and practice - that the first step is to acknowledge the reality of the current situation.

I've been feeling a lot lately that as DEI consultants and advocates we are asked to stand in front of a forest fire, and we have the knowledge, skills, and ability to put it out, but we don't have the right resources. We’re standing in front of a forest fire with a fire extinguisher.

No wonder it feels demoralizing!

It helps to name it.

The article ends by saying we can intervene with a question - "What do you need to do good work right now?"

This is similar to a question we often ask, which is - "What do you need to do your best work?" People often get hung up with "best," which does suggest a quantitive rather than qualitative approach, so maybe we'll change that.

Either way, focusing on needs is a good way of connecting to values and agency. It doesn't let systems and institutions off the hook for creating change so that people can have what they need to do good work, but it also doesn't rely on others for creating change either.

So, what do you need to do good work right now? What do your people need?

Self-coaching for DEI Advocates and Leaders

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Banner photo by Hoach Le Dinh on Unsplash.