PSA — This post is long so all the resources are in one place. Feel free to bookmark + come back to it later. 🙂
We all experience burnout caused by a job we hate, an unhealthy relationship, or just a general feeling of “being stuck”. I’m passionate about a healthy lifestyle + work/life balance because there was a time when I was sick + miserable because I was so burned out with life.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is a result of chronic stress which manifests in psychological and physiological ways. Common symptoms include emotional and physical exhaustion, cynicism, a feeling of being overwhelmed, a lack of connection to your work, and decreased performance and productivity. Long-term burnout can have more serious consequences including chronic fatigue, anxiety, and depression.
When we feel burned out — we typically don’t have much energy and “I don’t feel like it” becomes a common refrain. I wrote about ways to avoid burnout for optometrists, but that same information can be applied to any person/profession.
Burnout Goes Offical
No longer just a colloquial term, burnout is officially a medical condition. In the most recent version of the International Classification of Disease, ICD-11, burn out has a diagnosis code (QD85) and is described as “a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It can present as:
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
- Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job
- Reduced professional efficacy.
This medical diagnosis is related specifically to employment and clinical diagnosis requires anxiety + mood + stress disorders to be ruled out.
Though burnout is not always associated with work, working conditions that aren’t in alignment can intensify symptoms.
I Think I Have Burnout, What Next?
Know The Warning Signs
Recognizing the early stages of burnout is key. Are you becoming emotionally exhausted? Are you becoming more tense, worried, or irritable at home or at work? Do you dread going to work or find yourself becoming cynical? These feelings are early warning signs of burnout. Confront them at the onset by reconnecting with your “why” and what drew you to your current job/life situation. Are you focused on gaining experience? Saving up to reach financial goals? Rediscovering + reiterating your why gives you a larger perspective, creates an emotional shift, and helps stop burnout.
Discover Your Prime Productivity Hours
It’s imperative to be efficient with your time. We are all uniquely wired and have different hours for peak productivity. Based on your natural rhythm, learn when you function best and look for a job that fits within those. You can pay attention + document how you feel morning, afternoon, and evening and compare work days to non-work days. Don’t be afraid to optimize your work + personal life around your peak productivity hours. Burnout is more likely to occur when you’re operating against your natural rhythm.
Optimize Your Energy
Knowing how your energy works is crucial. Lack of energy is one of the body’s most common physical symptoms of burnout. Take notice of when you’re reaching for stimulants like caffeine and energy drinks to power your day. High-level functioning requires high levels of energy. Focus on keeping your energy high by eating right, working out regularly, getting enough rest, and investing time in a hobby. Burnout depletes your internal battery and it’s your job to recharge daily so you aren’t operating at an energy deficit. Additionally, you can check out this article where I share resources to get to know yourself better — specifically, check out your human design type as it can describe how your energy works. Energy is never static so be okay with experiencing fluctuations. Sometimes we need the rest to have enough energy to make the climb!
Know Your Limits
If your current job/life situation is causing burnout you can’t shake, perhaps it’s time to consider switching to a more sustainable environment. Your health is more important than a paycheck. Personally, I’ve realized I don’t have the stamina to work in a high volume/busy settings and I’ve adjusted my life around that knowledge. Although it’s a process and takes time — just know it’s possible to create the perfect job/life for yourself where you feel competent, supported and healthy.
Resources to Manage Burnout
- Exercise — Movement is your friend. In yoga, we understand stressor chemicals + emotional baggage/tension are stored in the physical body. By taking up a movement practice, you help to cleanse + reset yourself. Consider trying this short yoga practice during the workday or this one in the evening!
- Meditation — If you think of thoughts as little bugs on a windshield, meditation is the cleanser spray and the wipers! Taking a few quiet moments to focus on the present and let go of your to-do list provides mental clarity + mental relief. There are several styles of meditation, but if you’re new to the practice — consider using one of these apps.
- Healthy Diet — Food is fuel. Eating a clean, healthy diet keeps your energy up so you can make it through your long days. Your body is under immense stress when experiencing burnout and the best thing you can do is be mindful of what you’re eating. Although you’re craving comfort foods, find plant-based versions of those staples. Consider checking out these healthy recipes if you need some inspo!
- Journaling — When experiencing burnout, you need a safe space to vent. I genuinely believe life doesn’t happen to us, life happens for us. When we hit a wall and experience burn out, life is telling us something needs to change. Use your journal as a safe space to not only explore what isn’t working, but to also reimagine how your life could be. If you need inspiration check here to learn more about creating new opportunities aka #Manifesting and using the power of intention.
- Get Outside — Mother Nature always has the answers. When nothing else will work — put on your shoes and go for a walk/hike. The action of walking takes care of the movement component while the outdoors help to give you a fresh perspective + reduce negative energy. It’s a free + easy way to shift your mood when burn out is giving you the blues.
Just know, things always get better. Life is cyclical so for every hill, there will be a valley. Don’t sweat it — see your burn out as an opportunity to create positive change in your life. And when all else fails, remember it’s okay to just not feel like it!
Portions of this post were originally featured in Invision Magazine.
Sources:
- “QD85 Burn-Out.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 2019, icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/129180281.
- Richardson, Danielle. “Avoiding Burnout in the Age of High Volume and High-Stress Optometry.” Invision Magazine, 22 Nov. 2018, invisionmag.com/avoiding-burnout-in-the-age-of-high-volume-and-high-stress-optometry/.
