Burnout 101: How Do I know if I’m “Burnt Out”?
Do you feel like you are consistently overwhelmed, stressed and exhausted? That you get to the weekend, and you have just enough time to recharge before jumping back into the work week? Is your mind constantly thinking about work or your list of to-dos?
If you relate to any of these questions you might be burnt out. Now “burn out” has become such a common phrase in society, but what does it actually mean? Burn out is a way to describe our nervous system and our bodies being locked in a fight-flight response. When cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine (our bodies stress hormones) release and put us in a constant state of stress that can lock us in this space we call burn out. Normally they release in short bursts and then you go back to your day, but with burnout they’re in high gear for a long period of time which leaves you in a state of stress.
Let’s talk about cortisol for a minute because it’s important. High cortisol leads to “shut down” in your prefrontal cortex which makes it difficult to focus, make decisions and be creative. It shrinks the hippocampus, which is involved with memory, learning, and creates that foggy feeling. Burnout can cause an imbalance of dopamine which can also leave you feeling irritable, detached and uninspired.
This with that constant feeling of stress can lead to feeling burnt out. Burnout can cause a whole array of health issues like:
Inflammation
Fatigue
Depression and anxiety
A constant state of exhaustion
Even physical pain
So, when we are burnt out your brain’s executive functions and our physical energy drops, which makes it difficult to perform your daily tasks. Your body is the first one to tell you that you’re burnt out, which is why it’s so important to understand the signals somatically and language your body is speaking. When your body is telling you that you’ve pushed too far, that you’ve reached your limit, and you could be endangering your health you listen. Why not do that with your mental health too?
What are some signs of burnout?
Constant physical exhaustion – you wake up in the morning and you’re still tired.
Feeling emotionally drained – being overwhelmed easily, having a sense of detachment or loneliness. It can also be a lack of motivation, decreased satisfaction in things that bring you joy, and a stronger sense of self-doubt.
Decrease in of you function – tasks become harder than normal, whether it be in your personal life or work. You may see an increase in procrastination and more outbursts of emotions.
Difficulty concentrating and impaired decision making. It can also impact your memory.
Somatic symptoms – headache’s, getting sick easily, muscle pain, and issues with your gut health.
Withdrawal or isolating yourself from social activities, friends, family and colleagues.
Wanting to just rot in bed.
So how do you come out of a state of burnout? A lot of people will say rest, and yes rest is important, there are actually 7 different types of rest, but it’s not the only way to recover from burnout. There are three things to think about with burn out in regard to wellness that you probably really will not want to do while you are burnt out, but you need to gentle parent yourself. Without doing things you won’t be able to break burnout for the long run. They are:
Mindfulness
This can be a whole blog post in and of itself but find what is sustainable for you.
An example could be 30 minutes of no screens before bed
Meditation or yoga
Movement
Go for a walk – get some sunlight and fresh air and it’s double stacking
Nourishment
Making sure your body has enough nutrients is really important on a lot of levels
Now realistically we can’t remove all stress from your life, as much as I wish we could. In the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle it says, “to be ‘well’ is not to live in a state of perpetual safety and calm, but to move fluidly from a state of adversity, risk, adventure, or excitement.” We want to close the stress cycle and find ways for you to handle stress with more balance and ease.
So those three things sound like a lot and really broad, what else can you do?
Simplify your routine so you aren’t overwhelmed by decision fatigue.
Spend time outside everyday – fresh air and natural light is so good for our brains.
Prioritize sleep – yes getting a good night sleep is so important, it helps us build resistance.
Deep breathing – this has the same effect as getting dopamine from exercise, it’s not just a mindfulness gimmick.
Positive social interactions – being around people who make you happy, make you laugh, are good ways to signal to your body and nervous system that you are safe. You want to be around people who recharge you, not drain you.
Rediscover what fuels you – what brings you joy? Where do you feel safe? How do you like to be creative.
Creative expression – this is a great way for us to calm down. And this can come in a lot of different forms like doing a puzzle, dancing, singing, painting.
Now that we’ve covered a few ways and things to do to get out of a state of burn out, let’s talk about the real reason you fall into burnout, otherwise it’s going to be really easy for you to fall back into that cycle again. It’s really easy for us to blame our jobs or taking on too much, but what’s the core value in that? What’s at the root of it all? Working with a therapist can help you get to that point, but here are some things to consider:
Unlearning people pleasing and perfectionist tendencies – this is key to navigating the core of where burnout comes from.
Boundaries – having strong work life boundaries, you do not need to be working at all hours of the day all the time.
Honoring your emotions and sensitivity, not ignoring it
Learn about your nervous system so when it starts to talk to you, you know what it’s trying to tell you. It will tell you when you’re starting to get closer to burnout before your brain does.
If you feel like any of this aligns with you and you want more support of getting out of this place, click the link below and let’s set up a 15-minute call to help you feel like yourself again.
