What to Do When You Are Burned The F*** Out
Burnout is incredibly common for adults, especially for those in high stress environments and seasons of life. Here are some practical steps you can take that may help manage it.
Teresa Strong
11/12/20262 min read
WHAT IS BURNOUT?
Burnout is the result of chronic, unmanaged stress. It looks like: having no energy, physical and mental exhaustion, feeling detached from your life, and feelings of negativity and irritability.
WHAT CAN I DO THAT MIGHT HELP?
1.Stop and Notice Your Emotions, Let Yourself Feel!
Identifying our emotions tells us what is going on inside us and allows feelings to pass through instead of getting stuck.
Ask yourself: What do I feel right now? Where do I feel it in my body? Is there anything my body naturally wants to do right now (walk, shake it out, etc.)? What, if anything, do I need?
2.Take Time Every Week for Rest and Recovery
Schedule time into your week for breaks. We are not robots; we all need time to recharge. You don't need a lot of time, if you don't have that right now.
If you are short on time, focus on intention. For example, if you only have 20 minutes after putting the kids to bed and prepping for the next day, use that small window to do something relaxing, like watching a comfort show or enjoying the quiet. Use the time you have.
Questions for reflection: When could you schedule time for yourself this week? What helps you feel relaxed (taking a walk, being alone, playing with your pet, etc.)?
3.Develop Boundaries
We all need boundaries in our lives, meaning decisions we make for ourselves safeguard our time, energy, and mental well-being. We can't control what other people do, but we can control our own actions.
Examples of boundaries: use your paid time off at work, saying "no" when you can, build in breaks throughout your day, not taking responsibility for other adults’ emotions, and if you can, silence work notifications after hours.
4.Maximize Your Time
This does not mean being hyper-productive. It means being strategic about when and what you do so you can free up more time for yourself. If you are a night owl, use that knowledge by doing your hardest tasks in the evening when your energy is highest.
Questions for reflection: When is your energy highest? What has to be done today, and what can wait? What can be delegated to someone else?
Use this as a guide to schedule and block your highest priorities. Look into the Eisenhower Matrix as a method for prioritization, if you are interested!
5.Practice Compassion (aka give yourself a break)
We can both hold ourselves accountable and be kind to ourselves. Being hyper-critical of yourself during periods of burnout, only makes the stress worse. Consider ways you can ease up a bit on the way you speak to yourself and the pressure you put on yourself. Show yourself the same compassion you would show someone you love.
Questions for reflection: How would you speak to a friend in a similar situation? What expectations would you have of them? Are the expectations you have for yourself reasonable?