Going From Burnout to Balance While Managing Multiple Responsibilities

With staff shortages, compounded by immigration policy reviews, and ongoing injuries, many social services workers are feeling stretched thin. So, how do you stay well when you’re overwhelmed?

If you wear multiple hats at work, managing different roles or juggling various jobs, you know the feeling of being stretched too thin. With economic pressures and increasing demands, managing multiple responsibilities often is not a choice. While some individuals may overextend themselves due to self-enhancement biases (e.g., overconfidence),¹ others, especially in the social services sector, are compelled to take on extra tasks beyond their usual duties. This is often driven by staff shortages, funding cuts, or economic necessity. In these cases, being stretched thin is typically beyond your control.

To dig deeper into the experience of managing multiple responsibilities, this article will use Dr. Meg Arroll’s framework, the three-step AAA approach, from her book Tiny T’s to help guide us toward better well-being.²

When you think of stress, you probably imagine the feeling of being overwhelmed. Arroll looks at stress through a different lens, comparing it to the bending of a paperclip. If you bend a paperclip too much, it can’t return to its original shape. It becomes deformed. Similarly, when we experience stress over long periods, we, too, can be “shaped” by it. While our bodies are designed to manage stress, prolonged exposure can lead to physical and mental health issues, much like the paperclip that can no longer spring back to its original form.²

Our bodies are recognizes when stressors are no longer around and will try to return to their original state. But if stress is ongoing, if you’re consistently juggling multiple responsibilities, then your immune system can weaken, leading to chronic illnesses and mental health struggles.

If you have no choice but to be exposed to stressors, the first step is awareness. Pay attention to how stress affects your body, mind, spirit, and emotions. Begin by reflecting on how your body reacts when you face stress. For example, how do you feel when you receive multiple calls or open a bunch of unread emails? Where do these feelings show up in your body? What thoughts come to mind when you face overwhelming tasks?

By becoming aware of your responses, you can start equipping yourself with strategies to manage stress, allowing you to recover and return to your baseline more quickly, much like the paperclip returning to its original shape.²

Acceptance is often the most challenging step because it requires sitting with discomfort. Arroll encourages us to approach the physical sensations of stress with curiosity before trying to soothe ourselves.² Here’s how:

Arroll offers several techniques for dealing with stress. The methods you choose will depend on what works best for you. Here are some immediate relief strategies:²

Download our Quick Reference Guide and keep it on your desk or in places where you tend to feel most stressed for immediate relief.

For long-term stress management, consider these practices:²

Staying well while managing multiple responsibilities is possible. It requires recognition of your responsibility to yourself and your body, along with awareness, acceptance, and action. With practice, these steps can become part of your routine. By maintaining balance and learning to manage stress effectively, you’ll be able to wear multiple hats without burning out. After all, your first responsibility is yourself.