Feeling Burned Out? How to Bounce Back
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.
Your alarm goes off, and instead of jumping into your morning routine as usual, you feel sluggish and overtired. Usually, your coffee kick starts your day and you’re ready to get to work… but not today. Today the thought of another day at work feels draining, and you haven’t even gotten there yet.
Then you realize you’ve been feeling like this all week – that’s odd.
It sounds like you might be experiencing burnout.
Burnout likely stems from different things in your life, but overwork, overwhelm and too much stress are the underlying causes. Watch out for the main signs:
- Mental exhaustion
- Poor work performance
- Increased irritability
- Neglecting self-care
- Decreased self-esteem
It’s easy to forget to check in with yourself during the weekly grind, but if you suddenly find you’re running on empty for longer than a day or two, it might be time to find a fix.
There are different methods to addressing burnout, so keep in mind what works for one person may not work for another. Some ideas of where to start are:
Talk it out. Have a conversation about how you’re feeling with a trusted friend, colleague, or family member. Who understands you better than the ones you’re closest to?
Give yourself a break. Whether that looks like taking a little time off, a short walk on your lunch break, or a minute to take a deep breath and let your mind wander, allowing yourself time to recharge will help you get through.
Focus on nutrition. Eating healthy is subjective, but figure out what it looks like for you and what makes sense for your schedule and life. This includes healthy snack habits and not skipping meals.
Move your body. Partake in workouts that allow you to clear your mind and focus on being present.
Set boundaries. Think about what might be causing you unnecessary stress and talk to your manager about coming up with a solution. Maybe it looks like telling your coworker you can’t cover their shift, or figuring out how to better balance your workload.
Burnout is easy to ignore, especially thinking it’s just a bad day or week. But when a bad day becomes a bad month, it might be time to acknowledge you need a break and start to seek a solution.