Sometimes it feels like our brain is running on fumes. But then we find a meme that's so relatable, it hits us as hard as therapy. Luckily, the Instagram account The Canadian Dad has them in abundance.
With a mix of dry humor, cheeky observations, and just enough dark undertones to keep things interesting, its jokes cover pretty much all aspects of everyday life. So don’t be surprised if you stumble across something oddly specific that seems to describe the core of your being!
Continue scrolling to check out the pictures and don't miss the chat we had with licensed clinical therapist Jourdan Travers — you will find it between the images.
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One of the main causes behind many of the problems you see in the pictures is burnout.
A survey of 11,000 desk and frontline workers in eight countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UK, and the US) reveals that roughly half of the global workforce is currently grappling with it.
If left unchecked, burnout can cause a myriad of problems, including fatigue, feelings of isolation, decreased immunity, sleep disturbances, etc.
It's gonna get so much worse in the states too. With these promised tariffs and deportation prices are gonna go up and availability is gonna go down. Regardless of how you feel about illegal immigrants the fact is they make up a HUGE percentage of agricultural workers in the US and losing that portion of the workforce is going to have some pretty big ramifications as far as suppling demand goes.
To learn more about these things, we got in touch with Jourdan Travers, LCSW, a licensed clinical therapist and Clinical Director of Awake Therapy—a telehealth company that provides online psychotherapy, counseling, and coaching to individuals, couples, families, and organizations in over 40 countries worldwide.
"Burnout isn't only hard to describe; it's also hard to tell if we're experiencing it because it can be hard to know if we're tired from a stressful week or have crossed the line of being too exhausted to function," she told Bored Panda.
"Sometimes, we have to push ourselves to meet a deadline or give something our maximum effort, but it's important to note that we can only sometimes provide that level of exertion. That's not sustainable or realistic."
According to Travers, typical warning signs that we've entered burnout include:
- a lack of energy;
- feeling tired, drained, and overwhelmed;
- having trouble falling and staying asleep;
- reduced performance at work;
- a sense of hopelessness.
Could have sworn they are talking about NZ. Sometimes my dash cam starts saving a backup recording because it thinks I've been in an accident...
Load More Replies...Too right! I am convinced there is a pothole troll that comes out and digs them at night.
Hah. I live in the UK - I bet we've got cities with more potholes than the whole of your tiny little state. 😅
Load More Replies...Swerving to avoid said potholes without hitting oncoming traffic or looking drunk is another.
Since burnout is so difficult to identify, we can also make mistakes when addressing it—or whatever it is that we think we're experiencing.
According to Travers, who also contributes to the website Therapy Tips—a news and publishing division of Awake Therapy—the list of unhealthy coping mechanisms includes "isolating from others, abusing substances, self-harming, impulsive spending, angry outbursts, and nearly any behavior that would cause you to ask a friend, 'Are you okay?'"
Instead, we should try to establish healthy habits.
"One of the best ways to avoid burnout is to recognize your signs of stress and take breaks as needed," the therapist said.
"It's important to assess your schedule realistically and include essential activities in your daily life, such as getting 7-9 hours of sleep, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in physical activity."
Real talk, though: deleting SmartNews earlier this year has done wonders not only for my stress levels but for my free time. Doomscrolling really is a thing.
It's easy to underestimate the power of time spent away from work.
But one study published in the Applied Psychology Health and Well-Being journal suggests that activities on weekends, which provide considerably more opportunities to get away from the grind, help reduce burnout and increase your energy tremendously.
So don't feel ashamed if you feel the need to spend Saturday afternoon scrolling memes on the sofa instead of planning for Monday. Detach and relax!
I can't be shocked by anything anymore. But you can try to prove me wrong
There needs to be a regular purging or else you won't be able to take that incredibly important picture of the weird shaped chicken nugget when you need to.
DO NOT PUT CHILDREN IN THE MICROWAVE. Slow roast only and baste regularly.
Louis Jourdan preparing for his role in Swamp Thing (1982,colorized)
I have a time limit for BP. As soon as I see " continue....", it's time to visit another website.
I love that Band-Aid Throw, it was hilarious! I need to get that for both of my kids! One year my daughter got me a round blanket throw that was printed to look like a giant tortilla! It's one of my favorite presents ever!
Burrito Blanket! I have that too! I used to roll my nephew in it and pretend to eat it, and then be shocked when I discovered a child in it. "Oh my goodness! Waiter?! My Burrito has a boy in it! I specifically said no kids in my Burrito!". Man I was really at my peak with that joke lol
Load More Replies...I have a time limit for BP. As soon as I see " continue....", it's time to visit another website.
I love that Band-Aid Throw, it was hilarious! I need to get that for both of my kids! One year my daughter got me a round blanket throw that was printed to look like a giant tortilla! It's one of my favorite presents ever!
Burrito Blanket! I have that too! I used to roll my nephew in it and pretend to eat it, and then be shocked when I discovered a child in it. "Oh my goodness! Waiter?! My Burrito has a boy in it! I specifically said no kids in my Burrito!". Man I was really at my peak with that joke lol
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