The former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, has won many hearts. Her unexpected resignation recently was really a surprise. We still remember watching her wearing hijab to meet the family members of the terror attack killing 51 people in the two mosques in Christchurch. During the global pandemic coronavirus crisis, she also has taken a bold and early decision to implement close boarder, calling for highest level of lock down restrictions.
Looking at her impressive track records, many wonder what are the untold stories behind Jacinda Ardern’s abrupt resignation. While she did not mention the reason, she has given us enough hints to connect the dots - a “burn out”. In reflecting her resignation speech, she cited that she is no longer has “enough in the tank” and later added that “…I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice...”.
Jacinda Ardern’s story is not an isolated case. The actress Sandra Bullock has taken a similar approach by her announcement to take a break from acting early last year. She openly told the reporters that “….it was like opening up an empty fridge….I’m so burn out. I’m so tired and I’m so not capable of making healthy, smart decisions”.
Is “Burn Out” only happened to the world leaders and celebrities?
According to PwC Malaysia in their report - PwC’s Hopes and Fears Survey 2021, Malaysians are at the risk of burnout as only 28% are able to disconnect from work after working hours. The burn out is amplified by the fine line between the boundaries of work and personal lives. Further, it was revealed that the employees are struggling to cope because their mental and physical well-being have deteriorated. Even worse, only 25% of these employers have helped them to cope with the stress and only 22% were allowed to take short breaks while still working.
In another study of “Burnout and coping strategies among nurses in Malaysia : a national level cross sectional study” by Zakaria, Nursyahda, et al. (2022), the findings concluded that one in every four nurses experienced burnout especially among young, single and childness nurses. The study has called for a large scale and strategic driven initiatives to improve the nurses’ work schedules and post trauma counselling.
Work Stress vs Self Awareness & Courage
Many researchers have argued that “work stress” is one of the significant contributors of burnout. It can affect anyone regardless of job descriptions.
The clear message is that being constantly busy is not sustainable. Certain jobs such as doctors, nurses and even young working parents do not have the luxury to have enough rest which caused their stress systems are not “switched off”. Many may not be up to it but only few recognise and have the courage to admit and take action.
It is difficult to pull the brakes when we are on our career roll to fulfil our needs and dreams. While we may love our job, our physical, emotion and mental well-being may not be able to adjust with the work stress. Thus, it is important to be self-aware and honest with ourselves when we have reached to the “tipping-point” that self-admit that we are no longer can keep up with the jobs at that moment.
Self-awareness and courage to step away requires personal strength and family support. Changing jobs may not always be the best solution. But, the act of slowing down and lifestyle adjustment is not an unusual decision. Quit the fast rat race and see the world differently. Hopefully, we have the courage to do the same in dealing with burn out.
Azlan Jaafar is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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