A few weeks ago I was talking with a friend and we reflected on how important it is to take a few days off from work and alleviate a bit of the "work burnout" or feeling of "burnout", but at the same time we lament the logistical challenge that this entails, while keep sharing and talking, my conclusion felt like a bucket of cold water in the face, which is kind of funny because of the water crisis we are currently experiencing, but I couldn't help but recognize that thinking about solutions to burnout is talking from our privilege, which although fortunate, causes me chronic anguish to keep with it.

Let's start with the most immediate "solution":

Taking a vacation is the first thing we think about but it is generally expensive, the experience will depend on your budget, and in the situation we live nowadays, where prices are so inflated that even increasing the minimum wage does not lighten your pocket. If we want to have some days to relax, the reality is that we have a very challenging scenario to achieve it.

In Mexico, only 12% of the working population earns more than the minimum wage, which is $170.00 Mexican pesos. If someone plans to go on vacation by car, thinking that it’s "cheaper" but that person perceive the minimum wage, they have to consider that the liter of gasoline for a car currently, due to this inflation, costs $20.00 Mexican pesos, which indicates that to fill a 50-liter tank of gasoline implies investing 6.16 days of a full working day.

But wait, there's more...

Taking a vacation, as a woman, in Mexico represents a risk to my safety. We live in a country where every day 6 women disappear so far by year 2022. I am required to be alert at all times to avoid exposing myself and finding myself in a dangerous position.

It seems to me that this makes it even more difficult to reach that relaxing vacation that I so need for my mental health.

And it is that, in fact, do not leave, because there is still more…

There can be no health, without first having mental health.

The confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic for more than two years contributed to people experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, psychological exhaustion due to the situation and world news; and even overloaded work flow, for some employees, that arose as a result of the "Great Resignation" phenomenon, which occurred as people reconsidered their personal priorities, such as caring for their family, landing the ideal job, or even reconsidering interactions they experienced at their current job.

All these ingredients well mixed and put to cool in the refrigerator for a few hours, resulted in that cold and very bland dish called "burnout" or work wear, which is poorly managed chronic work stress.

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the "burnout" syndrome as a disease that affects mental health and in Mexico, where 75% of the working population suffers from this condition, only 2% of the The public health sector budget is allocated to mental health when the WHO suggests spending 5% to 10% on it.

That is up to 5 times more than what Mexico currently invests.

I cannot find arguments to contradict that mental health is a privileged issue in Mexico, an appoinment with a psychologist costs around $500.00 Mexican pesos (depending on the patient's diagnosis). Do you remember how much the minimum wage was in Mexico? I repeat, don't worry, it was about $170.00 Mexican pesos, this means that filling the gas tank is equivalent to 6 days of work and a therapy session takes another 3 days.

The more I read and navigate through this emotional instability, the more I find that the topic of "burnout" is an issue that infects various aspects of our lives until it completely infects us, in particular cases neglecting those around us and losing sight of the things that are worthwhile like time, balance and life, is an issue (unfortunately one of the many) that the government should be required to prioritize or, in the worst case, should be up to us to defend.

By 2030, the WHO predicts that the leading cause of illness in the world will be related to mental health.

In the meantime, I try to beat that chronic anguish that only prevents me from enjoying life, I continue to practice self-compassion, I manage my energies, I look for the right moments, choosing where I give my 100 not for others, but for my mental stability and although there are factors that may prevent me from taking vacations and/or traveling, for the moment I can enjoy what is available to me and also believe in the impermanence of situations, since everything is temporary and destined to change.

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Official Video

This article was translated by @ross.gspr

Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal opinions of the authors and do not reflect the views of affiliated organizations. The information is for informational purposes only and not intended as professional advice.

Expansión. (2022, March 21). Para llenar el tanque se necesitan 6 días de trabajo en México y sólo 1 en EU. https://expansion.mx/economia/2022/03/21/cuanto-cuesta-llenar-tanque-gasolina-mexico-estados-unidos
A. (2022, April 24). México feminicida: las manifestaciones en CDMX que convocaron por Debanhi y por las 10 mujeres asesinadas al día. infobae. https://www.infobae.com/america/mexico/2022/04/24/mexico-feminicida-las-manifestaciones-que-desato-el-feminicidio-de-debanhi-escobar-y-de-las-10-mujeres-que-mueren-diariamente-en-el-pais/
Victoria147, M. (2021, July 5). ¿Qué es “the great resignation”? Victoria147. https://victoria147.org/editorial/que-es-the-great-resignation/
Pictoline. (2019, May 28). Burnout [Illustration]. Pictoline. https://www.pictoline.com/timeline/2019/05/28/04hrs34min00sec?lang=es&dir=next&bg=8d6374&search=burnout

Sarabia, D. (2022, April 21). Nuevo modelo de atención a la salud mental, sin recursos ni plan para usuarios de hospitales psiquiátricos. Animal Político. https://www.animalpolitico.com/2022/04/salud-mental-cierre-hospitales-psiquiatricos-atencion/

Flores, C. (2022, March 17). La salud mental no es un privilegio es un derecho. amnistia.org.mx. https://amnistia.org.mx/contenido/index.php/la-salud-mental-no-es-un-privilegio-es-un-derecho/