Leaving the Stress, Fatigue, and Harmful Habits Behind

Today, Ali and JoDee are unpacking components of burnout with their guest, Brigitta Erickson. Brigitta is a former educator of 14 years turned stay at home mom and independent market partner with Monat. Together, they will discuss how to recognize the symptoms of burnout, coping strategies for burnout, and the importance of prioritizing what is important to you.  

Connect with Brigitta:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brigitta_erickson/

Connect with Ali and JoDee:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachershift
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachershift
Teacher Shift LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teacher-shift
Ali’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisimon/
JoDee’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodeescissors/

Website
https://www.teachershiftpodcast.com/

Episode Transcriptions
https://www.teachershiftpodcast.com/blog

Transcript

Ali  0:05  
Teachers are natural innovators, entertainers and problem solvers. They dream of growing old into the profession, teaching their kids kids. But sometimes career goals shift or change, and that makes opportunities outside of the classroom seem intangible questioning who am I, if I'm not a teacher? I'm your host, Alexandra Simon.

JoDee  0:31  
And I'm your co host, JoDee Scissors.

Ali  0:34  
This is The Great Teacher Resignation.

Today, our guest is Brigitta Erickson. She is a former educator of 14 years. Brigitta taught individuals with autism, served as a special education coordinator and autism specialist, and as a director of a child care center. She is now a stay at home mom and working as an independent market partner with Monet. Welcome to the show today. Brigitta.

Brigitta  1:07  
Thanks for having me.

Ali  1:08  
Thanks for joining us. So this topic is a really big one that we have today. Career burnout. We've read it in the news, we've heard about it from our listeners, and our peers, and former teachers who've experienced it. And it can really take a toll on your mental and physical health. What did burnout look like for you for Brigitta?

Brigitta  1:27  
That's a loaded question. Okay. Where do I start? I think yeah, burnout is such a real thing in many careers. But I think particularly in education, for sure, right now. For me, I had, you know, just had a major switch in my career, and I was an autism specialist for my school district. And I loved life. It was great. But when I had my son, I had a very high risk pregnancy. And so I was not able to go out into the schools like normal, because this was also in the middle of COVID. And so the job just didn't work with what my needs needed to be. And so I had to make the decision to leave, which was very hard, because I had been in my district for 13 years, and I had, you know, built reputation and knew a lot of people and were helping a lot of families. And so I then had my son, and three months after having him I was like, Okay, well, now we have a child. So I need to go back to work and, you know, also provide for the family. But I got an amazing position where I could be a director of a childcare center, and I could bring my son with me to work. So I was like, okay, childcare right now, these days is so expensive, and I get to have my son with me. So it was the best of all worlds. So I thought. Going from a specialist to a director, I was totally up for the challenge. I felt confident that I could lead people. But I didn't have very many resources at my fingertips. So I had, you know, staff who were constantly sick. And we had to take that very seriously. Not that we didn't before, but we had to take it even more seriously with COVID. Just COVID in itself was constant just all the time. We had to shut down twice, which is a huge inconvenience for families. And then teachers aren't getting paid. And you know, the common conversation that surround education is like, teachers aren't getting paid what they're valued for. And I was very limited in what I could do as a director because I was working in a Catholic school system. And so I was very limited in what I could do as a director as far as pay. And so my hands were kind of tied there. I felt like yeah, all my staff should have been receiving so much more money than they were. And then it was like trying to balance being a director, which was a 24/7 job, and coming home and trying to give my all to my son and then also having a relationship with my husband. And when I work, I go full force. I'm like 150% in. And I just was not able to find that good balance between work and home. And it really started to affect me personally, like mentally, emotionally. I wasn't taking care of myself to the point like, I know a lot of teachers out there can probably relate to this, like a bathroom break is so coveted. I was running around like crazy. I couldn't even go to the bathroom. So I got a kidney infection, a kidney stone. And I had to have surgery. Like it was that bad that you know it was starting to then affect me physically as well too. And of course like personally like my relationship with my husband wasn't great, my relationship with my son. I was like, missing his nine months of his life. And so it just hit me hard. And I think where I realized I was truly burned out was when I emotionally and mentally was not myself and my priorities had shifted. I was putting work before family, which for me family is number one. And, you know, the relationships around me, were changing too, and not necessarily in a good way. And so I realized that I need help, like, I need to, I need to learn to say, No. I need to get out, and I need to focus on me. I need to focus on my family. And, and at that point, I was just like, oh, kind of done with education, which is so heartbreaking, because I thought, you know, when I went to school for it, and even when I did my masters, like, I'm going to be in this for the long haul. And I'm not now, and I have had a huge weight off my shoulders since not being in it. 

