Feeling Burned Out? 6 Tips to Help You Overcome Overwhelm
Are you familiar with that “sucked dry” feeling? Are you being drained relentlessly by your work, relationships, or transitions in life?
Jeff is taking a sabbatical because he is burned out from his work as a high school guidance counselor.
Sarah, a single mom of a rebellious teen, texts her friends that she suffers from parenting burnout.
Jan, a caregiver to a parent with dementia, feels more burned out every day her mom needs her more.
Can you relate?
Burnout is serious.
It isn’t just being overworked or stressed out. It isn’t trying to rein things in or get back on top of a mountain of responsibilities.
Burnout is beyond the stress of all of that. It's feeling buried beneath it all and too overwhelmed and empty to care. There is an element of hopelessness and just feeling undeniably “done.”
And, worse, you may not even have seen the brick wall coming until you’re stunned, knocked-back, lying on the floor, and too exhausted to get up.
Fortunately, you don’t have to go on this way.
You can get up if you’re down. You can secure the support and tools you need if you're feeling weak but are still on your feet.
6 Tips to Help You Overcome Overwhelm
1. Accept that You Feel Unfulfilled
Acknowledgment will get you healthy much faster than denial. There is no shame in being drained. Telling yourself the truth is respectful to you and those who count on you.
If life feels dull and pointless, you deserve better. If you can’t work up any more mental energy, positivity, or purpose, it’s time to prioritize your mental health.
2. Watch for Automatic Behavior: Pay Attention to Your Burnout Behavior
There is a lot about the way we attack life that is second nature and feels natural, yet can contribute to burnout. Simply notice how you handle your life and relationships. Become more aware of how you got so empty.
Are you a passionate “give until it hurts” type? Do you sacrifice your body, time, and soul to a cause or group?
Have you put so much of yourself on the back burner that your goals and dreams evaporated long ago? Are your standards so high and unrelenting that you feel hopeless instead of inspired?
Your life can encourage and motivate you. Or it can drain and disappoint you.
Take time to look at your natural tendencies and choices, perhaps with an objective friend or a counselor. Look at how recurring work decisions, your choice of relationships, responses to change, and your core beliefs might be adding to your overwhelm.
3. Tough Talk Takes a Toll: Practice Self-compassion
Awareness can be tricky when you feel so empty. Resist the urge to beat yourself up. That will just make burnout worse. Instead, use what you’ve learned about yourself to practice self-love.
In other words, be the friend you need a little bit at a time.
Use a mantra or a simple compliment to start restocking your mind with positivity. You are thoroughly depleted right now, but just a small attempt at routine self-kindness can help soothe you and restore a sense of perspective.
4. Avoid “Going it Alone”: Seek Support Everywhere
To rebound, you’ll need to reach out. People who can support you without judgment or demands are best right now. You need care and kindness. It’s okay to seek out people who can offer such.
You can also reach out to loved ones, clergy, a support group, or an experienced therapist.
The idea is to limit time with negative people and surround yourself with positive friends, coworkers, and new relationships that support and embody the fulfilled life you want.
5. Deal with Destructive Forces: Get Back in Balance
Sometimes you simply have to prune your life and relationships of dead, exhausting weight. The growth potential is worth the work. Still, you may find you need professional guidance to get the job done well.
A therapist can help you see what’s blocking your balanced life.
You may not realize how your past is impeding you or how your goals need to be reworked. Working with a professional can provide tools and a safe, dedicated place to evaluate your relationship, career, and personal ideals.
6. Never Settle for Self-neglect: Respect the Mind-Body Connection
Chronic stress wears down the body. Burnout attacks the mind. Neither should be allowed to take over your life.
Self-care is not a luxury or option in our “on-call” world. It’s a necessity!
Try these ways to protect your mind and body constantly:
First, breathe deeply. You probably don’t do it as much as you think and it will help your mind and your body reconnect.
Next, make a friend at the office, it helps immensely to have an advocate in a place where you spend so much time.
Then, learn to love nutrition and whole, healthy foods. Find an exercise you love, too, and do it often.
Push back against overwhelming feelings with the knowledge that your life is yours to remake with clarity of thought and a well-tuned body.
Finally… If You Need Help Now
Recognize that burnout is a real and alarming experience. It deserves attention and you deserve care if you're suffering through it. Please reach out for professional help.
As a trained therapist, I can help you learn and practice emotional management tools for home or work. Also, I can be a safe sounding board as you regain your strength and reset your priorities.
Do contact me when you're ready. When it comes to avoiding burnout and preventing stress, there is a lot that we can do together to make life good again with anxiety therapy.
