A full schedule isn’t necessarily a bad thing, according to resilience coach and author Arjuna George.
Indeed, moments after an email exchange setting a time to chat, my inbox dinged with an RSVP request, which itself triggered a follow-up confirmation. George recently published a new book, and has speaking engagements all across Canada and in much of the U.S.; it’s a lot to manage, and he’s got a system. Despite suffering what he called an “organizational burnout” during the pandemic summer of 2020, the former fire chief clearly hasn’t abandoned the methodical discipline that helped him lead Salt Spring’s fire department for half a decade.
But George’s scheduling these days includes room to breathe.
“For example, after our conversation today, I’ve got another hour that’s totally white space,” said George, “for me to go play with the dog outside, or get some fresh air, meditate a little before my next meeting, right?”
George grew up on Salt Spring Island, joining the volunteer fire department in the late 1990s. There wasn’t a history of fire service in his family, he said, apart from a grandfather in a London, England fire brigade. But in 2001, he became the first career firefighter from the force of paid-on-call volunteers led by chiefs, rising through the ranks to leadership in no small part due to his dedication — to the job, and to his community.
That personal level of dedication was a blessing, and a curse. It was a lot to shoulder, and he took it seriously.
“After one or two years of being the fire chief, I found myself working around the clock,” said George. “Pretty much having no boundaries, just kind of working 24/7.”
When COVID hit, the workload became heavier, and the sense of responsibility grew. As a profession, firefighting is not unexamined as a lightning rod for stress, but the focus across North America has been on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic stress, said George — very important, he was quick to add, but only part of the picture.
“Nobody was talking about organizational stress,” said George. “There’s a gap around some other traumas, just from day-to-day operations of being a chief officer.”
George wants to fill the gap, to help not just firefighters but anyone taking on a heavier load than they should. His first book, Burnt Around the Edges, lays out the very personal story of his own burnout after 24 years in the fire service, how he got to the point where he had to step aside, what lessons he took from the experience and, hopefully, how others can take steps to prevent their own burnout. The message of structured self-care and intentional resilience has resonated. George said he’s had great interest from people on many career paths, and that his story has felt familiar to readers across a wide range of high-pressure professions.
“The book is definitely focused on the fire service, because that’s my expertise,” said George. “But in any occupation, if you’re stressed out, it dysregulates your body, makes you anxious. It leads to a whole bunch of mental and physical health issues.”
George said Burnt Around the Edges is available through booksellers and online at his website, where islanders can schedule a free delivery deal, complete with inscription. And count on it to be a well-scheduled delivery.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to the community and the firefighters in the department for a pretty amazing career, to be able to serve my home town,” said George. “I didn’t do a good job of taking care of myself. So the message to everyone: consider yourself as part of your plan, and don’t forget about your own wellbeing.”
For information about George and his resilience coaching, visit silverarrowco.com. Burnt Around the Edges can be ordered at burntaroundtheedges.com or through Amazon, Apple Books or Google Play.
