Burnout is real. And I can’t deny that I’ve fought it several times. There have been days where I’ve woken up at noon, watched tv, eaten junk food, stared at the ceiling, only to go back to sleep because “working” or “being productive” sounded like the worst possible idea in the world.
I get it.
That is why I want to give you my tips and tricks on curing burnout!
What is burnout?
Alright. I’m pretty sure we all know what burnout is. According to HelpGuide.org, burnout is “A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.”
Sounds pretty harsh doesn’t it!
I would go so far as to say that burnout is not only caused by stress, but from being overworked. Burnout is a result of feeling drained, as if all of your hard work has sucked the life out of you.
Burnout makes it hard to find motivation. More so, it decreases one’s productivity and often results in sadness, depression, self-isolation, increased levels of stress, greater feelings of anxiety, and increased thoughts of guilt, regret, and self-doubt.
Is burn out different than being depressed?
I’m going to say no to this one. I think burnout can be an active contributor to depression, but burnout itself is not just a sense of being depressed.
I often get depressed during burnouts. I refuse to leave the house, sleep all day, and nurture feelings of guilt and anxiety when things don’t get done.
However, feeling depressed is simply a symptom of burnout. Burnout is a result of overwhelming stress.
How do I prevent burnout?
There are a few ways I’ve learned to prevent burnout. To be honest, I think it’s inevitable. You can’t avoid burnout forever. I think it is a necessary feeling, experience in order to regain your motivation and passion for things.
However, with that said, there are ways to “limit” the amount of times (and possibly the duration) of one’s burnout.
Ways to prevent burnout:
Don’t overschedule events in your day
There is no sense in cramming your to-do list every single day or week of the year. Learn to pace yourself and only accept and chase after opportunities that truly benefit you.
Only schedule priorities each day and cut out the extra work that won’t serve you in the long run.
Learn to say no
This is one of the hardest preventions for me when it comes to burnout. I love to say “yes!” to every opportunity.
When I was in highschool, one of my mantras was “say yes to everything,” because I was under the impression that if I said “no,” I would lose out on life changing opportunities.
As a kid, that worked for me. As an adult…the times have changed, let’s just say that.
Sometimes, I have to say no to my job, to my friends, to my boyfriend, and to myself in order to prevent feelings of stress. It’s easy to get caught up in all the things we want to do and lose sight of what we can physically do without running ourselves too thin.
Take lots of breaks!
Did you know that there is a logical and psychological reason for taking breaks every two hours? Many studies have been done on brain clarity, decision making, and focus that highlight our capabilities during long work hours. Research has found that people who took breaks more often and at least every two hours had more clarity in their state of mind, were better at decision making, and maintained greater focus throughout the work day.
I’ve found that taking breaks to do dishes, read, stretch, or watch a small YouTube video during my work day has helped me to prevent unnecessary stress, ward of tiredness, and aid in productivity!
Include “fun” in your daily or weekly schedule
Did you know this is an actual rule for me?! I use a weekly scheduler (that I created myself) to pre-plan my weeks/days. When I do my scheduling, I ALWAYS make sure that I schedule at least one fun outing each week.
This outing could be to visit friends or family, to go on a date with Matt, to visit a coworker, or to have a “me day.”
I’ve found that doing so keeps me from trying to work all day every day. It also keeps me happy and feeling refreshed!
I think it’s crucial to schedule a “fun” event for yourself at least once a week.
Make sure that the work you’re doing is meaningful to you
This can be hard for some people. I’ve been there. I know that work isn’t always enjoyable. Heck, I know what it’s like to be in a job you hate. I was there once! But I realized that if you don’t love your work, you are at greater risk of being burnt out or slacking off.
I used to work retail. And like clockwork, every year around October, I hit my “burnout.” I called in almost twice every week during this period. Cried before and after each shift. Stopped eating. Stopped hanging out with friends. The list goes on.
Now, this could also be contributed to seasonal depression, however, I wasn’t happy or fulfilled in my job enough to appreciate it and be willing to give it my all.
Loving what you do can really affect how your mental health remains.
So, what should you do if you’re already stuck in a burnout? Is there any way out of it?
Yes! Of course! You’re not going to be stuck forever!
