Caring for Yourself During Burnout
Melissa Drabbant, MA, RCC, VITALITY COLLECTIVE
SURRY THERAPIST & REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR
If you have ever experienced burnout, you know how difficult and consuming it can be. Moving through it is a process that takes time and is most definitely non-linear. We don’t get rid of burnout—we move through it; we work with it. We are required to take breaks and slow down, usually reluctantly. We learn to shift our priorities and search for what brings us life and meaning. Hopefully, throughout this process, we find ourselves again—we come back to the self-connection that was lost or forgotten along the way.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion that is typically caused by “excessive and prolonged stress” (Helpguide.org). These stresses can come from the workplace but can also be a result of our lifestyle and relationships. Burnout can happen to anyone, although, the experience in and of itself can feel quite lonely and isolating.
Common Signs & Symptoms of Burnout:
Social withdrawal
Insomnia
Loss of interest in enjoyable activities
Consistent fatigue
Easily irritable
Loss of motivation
Decreased satisfaction in life
Dreading tasks or going to work
Difficulty concentrating
Self-criticism and self-doubt
Loss of hope
Caring for ourselves while experiencing burnout is no easy task, unfortunately. Our energy and motivation for change, connection, and responsibilities are inherently limited. Getting out of bed or filling up the gas tank can be hard enough at this point. So, where does one start when anything and everything feels too overwhelming?
A helpful place to begin is by offering yourself compassion. Acknowledge your reality: “I am burned out” or “I feel overwhelmed and exhausted today.” Then, validate that reality: “It’s okay to feel burned out,” “Lots of people feel this way too” or “I am not alone in this experience.” As you practice acknowledging and validating your emotions, you might be surprised that symptoms decrease along the way and some of the distress around them does too.
Continue to connect with others. While spending time with people often requires energy, these connections are imperative to staying well as social creatures. People need people—especially when they are hurting or overwhelmed. Choose your people wisely during this time, as energy and desire are limited. Ask yourself: “Who can I be fully myself around?” “Who brings out my playful side?” “Whom do I trust?” These are the friends, family, and colleagues to maintain a connection.
Focus on meeting your basic health needs: adequate hydration, eating nutritious meals, getting enough sleep, and regular movement/exercise. These aspects may seem all too basic but are some of the foundational building blocks for our overall well-being. Our minds and bodies are interconnected—our physical health impacts our emotional health and vice versa.
Find things to feel grateful for: practice noticing the goodness around you and what is going well! While this may feel taxing or even impossible, keep looking. Even if it is as simple as how cool it looks when the cream swirls into your coffee, that is something! Write that down in a journal, say it aloud, or tell someone close to you. I hope and believe that you will find something, regardless of how small.
Reengage with what brings you life, meaning, and purpose. What are things that energize your entire being and leave you feeling alive? Can you find ways to be creative again (paint-by-numbers, making new playlists on Spotify, etc.)? If you love to travel— go on a day trip or spend a weekend away. Sit outside on a blanket and read a fictional book you loved as a child. It honestly doesn’t matter what you are doing! What matters is that it means something to you and that it plays a role in reinvigorating your essence.
Other Ways to Care for Yourself:
Emotionally – practice mindfulness, seek out therapeutic support, process emotions with close people, practice self-compassion, and/or express your emotions through art or journaling.
Physically – drink plenty of water each day, try to get adequate sleep, get a massage, move your body daily (exercise), and eat foods that are comforting or that leave you feeling nourished.
Spiritually – practice gratitude, journal, spend time in nature, and/or meditate.
Professionally – take regular and short breaks at work, get clear on your job expectations, take time off or a personal day, maintain a connection with colleagues you respect, personalize your office space, and/or find a mentor.
Relationally – share openly about what is going on for you with your close people, create and set necessary boundaries, and/or go on an adventure with your friends, family members, or partner.
Remember:
Managing and recovering from burnout is a process! It took time for your system to get run down, naturally, it will take some time for it to stabilize. Be well.
References
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/burnout-prevention-and-recovery.htm
https://www.mtroyal.ca/SafetyRiskDepartment/WellnessAtWork/_pdfs/burnout-what-is-and-how-to-cope.pdf