Recovering From Burnout
My last post covered the signs and symptoms of a burnout from a very objective point of view. But today I just want to check in with myself a little as I near the back end of another burnout.
Everything I ever read online talks about burnout like it’s isolated to an office space, the moment you leave… POOF it’s gone. That’s just simply not the case, sometimes you can just get burnout from life, being social, or just trying to optimise every single moment.
Over the past year, I’ve had significant waves of burnout - i’m prone to spreading myself very thin with various activities and tasks but the impacts of that has slowly hit me as I’ve gotten older. But in 2022, I’m making it my mission to take charge over burnout, continue to grow but also manage my time and social life a lot better than I have in previous months.
Burnout has grip on so many of us, recovery is possible. There’s no instant quick fix to burnout, there are many ways to alleviate stress levels and return to a healthier state of being.
I’m writing this blog for myself as well as you guys, I think after the past few years we’re all due a bit of rest and relaxation. There’s no quick fix for curing burnout, but I do have 14 tips for helping alleviate the symptoms of a burnout.
Recovering from burnout
1. Track your stress levels
If you’re into gadgets, stress trackers are a great way to monitor your anxiety. Trackers also help you to understand more about your personal stress patterns and behaviors.
I’ve always found bullet journaling to be incredibly helpful for tracking and reducing my stress levels. Taking the time to get messy with my water colours was always super helpful when I needed to relax and just feel a little mindful, but I could also keep a close eye on myself and my health in the process.
2. Identify your stressors
Knowing what your stress triggers are will allow you to avoid or reduce interactions with them.
Try paying attention to incidents, people, or situations that consistently trigger stress. Aim to avoid them as far as possible.
3. Create a habit of journaling
Journaling has proven to be an excellent emotional decompressor. Creating the habit might take some time, but the results will naturally teach you how to recover from mental exhaustion.
Check out some of my past bullet journal spreads for inspiration.
4. Seek professional help from a coach or therapist
There’s no shame in seeking help from a trained psychologist or coach. In fact, it’s encouraged.
Therapy dramatically reduces stress levels and can facilitate healing from a mental fitness and emotional well-being perspective.
5. Build a support network
Being able to discuss your struggles with burnout in a safe environment will help to alleviate stress. It will also help reinforce solidarity with those around you.
Don’t be afraid to lean on others for support, whether those relationships are personal or professional.
6. Get enough exercise
Want to know how to recover from burnout while still working? Try implementing a regular exercise routine.
Moving your body will release the tension it holds while producing feel-good hormones like endorphins. Virtual workouts like online yoga help relieve stress without you even leaving the house.
7. Speak up for yourself
Being honest about your situation with a boss or manager may result in a reduced workload and prevent you from working long hours. Don’t be afraid to speak up for yourself to create change that could better suit your mental and emotional needs.
8. Learn stress management techniques
Everyone processes stress differently. Stress management techniques such as mindful breathing, intuitive eating, or cardio can only help if you give them a try.
9. Create a work-life balance
One of the many causes of burnout is an imbalanced relationship with work. Cultivating a work-life balance will help you lead a much more functional and stress-free life.
Start with small daily actions to balance time spent at work and time spent on non-work activities. For example, use time blocking to reduce your screen time and take up a new health and wellness trend.
As well as prevent burnout, having a good work-life balance will improve your relationships with loved ones, which is a key aspect of your health and wellbeing.
As someone who’s worked through a 3-week long sinus infection, I definitely feel like a hypocrite for preaching the work life balance, but it’s so so worth it. At the end of the day, you’re replaceable in your bosses eyes, but nobody else’s. Focus on your health and your family first.
10. Do things that you enjoy
If you want to know how to recover from mental exhaustion, having fun is a good place to start. Committing to things that make you happy will calibrate stress levels and help you reconnect with yourself on an emotional level.
11. Create a healthy sleep schedule
Not getting enough sleep due to stress poses threats to physical strength, mental focus, and emotional stamina. Try to get at least seven to nine hours a night. This could be done with the right sleep hygiene or even with a sleep tracker.
12. Follow a healthy diet
Eating fresh, wholesome meals can boost your immunity and make you less vulnerable to stress and fatigue. Try to embrace a nutritious diet for more energy.
13. Practice mindfulness and meditation
Many people ask, “How long does it take to recover from burnout?” The answer is that recovery is a process, not a destination.
Life skills like mindfulness and meditation focus on the bigger picture. This encourages people to cultivate a more peace-oriented lifestyle.
14. Set boundaries
Many people struggle to say no when being asked to take on extra work. Learning how to set boundaries at work and in relationships can help reduce the chances of burnout.
At first, a lot of the ideas I’ve suggested here might seem completely unsustainable. Starting small is always the best way to kick start these things in my experience, so why not pick something easy? Journal daily on your bus to work, or right before bed, and slowly pick up other healthy habits as time goes on.