The signs of burnout you may be missing…
Hello! How is everything going right now? I’m gonna ask you to just take a moment to look inwards. Take a deep breath in and sigh out some excess energy…
AHHHHH
Now, in a moment of feeling a teensy bit more grounded, I’ll ask you to read ahead to decide if any of this resonates with you. Sometimes the signs of burnout can be missed or neglected, and it’s always best to catch it at the beginning of it manifesting rather than waiting ‘for it to go away’ (p.s. it probably won’t unless your life gets magically less busy without any effort) …or more likely…get worse.
Do you notice feeling:
Drained? Tired? Anxious? Easily overwhelmed? Emotionally fatigued?
→→→These are all symptoms of burnout. Mental and physical exhaustion due to prolonged stress and overwhelm.
But there’s more….what else may be associated with burnout you ask?
Feeling mentally and physically exhausted – getting out of bed is a real struggle
Inability to focus/ concentrate or make decisions
Anxiety and excessive worry
Self-doubt and feeling like you’re not good enough
Feeling suffocated and trapped in your work
Continual negative and cynical thoughts about your work or workplace
Feeling isolated and alone
Anger and frustration, and not knowing how to deal with situations
Inability to get things done and procrastination
Insomnia and broken sleep
Reliance on caffeine and sugar to get through the day
Drinking too much alcohol
Constant infections such as colds and flu
Headaches and migraines
Stomach and gut-related issues like IBS, bloating, reflux and heartburn
REF: College of Naturopathic Medicine
If any of these resonate…or several…you may be in a stage of burnout. So what can you do about it?
The first step is to identify what might be causing your burnout. Write it down on paper so you can get it out of your head and see it clearly in front of you.
Excessive work demands?
Stressful relationships?
Excessive demands on your time (no time for you) - working long hours with no breaks, working all day and family stressors during all your spare time etc
Lack of work life balance - do you actually switch off when you stop working for the day or do you carry work worries home with you?
Lack of boundaries in relationships - unreal expectations of what time you are able to give to others in your life?
Becoming aware of how you feel, then identifying the cause is the first step to create the change you want to see.
Second, how can you resolve any of these issues now?
Can you enlist some help? Childcare? Hire a virtual assistant? Ask for help from a colleague or partner? What tasks can be pushed aside for now? Prioritise your tasks in order of deadlines. Get rid of smaller tasks first so you have less on your plate & a doable to-do list
Say no to any extra invites to events, clear your calendar as much as possible because you need some you time - wearing yourself thin doesn't help anyone
Third, make some time for YOU
Make some time dedicated to being away from screens. You can set focus times on your phone so notifications aren’t constantly coming in during certain hours,
Turn off the news for a little while, don’t take the weight of the world on your shoulders as well
Get outside in nature for some fresh air and a short walk - 10-20 minutes does wonders for your mental health
Set regular sleep times. Get your circadian rhythms in order - melatonin and cortisol run on a 24 hour clock and they are essential to being able to handle stress, sleep properly and detoxify - melatonin is one of the most important antioxidants in your body.
Set time for you each day, whether its a 5 minute breathing practice or a 1 hour exercise class (take your pick - my preference is yoga and cycling!) Low impact exercise may be better if you’re already exhausted so keep this in mind.
If possible, cut out caffeine, sugar and alcohol - these can all disrupt your circadian rhythms, impair your sleep and ability to cope with stress. They are very temporary and immediate fixes but in the long term more detrimental to burnout.
Eat nourishing meals 3 times per day. Include protein in your meals to balance the release of sugar from carbohydrates breaking down. Preferably plant based and organic, a rainbow colour of food so you’re getting all you powerful heath promoting phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. Add Ashwagandha to smoothies as its a lovely calming adaptogenic herb.
Vitamin C, Magnesium and B vitamins are essential for managing stress and can be depleted easily, so ensure you’re getting enough each day. Food is always the best source of vitamins and minerals because food contains other things needed for proper utilisation and absorption (vitamins don’t exist alone in nature..)
Try not to give into sugary/salty snack cravings - try to manage cravings by drinking water and herbal tea throughout the day, sometimes you are just dehydrated and these signals can be confused as hunger. Junk food snacks cause spikes in blood sugar that result in low energy slumps that make you feel wiped out.
Try alternative therapies like acupuncture - this can be remarkable for opening up physical and energetic blockages.
Lastly - remember I offer yoga retreats that are focused on SLOWING DOWN. Investing in your self care is always a good idea. Self care and getting back to feeling whole and grounded is the main pillar of my retreats. Everything else is a bonus.
You’ll be nourished from the inside out with yoga, breathing and meditation everyday, thoughtfully prepared nutritious meals by sought after and hard to book chefs.
Lots of time during the day to whatever you want - attend yoga, nutrition and mindfulness workshops, play tennis, go for a walk around stunning scenery, enjoy the beauty of our incredible accommodation, read in the library, go to the beach, paddle board, chat with new interesting people and your yoga teachers, have a nap - its all up to you! (activities depend on location..!) For up to date offerings, check out my homepage.
I hope you can use some of this information to help find momentum forward and work through any burnout you may be experiencing.
If you want me to guide you through a specially designed challenge to beat burnout - click here - take my ‘Beat Overwhelm Before You Burnout: The 6 Day Challenge’. It’s always here for you when you need it.
Have a great day!
- Ashley