JoDee  5:46  
Well, when you go at 150%, you won't be in it for the long haul. It's too much. And you're kind of touching on that burnout can lead to complications. Or when you're in the midst of it, it can lead to complications, like your kidney infection. And sometimes it can lead to really different behaviors that you may be perhaps haven't exhibited before. And we know that burnout can lead to like alcoholism, substance abuse, bad attitudes, you become absent at work, or irritable. And a lot of times, it can lead to people feeling hopeless about their job. And so it really kind of is that really bad path that leads teachers, driving them to rock bottom. And so we you know, are one of our goals is to help teachers before they get to rock bottom. So not to say that there's not people there right now who are having complications, who are exhibiting behaviors that they're not accustomed to. So what would you say to someone who is perhaps experiencing symptoms of burnout or how they might recognize those signs?

Brigitta  6:57  
I think for me, I'm a person that I'm very dedicated. And so I was very dedicated to the community, I was serving to the parents, to the kids to my staff, and I'm not a quitter. And so for me, I just kept coming up with excuses like, Oh, you know, it's just because of the job, um, you know, I'm just working so hard, or this will get better. And I just kept telling myself like, this will get better. So I think like, one of the things is like to catch yourself, like, trying to come up with excuses. And like lie to yourself. That might be one indication that, you know, everything's maybe not as peachy keen as you think it is. But I think too, for me, really, looking at my mental and emotional state was a big thing. And it wasn't until my husband and I had a really hard conversation. And we were always very solid prior to this, very solid. Not so we never fought or anything, but where we had a really difficult conversation that he was like, if you're going to keep at this, like, I don't know, if we're going to survive. And that at that moment, I was like, Holy cow, like this is, this is bad. And so I think if you really want to depend on those people around you,.I think that if maybe that conversation had been had sooner, I maybe could have fixed some things or been like, okay, work is from this time to this time, and then my family's the other. But I don't know, I think really focusing on like, looking at your mental and emotional well being and relying on others around you. Because sometimes when you're in the thick of it, it's hard for you to recognize those things. But relying on those people around you to help you realize like, hey, things are not okay right now. And I think that last straw when I had my kidney infection and had to have surgery and everything that that was kind of like, okay, like... And the doctor was like, How often do you go to the bathroom? And I was like, That is a crazy question. Like, we should not be having this conversation. 

Ali  8:52  
Do you never go to the bathroom when you're a teacher? That's why I joke that I could never be an elementary school teacher. I was a high school teacher because like, I had to go to the bathroom.

JoDee  9:01  
I was in a portable classroom my last six years. So it's even less accessible when you're out there on an island.

Brigitta  9:10  
And the crazy thing is, is so here's my office, and then you go right out the door and there's the bathroom. I mean, I had no excuse, like, it was ridiculous. I should have been able to do that. But I put again everyone else's needs before my own. And so I think...and too like my happiness. I really noticed that like, I wasn't happy in my job anymore. I wasn't finding that fulfillment, and that joy and my spark. I am usually a person that I get very passionate about education and about helping others and about collaborating with families and educators. And I didn't have that. Like it just was fizzled when I talk about it. And I could feel that in myself. And to like I had some people around me who would mention stuff like, Hey, I'm noticing like you're losing a lot of weight. Or I'm noticing, you know, like you don't ever take a break like. and so those things kinda also queued into me like, Okay, I need to take a step back. And so, yeah, I'm kind of all over in that answer, because I think it's such a hard thing because I think everyone is so individualized. But I think really focusing on like your mental and emotional health, if other people are kind of queuing in on things around you are saying things like, that's an indication. And of course, like I was defensive about it at first, like, What do you mean? 

