Burn Out

We live such busy lives, and it can often feel hard to catch a breath. A busy life can be fulfilling especially when we’re doing things we love, and we feel in control of our schedule. But what happens when our plate is too full and we find we’re unable to meet deadlines, expectations, or commitments. Being so busy that your life consistently causes you to feel overwhelmed to the point of hopelessness is not a sign that you’re failing or that you’re not enough. It’s a sign that you’re experiencing burn out and it might be time to get some support with managing it so you can start feeling invigorated by all that your life has to offer. 

What is Burn Out

Burn out is a mental health issue that is commonly defined as extreme physical and emotional exhaustion that results in feelings of extreme fatigue or frustration, causing a person to become disengaged, unmotivated, and even cynical. Stress and burn out are related but distinct. Stress is a physical response that your body has to demand or challenges. You may feel anxious when you’re stressed. Stress can also lead to physical health issues like headaches, muscle pain and fatigue. When stress goes unmanaged for a long time with no sign of relief, that is when you experience burn out.

How to Recognize Burn Out 

The first step to managing burn out is recognizing it. Everyone’s bodies and minds react differently, so it’s important to stay in tune with yourself to better understand how it may present for you. Here are some possibilities:

• Feeling like even just one more task will cause you to collapse 

• Feeling stuck, helpless, or hopeless 

• Feeling exhausted even with enough sleep, experiencing headaches, or changes in sleep

• Find yourself withdrawing, procrastinating, or avoiding people, responsibilities, or things you used to love to do

• Using more negative coping habits or your positive coping habits don’t feel effective anymore 

• You take a break or vacation and immediately return feeling just as exhausted and overwhelmed

  
  

All of these may be signs that you’re experiencing burn out. As you’re reading this article, take a moment and see if any of these signs are showing up in your life or if you can identify other ones that are personal to you. 

What to do When You’re Feeling Burn Out

Manage Stress

Work to undo the impacts of burn out by managing stress and changing what aspects of your life that you can. This first step can be challenging if you’re already feeling overwhelmed because it asks you to intentionally set aside time to figure out what to change to feel relief and find hope again. 

One activity you can do to manage stress is write down all that you have going on and determine what responsibilities have end dates and where can you create end dates where one may not already exist. A clear vision of when relief will come naturally can send a signal of safety to your brain and body.

Another way to manage stress and overall satisfaction is to plan out things to look forward to throughout your day, week, month, or year. Maybe at 5:00PM each day you do nothing but lay on your favorite couch before starting dinner. Or maybe every Sunday you talk to your favorite person on the phone. 

This combination between alleviating and creating sets a foundation for positive outcomes. These don’t have to be huge tasks or changes either. In fact, small steps in the right direction make a huge difference in the long run.  

Build Resilience 

Build your resilience to stress by taking care of your physical and emotional health. Ensure that you make space and dedication for the foundations of self-care such as adequate sleep, socialization, eating, and movement. Small changes in this area make a big difference as well. Self-care is what makes a difference to your personally. Therefore, if committing to driving to a yoga class each week causes your more stress than relief then that’s not the right self-care for the moment. It is so important to find what works for you. Maybe self-care looks like 10 minutes of stretching in the morning because that’s what you have time for.  When it comes to building resilience starting from any point is a win. 

Building reliance can also mean building a stronger community and support system. Is there a support system that you have not tapped into but could? Do those who are closes to you know how you’re feeling and can you talk to them about it if they don’t already know? A resilient life is built holistically, intentionally and at your own pace. 

Set Boundaries

To achieve these goals and recover from burn out we have to set boundaries. Boundaries are personal limits that define what you will or will not accept and they protection your emotional, physical and mental space. 

If the burn out comes from work or school talk to your colleagues about it and your supervisors to see if there is a systemic solution to addressing burn out. When stressors come from outside sources then developing solutions is not the sole responsibly of one person alone. 

We have to set boundaries with ourselves too. This could look like stopping work at a specific time no matter what, taking at least a 30 min break throughout the day or telling yourself to say no when you want to say yes to doing something because you know you need more rest. 

Boundaries are the key to sustaining stress management and resilience practices in your life. 

Consider Mental Health Support

Life changes can be easier if we are supported and not doing it all on our own. If you want to talk about stress and burn out or work on coping strategies with a professional, then therapy is a wonderful option. A therapist can help support you by listening, sharing resources, helping you practice setting boundaries and more. 

If you’ve made it to the end of this article and you’re feeling burn out thank you for taking the time to read. I hope that you find many ways to manage stress, care for yourself, and enjoy your life to the fullest.