Burnout is not something we think of until we are in the thick of it. This phenomenon can sometimes sneak up so quick that we don’t even have time to prevent it.
So how does one cope once they are in the middle of a dozen responsibilities and to-do lists? I’ve compiled my top five favorite ways to help you move through burnout.
1) Admit you’re not okay
Eventually all of your self-appointed tasks pile up and you realize you can not handle them all with the way that you are going. Once you feel its crushing weight, do not be afraid to say out loud that you are burnt out and need a minute. Take a step back and re-evaluate your priorities. Filter through what’s most important and move it to the top of the list. With the remaining tasks see where you can extend deadlines or ask for more help. Also see what can simply wait and does not need to be completed in this busy season.
2) Rest (you’re not lazy)
When you’re non-stop day after day, and eventually you hit a wall, resting can feel like laziness. You almost feel restless despite the aching exhaustion. Just remember that you are human and not a machine. You deserve a break. Resting can be something as simple as sleeping all day or just breathing, but it can also be a night out with friends just laughing and doing some sort of group activity. It can also be just putting your phone on do not disturb. Anything big or small helps.
Find what your pleasure point is and lean into it. To find what that is figure out what makes you feel joy again or simply feel at ease … finally. Some activities include listening to your favorite playlist, watching your favorite comfort movie and self-care acts like face masks and painting your nails. In addition, taking a walk or calling up a good friend to talk nonsense helps too. The whole point is to not be productive, but to give both your mind and heart a break and that’s your pleasure point.
This will help regulate your nervous system and get your body out of a constant state of fight or flight. Your mind will also become more clear which will help you be able to re-focus on your tasks once you resume.
3) Revise and restrict
Once you’ve realized what you can and can’t take on, rethink how you handle the tasks you keep. Revise by looking at how you approach your workload. Do you start the hardest thing when you’re already drained? Could you batch small tasks together? Could you simplify processes that take up unnecessary time?
Restrict your schedule. Set timers to make sure you aren’t spending hours upon hours on one assignment which can lead to a lack of sleep or half-assing the next thing that you need to do. Hold yourself accountable for taking care of yourself as well. Remember to drink water, to feed yourself something nutritious, and to keep up with your hygiene. These little acts will help your body and mind calm down and keep structure.
These boundaries will eventually help you organize your schedule to provide a healthy balance or work and rest between each project that you take on.
4) Find the quiet
Burnout thrives in noisy, disorienting environments. It builds with each notification, to-do list reminder, and new appointment. That’s why it’s so important to find activities that will help quiet your mind and not turn up the buzzing volume.
There are quite a few ways to reclaim your calm. The most popular way is to journal. Write out your frustrations or your dreams. Write down why you are working as hard as you are. Or just simply jot down your day. If you search online there are tons of journal prompts that can help you sort and work through your thoughts as well.
Another way people calm their inner selves is by exercise. Pick your favorite! Yoga and meditation is most popular for calming yourself as it helps you relax into your inner self and thoughts. However, pilates, running, tae bo, or even dance can help too and might be more your forte. Whatever it is that you like, just keep moving your body and releasing those endorphins!
5) Ask for help
You may feel the need to always be in control and take on everything by yourself. However, that is just not true. It’s okay to ask for help. In fact, it’s encouraged by most companies and schools.
There is always a helping hand around. If it’s a specific project, or task, see if there’s someone near you that can help with the slack. You don’t always have to do everything alone. You can also ask for extensions from leaders and teachers.
Another way to ask for help is in your inner circle. Let friends and family know that you’re drowning. You can ask for advice or just vent to ease your mind. Therapy or counseling is another way to help ease your burnout among other issues that you may be facing.
Admitting to burnout doesn’t mean you failed or are failing. It means your body and mind are overworked and overstimulated. We all need breaks. We need time to recoup, to be one with ourselves again. Working your way through it without help or rest will only hinder, not help, your future. It’s not a badge of honor to deteriorate slowly. Instead, it’s completely healthy to admit that you’re drowning and need to take time to re-align yourself and your goals.
Burnout is mostly inevitable, but each small decision you make can prevent it or ease you back to a normal operating level. You don’t have to be made of steel and be perfect to succeed in your goals. You just need to be real, which is perfectly okay.