Ali  10:25  
Well, I think when we experience difficult life events, we seek counsel because it's helpful. And sometimes we can find that in friends or family, but professionals are really a great way to help unpack those feelings and to address things like burnout. How did you seek counsel for your burnout?

Brigitta  10:43  
I did that exact thing. So I also had a very traumatic postpartum hemorrhage experience. And so I went from like, three months of being home with my son and like recovering to then, like going right into the workforce. So I never like really dealt with what I went through. So I had that pile of on top of it. And so I remember calling my husband one day and being like, I just called my doctor. I have an appointment to go get on some medication. And I just contacted my counselor again, and I'm going back to counseling. So I just... it just was an aha moment to me. Like, I'm not taking care of myself, therefore, I'm not going to be the best version for me. I'm not going to be the best version for my son, who definitely needs me. And I don't want him to remember like, even though he's not gonna remember this year of his life, or whatever, but like, I want to be a good mom. This is something I want it to be my entire life. And also, I want to be a good wife, too. Like, I wanted all of that. And so I did. I got on some medication, took me a few tries to figure out medications with my doctor. And I'm going to counseling, still going to counseling a year, like six months into it. And it's been very therapeutic. But also through my current job that I am doing right now. I'm on social media a lot, which was not at all me prior. And I get vulnerable. And I talk about things that aren't easy to talk about. And that too has been very therapeutic for me. I've also reached out to other teachers. I've reached out to other moms who have had, you know, have some PTSD with postpartum stuff. And so I think like connecting with other people who have similar experiences as well has been very helpful.

JoDee  12:31  
Ali talks a lot about having people in your corner. So you, you definitely were able to recognize some of those things and reach out and seek counsel. But sometimes we need that extra person, that extra voice around us to be able to help us recognize those behaviors even if we're not ready to hear it. Like you said, you were like, a little bit defensive at first. That's okay, natural. But sometimes we can get to the point of receiving the information on a deeper level, rather than just like hearing it, you know? and it sounds like you had people around you that helped you raise awareness. So you could get to the point of saying, I'm in control now. I'm going to reach out to my doctor. I'm going to reach out to a counselor. I'm going to take action. So it's always good to have those people around you. I think if I hadn't sought counsel, I would have really spiraled into burnout in my experience. I could see that my attitude was changing in the workplace, especially around the scriptedness of education. And how it's, people are just handed scripts and say read this. We got a standardized test. We got a district assessment. We need you to read this. So like I could tell that that scriptedness was kind of the incipient stage of, of that fire that was about to be lit. And so doing what my teacher brain does. I've been really contemplating in, in your story, like what are those strategies that teachers need to cope with something like burnout? Because we know that it's happening. And I would say, and maybe you have some other pieces of advice, but like, you have to identify what is the stressor. What is the dread that you feel, or perhaps the sadness, like I experienced a lot of career sadness. So like, identifying the problem. And I think that identifying that it's your career is a really hard thing to swallow, especially for teachers that train and train and train for that. And then also like, another thing is just like the openness, like letting go and being openminded to the feedback that you're getting from others, that you're feeling, and opening up to like sleep and healthy habits and taking action on those things. But also just like to talking about it and writing it down, expressing your feelings. In essence, I think all of those things are like things for you. Making time for you. Because what you're saying is you were running around. You're doing all the things. And you're not even making time to go to the bathroom.

Ali  15:15  
And you had a baby too. Like, let's not forget about that. You have a little person that you're also helping raise.

JoDee  15:22  
That is another topic that Ali and I are actually going to touch on later in the season is just pregnancy, lack of support, infertility, inaccessibility to like nursing stations and stuff like that. That's like a whole nother thing. Because you you like, bounced back, but your body wasn't ready to serve the amount of physical activity that goes into something that you were doing.

