As we start the new year, I think many of us are dealing with burnout and overwhelm. Let's address this from the start so that we can address any burnout and overwhelm we have been dealing with since 2020.
To start burnout and overwhelm are not exactly the same thing, though they are very closely linked. With burnout, you tend to enter a state of exhaustion, both mentally and physically. It is often the result of a lot of stress, being overworked, or just putting too much on your shoulders without taking a break. Overwhelm often follows closely behind or occurs shortly before you experience burnout, where you just feel like you have far too much on your plate, and aren’t sure how to keep up.
Both burnout and overwhelm cause a level of exhaustion, fatigue, and stress that make it hard to cope emotionally. Luckily, there are some solutions that can help you stablize your emotions and find more balance in your life.
✨Look for Signs of Burnout and Overwhelm
Both burnout and overwhelm can sneak up on you, and cause a lot of confusing symptoms. It helps to first know what these signs are so you know where to start on your emotional healing journey.
Some of the more common symptoms of burnout include being exhausted and severely fatigued, having headaches and muscle pain, and lack of focus and concentration. In addition to these signs, you might notice the following:
Poor quality in your work
Mood changes like irritability and anger
Significant change in your appetite
Significant change in your sleeping habits
A feeling of failure
Lack of motivation
Issues with friends and family
Increased illnesses and lowered immunity
Isolation from others
Procrastination
✨Let Yourself Feel How You Feel When it comes to your emotional wellbeing, no matter what you are dealing with, you should always allow yourself to feel how you feel without judgment and a whole lot of compassion. This includes when those feelings are related to burnout. When you try to hide or cover up your real feelings, even if what you are feeling is extremely tired and worn out, it isn’t going to solve anything. Pretending you aren’t dealing with something on an emotional level, doesn’t make it go away. It’s like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet hole. You might not really see it, but it’s still there, and it’s not getting better on its own. Allow yourself to feel whatever it is you feel when you have burnout, and any other time in your life. The good days, the bad days, the challenging days, the exhausting days. They all deserve for you to validate your own feelings. The more you can do this, the easier it becomes to process your emotions, and actually prevent burnout and overwhelm in the future.
✨Incorporate Relaxing Activities Into Your Day You might not be able to stop working or take a vacation when you have burnout, but you can certainly fit in some relaxing activities throughout your day. People with burnout often get that way by overworking themselves and not taking enough time off. Sure, you might not be able to take days or weeks off for vacation, but you can still find way to rest and you should. Nobody should be doing nothing but working during their waking hours. The body and the mind are not set up for this. You are not a machine, and you shouldn’t treat your body like it is one. Instead, find relaxing things to do that don’t take up too much time or mental space. This might be reading a fun book, watching a movie with your family, going for a hike with friends, or just laying down on the couch in the afternoon to rest your eyes for a few minutes.
✨Control What You Are Able to Control Instead of stressing about the situations in your life you can’t control, instead try to focus on what you can control. What in your life are you able to handle right now? What is completely in your control? If you are self-employed and struggling with the stress of a slow business month, that’s not really something you have full control over. You can market your business, but really it is up to the customers or clients. But what you can control is improving your product, taking a break, hiring someone who has a specialty that would improve your business. No matter what you are dealing with, look at what is within your control, and that can take some of the pressure off your shoulders and help with the overwhelm. ✨Get Support From Others
Finally, make sure you are getting adequate support from the people around you. When you get to the level of complete burnout or emotional exhaustion, you might need some help from others.
This could be someone to help watch your kids when you have work to do or you just need a break, or asking your boss for some time off. If you are self-employed, you might need to hire someone to help you pick up the slack. Or it might just be as simple as a friend coming over to talk and hang out for a couple hours. Doing this alone is going to make it a lot harder.
❤️So, what are your takeaways from this article? Are you struggling with burnout or overwhelm? If so, what can you do for yourself to bring more healing and calm to your life and body?
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