Typically this time of year, we are left feeling the symptoms of burn out: stagnant, sluggish, depleted, and drained from the energetic nature of summer. Burnout is not always necessarily caused by overworking or a stressful job; there could be other factors at play. These could include your lifestyle, personality, perception of the world, or even what you do in your downtime.
It is common for any one of us to have days where we feel tired, overloaded, or under-appreciated, but if you’re feeling like this everyday — you are most likely burnt-out. Signs may be subtle at first, but long-term burnout can lead to insomnia, substance abuse, heart disease, high blood pressure, and vulnerability to illnesses like colds and flu.
So, how can you mitigate these feelings of burnout?
Shift your Perspective: Changing the way you look at things will cultivate a greater sense of personal control. What parts of your life bring you joy? Trust in your ability to navigate
Focus on Meaning: Pursuing tasks you find important allows you to be more present in your life. Connect your current task to a larger goal in order to shift your focus to why the work matters to you.
Prioritize Mind-Body Wellness: It’s essential to take care of your entire being — mind, body, and spirit. Prioritize healthy sleep habits, movement, nutrition, and activities that nourish your soul and creative side, like meditation, journaling, painting, or yin yoga.
Seek Out Connection: Finding connection and developing rich interpersonal interactions with others is so important. Often, socializing is the first thing to go when we burnout, but when we find our community, we’re able to offer each other support and advocate for solutions.
If you’re feeling burnt out and need support, reach out to us for a free consultation!
References:
Knight, Rebecca. “How to Overcome Burnout and Stay Motivated.” Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2015/04/how-to-overcome-burnout-and-stay-motivated?ab=at_art_art_1x1.
“Stress Management: Burnout Prevention and Treatment”. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/burnout-prevention-and-recovery.htm.
Valcour, Monique. “Beating Burnout.” Retieved from https://hbr.org/2016/11/beating-burnout.