Beating the Burnout

Burnout is real for many of us, especially high achieving career women. This is not a foreign topic for any ambitious woman. It is a challenging thing to manage, since it can feel like you have already done everything you can do and completely tapped your resources. You may not believe us but know that it’s likely that you can manage what’s happening in your life right- that overwhelming feeling of stress, endless to-do list and priorities tugging you from every direction. We know that humans are good at making situations seem more challenging than they really are, but when it comes to burnout, it really does feel like you are unable to come up for air wave after wave after wave.

Here are some tips you can do to try out to ease your way through these times.

1. Identify what is making you feel burned out. Is it just one thing? Or is it a lifestyle that you simply don’t feel you can maintain any longer? Maybe you’re having challenges at home, work, health issues, and financially. Take the time to identify what is causing you the greatest amount of pain and you’ll find your challenge easier to manage.

1. Determine what you can control. Sometimes life is hard and there’s nothing you can do about it. If you can’t do anything about it, what is the value in worrying? Figure out what you can control and then give those things your attention.
   

3.    Remember your past experiences. You’ve been overwhelmed before and survived. It’s likely that things even turned out well. Remember that you’ve dealt with feeling burned out in the past. There’s no reason the same won’t happen again.

1. Take an electronics/ media break. Your smartphone, TV, and internet are stimulating, but that’s not what you need when you’re feeling burned out. Take a night or an entire weekend off. Read a book or listen to some music. Have dinner with a friend. 

1. Plan for relaxation as a key part of your schedule. You plan everything else, so plan your relaxation time, too. Even 30 minutes can be meaningful and give you something to look forward to each day.

1. Practice deep breathing and move your body daily. Hit the gym, go on daily walks, have a walk-and-talk meeting, do whatever gives you a good sweat. Many of the biochemicals released during stress are reduced by physical activity. You can stay healthy and reduce your stress at the same time. Leverage an app that enables you to breath deeply or meditation if you are into that too
   

2. Sleep. Stress wears out your mind and body. Give yourself the chance to sleep 7-8 eight hours each night, but not 14. Regular, good quality sleep will give you clarity and energy to better deal with your challenges.
   

3. Eat well. It’s common to eat garbage or to eat too little when you’re super stressed. This only serves to make things worse. Make a concerted effort to eat nutritiously when life is beating you up. Also, avoid the temptation to overeat. Try to maintain your normal diet.
   

4. Stay connected. It’s natural to want to isolate yourself, but that might be a mistake. Make time for those you most enjoy spending time with. It can lift your spirits and your outlook on life. Everyone needs to some company and a good laugh.
   

We have learned the hard way that it is much better to avoid burying your head in the sand when you begin to feel burned out. The current drama in your life will not last even though it may not feel that way now. You have successfully dealt with similar situations before and maybe tougher ones at that. Pausing to make yourself a priority is half the battle. Focus on the things you can control and let go of the rest. You will get through this!