Brigitta  15:49  
I mean I was past the six weeks of typically like healing, you know, that they tell you. But because of the trauma that I went through with my postpartum hemorrhaging, and what not, like that added just so many other components on to it. But I think like, most importantly, like my mental and emotional state, were not ready for it. And, and I think that like when you're teacher, you're a director, your whatever it might be in education, you have got to have a good mindset to carry on through your day, especially since like you're, you know, trying to shape the next generation. And you're trying to collaborate with families who are maybe struggling or, you know, you're talking to educators who are trying to problem solve. And I think that like, if your mindsets not in a good place, then it can affect even all those around you. And kids have like a... I don't know, they have like a crazy sense of like when you're filling off or what not. And so...

JoDee  16:45  
100%, they will call you out.

Ali  16:48  
They have this spidey sense, the whatever it is, they've definitely got it. So Brigitta, I want to know, how are you doing now? And what did this change do for you?

Brigitta  16:59  
I feel like I'm doing much better now. You know, I'm still taking my medication. I am still doing counseling at least once a month. And I am finally, like focusing on me. And that's something that is very novel. I've always put everyone else before me. I've always been the person that says yes to everything, and no to nothing. And I'm learning the balance. I mean, yeah, it's great, because now I get to be a stay at home mom, which I never thought I would be able to do. But I also have my other part of my business too. And so I did that for me. Again, I was like, I need something for me to challenge me. Because as educators, we're used to go, go, go, go, go go go all the time. Or at least I was. And so for me to come home and be with a little baby, or you know, even now as he's two. It's not quite as fast paced. And so and being a stay at home mom can sometimes be a little bit lonely. And so I wanted to community. And so I found Monet, and I'm super blessed and happy that I have the community that I found. And I think that my priorities have really shifted. My family is first again. And that's what's most important to me. And I'm able to, I feel like I've made up those nine months that I missed in my son's life. My husband and I are in such a better place right now. Those were scary times. But yeah, I'm much better. I think that it's important to get that mental and emotional health under control for sure.

JoDee  18:32  
You've really prioritized and give your self a pat on the back for that. In your new role. How did you find it? Like, how did you land this going from a director in a daycare, right? And how did you move into that role?

Brigitta  18:48  
So I was trying to figure out a way that I could, you know, still be a stay at home mom, because I was valuing this time that I now have with my son. And I started looking at all these different, like, stay at home options. I mean, I was even considering being an Amazon customer service rep because I love Amazon. They come here enough that I'm like well I could do that. But I mean, is that really going to like, fill my bucket and allow me to help people in the way that I want to help people? And I was like, No, it's not. And so I had been following this girl on Instagram. And I said, like, how is she being a stay at home mom. She's got these two kids. You know, like, how is she doing this? And so I reached out to her and asked her and started talking. And then I did like a deep dive because being a special educator, I like my data. And so I did a deep dive into the company and I hadn't even tried the products before. And I mean going from like, educator for 14 years to now like more like network marketing. That was... I was like what am I doing? Am I having a midlife crisis? An early midlife crisis? But I was just like what do I have to lose? I have nothing to lose. And so I joined. And now, yesterday was four months into it. And that has allowed me to even be in a better place than I was even four months ago. Like my personal and professional growth have been huge. It's challenging me, because obviously, I didn't really know much about like hair, skin and wellness before this. So I really had to, you know, utilize my learning techniques to do it. But then also I get to still educate others. I just am educating in a different capacity, which is nice, but not with all the other stressors around that are in education.

JoDee  20:39  
You had nothing to lose, but you've had your family to gain and I think that's the message here. 

Brigitta  20:45  
Mmhmm.

Ali  20:45  
I think that's a great way to wrap up the show today. We're so glad that you were able to come on Brigitta and share your story. And for teachers who are interested in keeping up with Brigitta. You can follow her on Instagram at Brigitta underscore Erickson. And just a special note, if you are experiencing symptoms of burnout or symptoms that you might think lead to burnout, please reach out to someone for help.

If you liked The Great Teacher Resignation, give us a five star rating and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Audible. Today's episode was written and recorded by me Alexandra Simon, and my co host JoDee Scissors. Executive produced by Teacher Brain. Produced and edited by Emily Porter. Original Music: Emoji by Tubebackr. Special thanks to our sponsor, Paper Planes Ed.