Unplug and Avoid Burnout
Avoid burnout during social isolation to keep your body healthy and your mind fit.
You may have heard of burnout, have already experienced it, or need a good reminder — regardless, this is for you.
During this challenging year, many have lost jobs, while others are tasked with working more. Stress can help you rise to meet challenges and, in times of emergency, even save your life.
However, chronic stress can disrupt every working system in your body. Segal, Segal, Smith, and Robinson (2020) state, “It can suppress your immune system, upset your digestive and reproductive systems, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, and speed up the aging process.”
Chronic stress and burnout will leave you more vulnerable to anxiety, depression, sickness, and other health problems. While we continue to battle the silent enemy, the “Coronavirus,” mitigate risks to your health and take breaks.
Burnout is a state of exhaustion prompted by excessive stress that can impact you emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. As tension continues to build, you may experience a lack of productivity, energy, interest, or motivation.
Likewise, inactivity directly influences our physiological state, emotions, and, therefore, how we interpret those emotions as feelings.
Hopeless, worthless, frustrated, and alone are some of the feelings I have experienced.
If a build-up of work and life stress has you feeling exhausted, dissociated, and overwhelmed, you may be on your way to burnout.
Since burnout leads to several consequences, it’s imperative to address any symptoms you have right away. Learn the warning signs and take action to regain a sense of homeostasis and positivity.
Physical signs
Change in appetite
Feeling drained
Frequent Headaches
Frequent colds or illnesses
Change in sleep habits
Social signs
Poor habits such as overeating
An increase in alcohol or drug use
Skipping work or consistently arriving late
Lack of motivation at work
Procrastination
Isolation
Withdrawal
Emotional signs
Feeling helpless, hopeless, suffocated
Sense of unworthiness, failure, or doubt
Loss of motivation
A Lost sense of purpose
Detached or dissociated
Diminished satisfaction
A negative mindset
How to Avoid Burnout
Don’t let burnout get the best of you. Here are several tools that I use from my toolbox when I’m feeling defeated.
- Develop a Self-Care Routine
Fighting life and work burnout is about pulling away from exhaustion and taking care of your mind and body.
Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. If a gym is open near you, power through a 30 to 45-minute workout. If you prefer nature, mix it up with a walk and a light jog.
If it’s closed or you don’t want to surround yourself with others? HIIT workout is a great way to train anywhere, less time, and with no equipment. Check out this link for an example here.
Yoga, meditation, and journaling are a few other activities I enjoy as well.
2. Build an Emotional First-Aid Kit
Creativity is instrumental in combating burnout. The Emotional First-Aid kit is one of my favorites and something I use with clients in stressful times.
Take out a sheet of paper (or use your smartphone) and write down 10–15 activities that make you happy. These activities can be alone or with others and should have nothing to do with work or whatever is causing you stress.
When in need of emotional aid, go to the first item on your kit. If it works that day and makes you feel better, then go with that. If it doesn’t, cross it out and head to the next item.
Hopefully, you find happiness before you get to 15… or you’ll need a more extended list!
3. Unplug and Take a Break
On any given day, we experience floods of information to process by the second. Pick a time and commit to completely disconnecting at least once a day. Set boundaries with yourself and others. Turn off or silent your cell phone, close your emails, and put away your laptop.
If you have kids, or a spouse, communicate with them what you are doing so, they are fully aware you are not ignoring or abandoning them.
If burnout is the result of work, try taking off a few days or using a leave-of-absence. It’s important to find anything to remove yourself from the stressful environment so that you’re able to utilize that gained time to recharge and recover.
4. Get organized
Don’t make yourself “too available” by learning to say “no” to commitments that require your time.
Overload can lead to inadequate production, forgetting things, poor eating habits, and a lack of sleep. Sometimes it’s a good reminder that it’s okay to put yourself first.
Once this is established, write down everything that must be completed and focus on the most immediate task. Declutter your mind of all priorities and address today’s assignments.
If it’s Thursday, worrying about Saturday’s tasks can wait.
5. Turn to your supports
We have them for a reason. Supportive people, we trust that we can turn to in times of need. If you’ve had difficulties finding healthy supports, generally, talking with someone willing to listen is an effective way to calm you and relieve stress.
Don’t let COVID-19 stop you from reaching out to those closest to you. Take advantage of the technology available by using FaceTime, Google Duo, Zoom, or other video chat options to sit and speak with those you can confide in.
In times of social distancing and collective sickness, prioritizing your own health can keep stress and burnout at a minimum for both you and your loved ones — they won’t have to worry about you!
If you have anything to add to the list, I’d love to hear it. Please let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading. I’m always looking to learn and share stories. Please follow me here @modern.therapist
Reference
Segal, J., Ph.D., Smith, M., M. A., Segal, R., M. A., Robinson, L. (2020). Stress symptoms, signs, and causes. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-symptoms-signs-and-causes.htm
