Did you know that our bodies can sometimes give off warning signs in hopes of making you pay attention that something is not going accordingly? Sometimes when life surpasses our capacity to handle it, it gives us signals to watch out because we might not be able to keep going the way we are. When this happens, listen to what it’s trying to tell you. It might be saving you from reaching a worse point. These signals might include feeling a bit off, slowly losing energy, being unmotivated, and just exhausted. Here your body might be trying to tell you to take a breather. It can sometimes be frustrating feeling this way without knowing the reason behind it and what to even label it. Don’t worry, we’ve all been. This may be a sign of burnout or emotional fatigue. Not to confuse it with having “too much stress”, in contrast, burnout is about being “not enough” in terms of feeling empty, mentally exhausted, and beyond caring. It’s feeling all dried up with blunted emotions and disengagement.
A core sign of burnout is feeling so unaccomplished no matter how long or how hard you work. You might be submitting your work on time, going to that yoga class you enjoy, working towards your goals, and simply doing great in life, but you still feel unaccomplished. Feeling like nothing is enough.
It’s a constant and recurrent feeling of burnout. It’s feeling extreme exhaustion and fatigue all the time, even when you’re doing simple tasks. You might seem drained, tired, and unable to cope because you lack the energy to do anything.
This extreme exhaustion hinders basic human functions like decision making. You might find it hard to deliberately take the time out of your day to think about something that needs an answer. This can even apply to simple decisions like “what am I going to eat today” that may seem simple but turns into something very overwhelming to decide.
You can find yourself stuck in two extremes: either too much or too little. Whether it’s about your sleeping or eating habits, when faced with burnout, you might be sleeping too much or not getting enough sleep at all. You might be tangled in emotional eating habits (eating too much) or find that your body is begging for food.
First and foremost, if you feel that you indeed experienced any signs of burnout, know that it’s okay. It happens to the best of us! Now you can label what you’re feeling and work on getting back on track. There are simple solutions to burnout. For starters, let’s try to take a step back and notice these flashing warning lights our body tries to communicate to us. Pinpointing them is a necessarily step in noticing that something is not going as smoothly as you would like. Know that these signs of burnout might not be noticeable at first, but being mindful that they exist and that they can happen to anyone of us will make you alert. Alert of taking care of yourself! So, let’s try to catch the signals before they take over. After that, let’s take another step back. Here we can start assessing the causes of burnout; for example, your job, mood, or relationship. This way of mindful thinking will help you later on when you feel that burnout might be creeping on you again. Start with some easier solutions like adjusting simple tasks. You might need to sleep in for a few more hours or keep track of giving your body the food/ energy it needs to go on with it’s day. You can also pick activities you like to do, ones that bring you joy and motivation. In times like this, a relaxing one like meditation might be needed the most. Or you might like to move on to more complex solutions. Like finally learning to say no to situations, things, or people that cause you discomfort so you can have the time to take care of yourself and your mental health. For some, seeking support might ease some weight off of your chest. Whether that be confiding in people you trust or just spending time with those you enjoy. Others might seek support through therapy when burnout seems to be part of their daily lifestyle and can’t seem to deal constructively with it. Bottom line is, if help is what you need, ask for it in the way that fits you the most.
Important takeaways to hold onto: listen to what your body is trying to tell you (it always communicates), try to spot the warning lights (signs of burnout), find easy and accessible ways for you to try and overcome it, and finally know that it’s okay to experience burnout.
