Tenant support | How Life & Progress helped Michelle with stress and burnout

Life can be overwhelming at times, but our 24/7 tenant support and wellbeing service Life & Progress is here to help you navigate life’s stresses.

Here is how the service has helped 38-year-old Michelle*, who was experiencing burnout as a result of working two jobs.

Michelle was struggling to make ends meet, so took on an extra job as a customer service representative in the evenings.

While she’s managed this workload for just over a year, she has recently felt emotionally and physically drained. Her productivity has dropped, and she’s finding it harder to keep up with daily responsibilities, making her feel inadequate.

Feeling she had no one else to talk to, Michelle reached out to Life & Progress to seek guidance on coping with burnout.

The call

Michelle spoke to Jackie, who is an emotional support counsellor, specialising in stress and burnout management.

Michelle told Jackie that she felt unmotivated and even the smallest tasks felt too much: “I just feel like I can’t keep going. I feel so tired, but I can’t stop—I need to pay my bills, and I just don’t have a choice.

“I dread going to work, and I feel like I’m just going through the motions. I don’t even have energy to do things I used to enjoy.”

Jackie talked through ways to make things seem more manageable again, such as building in small 5-minute breaks to stretch and recharge. She also talked about setting boundaries and limiting time on certain tasks. Jackie also suggested Michelle speaks to a mental health professional to help her manage her burn out.

What happened next

By the end of the call, Michelle felt more hopeful and reassured. She agreed to incorporate mindful breaks and to try setting boundaries at her customer service job. She also looked into getting a counsellor for long-term support.

Michelle says: “I didn’t know where to start or what could help. I feel better knowing there are options and I do think talking to someone might help. I’m going to look into getting a counsellor.”

Practical Support Offered

Setting boundaries: Life & Progress can help you assess your workload and, where possible, to set boundaries around unnecessary tasks.

Signposting: Life & Progress can provide information on local, affordable mental health resources, including counselling services tailored people on a low income. This provides access to consistent support beyond the helpline. Your GP can also explore possible mental health resources and support via the NHS.

Gradual Strategy Implementation: Life & Progress can help advise and introduce manageable steps to slowly start addressing burnout without being too overwhelming.

Focus on Boundaries and Self-Care: Life & Progress can help you set boundaries and find practical ways to begin reclaiming control over your time and energy.

*All calls to Life & Progress are confidential. This case study highlights how emotional support services can provide you with resources and emotional support during times of stress.

You can access Life & Progress by calling 0330 094 8845

You can also visit www.tenantcare.co.uk

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