03/14/2024
Burnout.
Me. Right now.
Sitting at the airport, waiting for a very delayed flight to somewhere warm and sunny with intentions of getting inspired to write my weekly blog and instead…nothing.
So it only makes sense to write about burnout.
Burnout comes when we hit a state of complete mental, emotional, and physical breakdown and exhaustion. Some signs you may be experiencing burnout are losing interest in activities you usually enjoy, lack of interest in work, resentment, emotional outbursts, changes in your usual habits (i.e., eating more or sleeping less), etc. Burnout can lead to illness and depression and none of us want to go down that road! The thing about burnout is we can get burnt out when life is really good! Burnout doesn’t have to come from negative events, but it does result from living in this world of “too much”. A good friend once reminded me, “you can be overwhelmed from a rich life too.”. I often find myself resisting the idea that I may be experiencing burnout because of guilt. My life is full of wonderful things, how could I possibly feel anything but joy?! Burnout comes from too much. Too much good, bad, and anything in between. When we are maxed out, our bodies let us know.
In one of my favorite books (which I will fan girl about tomorrow, don’t you worry), the author writes about getting a “soul fever”. When we get an actual fever, what do we do? We stay in, lie down, watch movies, get under blankets, sip broth and tea, take baths, etc. But sometimes we need to pull back from the “too much” of our everyday lives and nurture our souls instead. And the truth is you know that moment when you get sick anyway and knew it was coming because you were running yourself ragged! A soul fever will lead to a real fever if you don’t take care of it.
So what to do? We can’t always jump on a plane and just escape the stress. Here’s what I’ve come up with:
Focus on what you can control. We all have stress and while we can’t control everything in our lives, creating some boundaries and taking control where and when we can can help to ease our nervous systems. Try saying no to the invitation you would usually begrudgingly accept (because you were too burnt out!). Organize something in your house. Plan a trip you’ve been thinking about. Delete some apps on your phone. Carefully choose how you spend your free time. You get it. Take control. It’s a turn on ;-)
Take breaks. I know, I know. You don’t have time for breaks! But the truth is you do, you’re just not making the time. It can be a one minute break or an hour if you can spare it, but either way breaks mean UNPLUGGING with no input for a brief period of time. Take a walk, no earphones or phones allowed. Breathe in and out for ten breaths. Get your face in the sun. Try for three breaks a day. Remember even 30 seconds of deep breathing can reset your nervous system.
Transition well. Create rituals with transitions that help you wind down or close out activities. For example, when you come home from a busy day in the office, shut your phone off, take off your shoes and sit down on the couch for two minutes by yourself or with a loved one. Shower and cleanse the day away. Lie down and listen to your favorite song once (or ten times), actually have a dance party to said song! Make space between activities.
Phone a friend! Or a therapist. Either way, lean into support. I find that when I vent to friends or a good therapist, they are able to offer a different perspective that helps me experience my stress differently. But also, we are social creatures and when we feel burnt out it can often make you feel like you’d rather be alone, but finding another human you can trust and be totally vulnerable with is replenishing to say the least.
Take the sick day before you get sick. Treat your soul fever. Fill your day with things that fill you up so you can refresh and maybe kick burnout’s ass before it kicks yours!
Nourish yourself. Sleep when you can, eat nourishing foods, spend time in nature, move your body (avoid strenuous exercise and seek out activities like walking and yoga). You know the drill.