Overcoming Burnout
What is burnout?
The definition of a burnout is a physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress. If you are experiencing burnout you may be experiencing a lack of motivation, self-doubt, fatigue, overwhelmed, weary, or depressed. There are many different signs and symptoms of burnout.
Burnout Symptoms
Lack of motivation. You may feel unmotivated to succeed in what you are doing and may feel not as excited to do tasks you normally enjoyed doing.
Fatigue and exhaustion. Often a burnout shows itself through fatigue and exhaustion. Many athletes experience this when they are overworked, which eventually can lead to injuries. If you are exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically – it is likely you could be experiencing a burnout.
Reduced Performance. Individuals facing burnout don’t perform at their highest potential because they are so exhausted. This may cause individuals to think negatively about tasks and themselves, therefore decreasing performance.
Headaches or Stomach-aches. Stress can affect you physically. If you are overworked and overly stressed this can cause physical stress to your body as well. Listen to your body. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it might be a red flag that you need to take a step back.
Examine Burnout Symptoms
Why are you burned out? It is important to point out why you are burnt out. What has caused you to reach this point? What has changed to make you feel this way? At times it could point us to other suffering in other areas of our life.
There are 6 basic aspects of a balanced life: physical, mental, emotional, social, financial, and spiritual. Self-examine yourself in all those areas and see what aspects are unbalanced.
Physical:
Are you eating right? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you taking care of your body? When was the last time you exercised? Exercise releases a lot of stress. Exercise and eating right makes a big difference. If your body is not doing well and not feeling good, it is almost impossible for the rest of yourself to feel good. Our mind and body are connected and have a great effect on one another.
Mental:
Keep your mind active and alert. Look into taking a short break and learn something new, read a book, do a puzzle, etc. Get your mind working again.
Emotional:
Are you holding onto the past? Are you anxious about the future? Are your emotions all over the place? Sometimes we just need someone to talk to talk out problems or things that may be weighing on our mind and bringing a heavy load on our shoulders. Meditation is a great exercise for emotional healing.
Social:
Are you spending time with friends and family? There is nothing that can replace human connection and our relationships with others. Go have fun with some friends. Call a friend or family member that makes you happy. Go and make a new friend!
Financial:
If you are stressed with your finances find innovative ways to save money. Instead of eating out for lunch, make yourself a sandwich to bring along. Create a budget for yourself.
Spiritual:
How is your relationship with yourself? How is your relationship with God? When was the last time you prayed, or connected with your spiritual side? Search for ways to build your faith and reconnect or begin your relationship with God. Take sometime to yourself to be alone to meditate, pray, and reflect.
Tips to get over burnout
First recognize that what you are experiencing is normal. Sadly we are not all super men and woman. We are all subject to fatigue, stress, and difficult times. There are many people who can relate to your situation. Here are a couple of tips to help you get through it.
1. Push through.
A successful swimmer was once asked what his secret to success was and he responded, “I kick when 1 don't want to kick, and I stroke when I don't want to stroke.” In all that you do, not everyday will be the happiest and perfect day of your life. One of the greatest basketball players of all time, Michael Jordan said,
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
The process may be difficult and you may experience failure and burnout along the way. Sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and work. Push through until the passion comes again. In order to be successful you have to pay the price. Anything worth having takes hard work. The job won’t get done by watching the clock tick by. Keep moving forward with a happy spirit and you will find that all things will work out. Success will come as you continue to push through and get through the rough and unpaved roads.
2. Strive to find Hope - There are great things to come
Take this experience as a sign that there are great things to come. Jeffery R. Holland said, “If for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who have ever lived.” Every person who has ever been successful has first had to pass through some opposition or trial before reaching that success. This struggle that you are passing through right now is validating your success.
Every athlete has to go through some measure of pain to get stronger; same goes to the businessman, mother, student, and all of us at some point. Growing does not occur in our comfort zones, growth occurs when we are thrown out of our comfort zones. To be the best you have to pass through what the best of the best have passed through. You will find that anyone who has reached a level of success has gone through their own discomforts and stumbling blocks to get to where they are today.
3. Rest but don’t quit.
A burnout is your body’s way of saying it needs a break. It is okay to take a break. It is not okay to quit. Take a break and step away some time. If you don’t have the means to step away, lighten your load. Learn to say no. Don’t take on more than you can handle.
There are some things that can be put on pause or pushed to the side. Just lessen your load a little bit and slowly increase your load as motivation comes back. Believe that you can do it. Accept this burnout as something that is normal and treat it just as you would treat yourself when you are sick. Get some rest, recover, and start again.
4. Rise above the negative
Feelings of being burnout may also include doubts and uncertainties about yourself and the future. Kick all thoughts of negativity out the window. Be optimistic about your struggles. Burnouts are not meant to last forever. If you continue to feel burnt out, that may mean it is time to make a change to something that is more enjoyable and suiting to your goals.
Rise above self-doubts and lack of motivation. Believe in yourself and that you can do it. It’s important to realize that experiencing burnout is completely normal and means that there are great things to come. Surround yourself with positivity in all ways that you can. STAY positive and keep fighting.
Keep Fighting // Hailey Krey