You might be experiencing burnout if you’re feeling worn out and sluggish, finding it difficult to do even the simplest tasks, or if you’re feeling so stressed out that you get angry or agitated quickly.
Burnout is really common right now because of how stressful our lives are, according to psychologist Adam Borland, PsyD. “I’m noticing lots of people who are worn out.” “I’m worn out both mentally and emotionally,”can while burnout is frequently linked to stressful jobs, it can have an impact on many areas of your life and can have negative health effects. Thankfully, there are ways to cope with and even overcome this usually crippling state of being.
What is burnout exactly?
It’s difficult to define burnout because burnout is bad for creativity. However, it is not a medical condition. According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, burnout is described as “physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others”.
It’s possible that you won’t recognize that you’ve experienced burnout until you’ve crossed the threshold from “really tired” to “too exhausted to function.” As an alternative, you can appreciate remaining busy and not recognize when you’re doing too much.
Dr. Borland adds, “If you’re used to going 100 mph and suddenly take your foot off the accelerator, you’re still going at 85.” “However, since you’re accustomed to traveling at a speed of 100 mph, you could feel that’s insufficient.”We can’t always maintain that 100 mph. There will be times when you need to drive a little faster.”
When your work-life balance is off, burnout can also happen. This has become a common occurrence in recent years as remote work has grown and technology has become more integrated into our daily lives.
“I’m seeing people who are struggling to find the necessary boundaries to manage their personal lives and work demands,” says Dr. Borland. It has been quite challenging to find that balance. We’re really depleting our physical and emotional reserves when you add the COVID-19 uncertainties to the mix.
How to Recover From Burnout
The first step in creating a rehabilitation plan is frequently realizing that you are burnt out. “You might not recognize burnout in its early stages,” says Dr. Borland. “Usually, it’s only once burnout has set in that you realize something is seriously amiss.” That’s because we’re so accustomed to traveling at 100 mph. There are nonetheless specific actions you can take to resume your course.
Maintain your mental health
A helpful initial step in treating burnout is frequently to see a therapist. “We often make jokes about our gas tanks being empty,” Dr. Borland says. And in therapy, we make a serious effort to concentrate on ways to refuel that tank.In these trying times, having a safe place to talk with someone who isn’t a family member, friend, coworker, or neighbor but who is objective and qualified to provide clinical insight can be life-changing.
What you deal with on a daily basis may be one of the first inquiries a therapist makes. For instance, according to Dr. Borland, if you claim that you are having trouble concentrating, sleeping, or eating because you are anxious about a job presentation, that is a huge sign that something is wrong.
Breaks from the schedule as well as private check-ins
As a wise method to start managing burnout, Dr. Borland always advises taking breaks. “We have to be able to step away from the computer, or whatever that source of stress is, to attend to our health and well-being,” Dr. Borland continues.
We must all regularly assess our mental and physical well-being by asking ourselves, “How am I doing emotionally?” and “How am I physically?”
Exercise
Finding the motivation to work out has several positive health effects, including helping you cope with burnout.
No of how much energy you have on any given day, Dr. Borland asserts that getting some form of physical activity will always be a beneficial coping mechanism. The exercise need not involve going to the gym. We have several options for exercising at home. Getting some exercise each day only requires a few minutes.
Practice being mindful
The foundation of mindfulness is the idea of making an effort to be as emotionally present as possible. One way to do this is by breathing deeply. Dr. Borland says, “The great thing about deep breathing is that it forces us to focus on one inhale and one exhale.”
“By doing this, we are concentrating on the here and now.” This is something else that you can do from anywhere at any time. He continues, “It’s easy to do and doesn’t need any special equipment.” People might not even be aware that you are breathing deeply. The positive outcomes, though, can be very amazing.
