Feeling like you’re constantly juggling work, studies, and family, yet still grappling with the nagging thought that it’s never enough? You’re certainly not alone. That all-too-relatable sentiment, perfectly encapsulated by the phrase “So much work lah!” during a recent WOU talk, captures the daily reality faced by many adult learners.
In a webinar organised by WOU’s Centre for Foundation Studies last month, Brian John Dorai, Senior Lecturer from the School of Education, Humanities, and Social Sciences (SEHS), delivered an engaging talk titled “Deal with Stress: Succeed in High Pressure Environments” to help participants recognise signs of burnout, take control of their mental health, and develop sustainable self-care strategies.
During the one-hour session, Brian outlined several visible signs of burnout, from a pervasive lack of motivation and various physical symptoms to difficulty concentrating and a noticeable drop in performance.
He also painted a clear picture of the struggles adult learners frequently encounter — limited time, conflicting work and study deadlines, demanding job expectations, financial pressures, and family responsibilities. Many also grapple with chronic sleep deprivation, alongside feelings of loneliness from social isolation, exhaustion, guilt, and self-doubt, he added.
Next, Brian walked participants through the differences between stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout.
Defining burnout as a “syndrome resulting from chronic stress that has not been successfully managed”, he also identified several potential triggers causing them. For working professionals, these often encompass unclear or overloaded job expectations, insufficient reward or recognition, lack of adequate support, and significant work-life imbalance.
Brian also noted that a chaotic or overly monotonous work environment can equally contribute to workplace burnout.
Finally, the discussion turned to practical self-care and effective coping mechanisms. Participants learned about strategies such as time-boxing, boundary setting, positive self-talk, reframing relationships, fostering social engagement, and prioritising personal time.
“You’re not alone,” Brian reassured participants, strongly encouraging them to reach out to family, friends, or even therapists whenever they needed support. He also championed engaging in hobbies, volunteering, or exploring creative outlets as vital ways to recharge and improve balance in their lives.
To further cultivate positive self-talk, Brian emphasised the importance of reducing complaints, actively magnifying the positives, and embracing a powerful “I can, I can, I can” mindset.
Brian concluded his talk by leaving participants with three crucial messages for navigating high-pressure environments: stress management is personal, balance is achievable, and motivation is maintainable.
