What protector part is fuelling your burnout?

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Quiz Questions

1.
You’re feeling exhausted and know that you need to set more boundaries at work, do you:
- A.
  Pull out your collection of self-help books on the topic and start reading... and reading... and more reading
- B.
  Immediately start feeling guilty at the thought of giving your colleagues more work
- C.
  Decide to soldier on as no one will do a good enough job if you don’t do it
- D.
  Set the boundaries with confidence
2.
How would your nearest and dearest describe you if they had to give you a snappy label?
- A.
  The smarty-pants
- B.
  The mother-hen
- C.
  The go-getter
- D.
  Resilient Roger
3.
You finally have time for that bath that everyone keeps telling you to have to “relax”, but as soon as you get in you:
- A.
  Start trying to figure out exactly why you find it so hard to relax. Was it that thing your Aunt said when you were 8? Or that time you got in trouble for being lazy? Or maybe…
- B.
  Replay the conversations you had today in your head to check whether you upset anyone
- C.
  Start setting goals for the next day because being productive feels so damn good
- D.
  Notice your thoughts and feelings with curiosity and enjoy the sensation of the water
4.
You have received some criticism about your work. Your immediate reaction is to:
- A.
  Buy another online course on the topic, quick!
- B.
  Write a long-winded email apologising and try to change their opinion of you
- C.
  Feel like a failure. Forget every instance of positive feedback you have received and zoom in on this negative comment
- D.
  Find a quiet space and practice self-compassion
5.
Which image do you feel most drawn to?
- A.
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  Answer A
- B.
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  Answer B
- C.
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  Answer C
- D.
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  Answer D
6.
Whoops, you made a pretty big mistake with a client at work. What do you do?
- A.
  Comb over every detail that led to the mistake. Fall into a pit of analysis paralysis.
- B.
  Fixate on what other people are thinking about you and how you can make it up to them
- C.
  Spiral into shame. Work overtime to feel better about yourself
- D.
  Take a few deep breaths and notice what you're feeling in your body
7.
Hooray! You kicked that goal you’ve been working towards all year, do you:
- A.
  Listen to several self-improvement podcasts to celebrate
- B.
  Keep the news to yourself so you don’t upset anyone who might be struggling
- C.
  Move onto the next goal. This one wasn’t even that big of a deal
- D.
  Take a moment to yourself to deeply acknowledge your dedication
8.
A colleague asks for your collaboration on a project, do you:
- A.
  Spend hours researching so you know everything on the topic before you've even agreed to help
- B.
  Immediately say yes to avoid disappointing them while simultaneously seething with resentment
- C.
  Agree to help but immediately take over the majority of the work because delegating seems more effort than its worth
- D.
  Ask for some time to consider whether you have capacity and spend some time alone noticing what emotions are showing up

Quiz Outcomes

1.
Your Intellectualising protector part is fuelling your burnout.
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This protector part is all about analysing, figuring-it-out, learning and problem solving. These are such brilliant skills to have. But having this part in the driver's seat all (or a lot) of the time means that you can get stuck in analysis paralysis and avoid taking action. You are a pro at attaining alllll the theories but struggle to embody them.Intellectualising also means that you reach for a podcast or self-help book whenever an uncomfortable feeling shows up. So emotions are often unintentionally suppressed. You know how to talk about emotions theoretically but don't know how to feel them in your body. So when you finally get a free moment to unwind, you fill it with connecting-the-dots and endless analysis.You are so focussed on trying to find the perfect why to explain your discomfort that you can lose sight of the potential joy right in front of you. This is one of the main factors underlying the cycle of burnout.Gifts: Love of learning, open to new ideas, problem-solvingChallenges: Avoids emotion by thinking, analysis paralysis, hesitant to take actionFocusing on noticing the physical sensations of emotion without trying to "figure it out" is a great place to start in working with intellectualising.
2.
Your People-pleasing protector part is fuelling your burnout.
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This protector part is all about creating harmony, fostering positive relationships, and ensuring everyone around you is content. Your skill in navigating social dynamics is impressive, but when this part takes the lead too often, you may find yourself constantly seeking approval, avoiding conflict and biting off more than you can chew.People-Pleasing means that your decisions are often influenced by the desire to make others happy, neglecting your own needs in the process. Saying 'no' becomes a challenge, and you might feel an overwhelming sense of guilt when prioritising yourself.You are skilled at maintaining a positive and friendly atmosphere, yet, the fear of disappointing others can lead to burnout. Building awareness of your own needs and setting boundaries are areas that may need attention.Gifts: Interpersonal skills, empathy, teamworkChallenges: Difficulty saying 'no,' fear of disappointment, self-neglect for the sake of othersTry introducing the words "let me think about that" into you vocabulary to use when asked to take on another responsibility. This will give you space to tune into your needs and capacity and respond accordingly.
3.
Your Perfectionist protector part is fuelling your burnout.
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This protector part is all about striving for excellence, attention to detail, and the pursuit of flawlessness. While these qualities are valuable, when Perfectionism dominates it can lead to relentless self-criticism and an unattainable quest for the perfect outcome.Perfectionism means setting exceptionally high standards, often at the cost of your well-being. The pursuit of perfection can lead to burnout as you meticulously focus on every detail, sometimes losing sight of the bigger picture.Mistakes are the arch nemesis of Perfectionism, and intense feelings of failure often show up when they (inevitably) occur.You may find it challenging to delegate tasks, fearing that others won't meet your exacting standards. Celebrating achievements becomes overshadowed by a constant desire to improve.Gifts: Attention to detail, dedication, high standardsChallenges: Relentless self-criticism, fear of mistakes, difficulty delegatingIntroducing small moments of playfulness into your day is a great place to start in working with your perfectionism. Playfulness is all about finding joy in the process of doing rather than fixating on an outcome. Some ideas are dancing to your fave song, reading a fantasy novel or buying some flowers.
4.
You got Self-energy! Which isn't actually a protector part...
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Okay, so this isn't actually a protector part. Scoring highest on Self-energy means that burnout might (a big emphasis on might here) not be something you struggle with.The Self is the essence of who we are underneath all of the layers of protector parts (e.g. perfectionism, people-pleasing etc.). Self-energy is abundant in curiosity, calm, confidence, clarity, creativity, compassion, courage and connection.Being able to access this Self with ease lowers the likelihood of burnout. Why? Because when you are in Self you are able to be with difficult emotions without being consumed by them, you don't feel the need to prove your worth and you can find joy in the mess of life.A huge component of my work is helping you to rediscover this Self by coaxing protector parts out of your driver’s seat.So if you scored super high in Self-energy and low on all the other parts, let’s be honest, you probably don’t have much use for my services!

What protector part is fuelling your burnout?

A fun quiz to get you thinking about what parts are in your driver's seat!

Quiz Questions

Quiz Outcomes