Though if you’re reading this post, you’re likely feeling kind of blue and under the weather. The good news is, I’m here to offer you some advice on how to leave the slump you’ve found yourself in!
What to do when burnt out:
- Wake up early and make a plan for the day
This seems so simple but I promise you, it is the best thing you can do for yourself.
Wake. Up. Early. I mean it! You’d be surprised how much waking you to see the sunrise in the morning can change your entire outlook.
Getting up early relieves the stress you might have felt by sleeping in too late. It makes you more relaxed about taking your time during the day and gives you more opportunity to get any chores or to-do’s done!
I also advise that you make a plan for the day. The plan can be super structured like my daily planner here, or it can be kind of loosey goosey with only three priorities to accomplish for the whole day.
Honestly, make a plan, but make it plausible and write it down in the way that works best for you!
- Do something you love
One of your priorities when you make your list should be to do something you love. What are things you genuinely enjoy doing? Hanging out with friends? Walking your dog? Painting? Writing? Reading a book? Playing a video game? What do you love?
Do that.
Go somewhere and take part in an activity that brings you joy. Dedicate an hour or two to that activity.
A big side effect of burnout is depression. The best thing to do for yourself when depressed and a tad lost is to revisit something you love.
I recommend doing this even if you don’t feel super motivated to get out of bed and do the activity. I have been where you are and believe me, getting up and doing something I love—albeit begrudgingly—changed my entire perspective on how to handle my burnout!
- Go for a walk outside
Getting out in nature is a great way to create a fresh start for yourself. It’s relaxing and good for your health! You can take a solitary walk or walk your pet. Meet-up with some friends or walk with your family.
This is one of those things that you don’t really have to put off until tomorrow (like my first tip). This is something that you can do right now that will benefit you in so many ways!
- Utilize time blocking
I’ve found this to be one of the mostly useful techniques when burnt out.
Time blocking allows you to set aside time for your tasks and gives you a window in which to do them. The best part about time blocking, however, is that you know exactly when to start and end each task.
If I time block blogging, for instance. It would look something like: work on blog from noon to 1pm. By doing this, I now have a distinctive start and end for this task.
- Make plans for your days/weeks
When you’re burnt out, it’s easy to say no to everything. It’s easy to fall in a slump and want to stay cooped up at home. But it doesn’t need to be that way!
By making plans for yourself or with friends, you force yourself to get moving, get out of the house, and DO something.
- Understand that overworking and lack of passion is what brought you here
It’s funny, but most people don’t understand why they’re burnt out. More often than not it’s due to overwork or lack of passion.
By understanding what made you burnt out in the first place, you can resolve your problem and plan to prevent it in the future.
If overworking brought you here, then cut back or space out the work load. If lack of passion brought you here, then embark on activities you genuinely enjoy and see if you can reignite that spark.
Knowing why you feel a certain way can help you alleviate those feelings.
- Give yourself three daily goals to accomplish
This is by far my favorite way to encourage productivity during a burn out. Each day, I give myself 3 tasks/priorities. This ensures that I’m not overwhelmed by the task, but also gives me something to try to accomplish.
Here are some examples from the past few days for me personally:
1) Clean the rabbits cage, 2) go to target (sometimes I have to encourage myself to leave the house), 3) clean up the house (chores, dishes, laundry)
1) go to the farmers market, 2) call a friend, 3) finish a book I’m reading
Today’s priorities for me are: 1) make a peach cobbler, 2) write and schedule two posts on my blog, 3) post a YouTube video
- Spend time reflecting on what makes you happy
After journaling for a while, I began writing gratitude lists. I will write them randomly and sometimes I will just sit down at the end of my day and write what I was grateful for that particular day.
I’ve found that doing this helps me raise my mood, calms me down, and encourages me to chase opportunity. These are all necessary feelings if I want to escape burnout.
Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know your tips on overcoming burnout!
You can also email me with questions or concerns you may have at info.amelia.wilson@gmail.com
Also, check out my poetry book, The Lights are on but Nobody’s Home, available now on amazon for $6.99!
Disclaimer: All of the views and opinions in this post are solely my own and are not sponsored. This post includes affiliate links, meaning I earn a commission through links at no cost to you.
Thanks again