Revision a new life. Then reconstruct it without burning out.
There’s a new cost to living in this modern world. And that cost is attention. Attention is the new currency of where we’re putting our energy. Between our real lives and virtual existence, our concentration is even more scattered with so much rich content that pulls us in.
The blend of needing time to engage with others on and offline can make it difficult to create boundaries that give us space and time to regroup and gather ourselves. Vacations that last for a couple of weeks, once or twice a year don’t solve burnout.
We have to take an active role and notice when it’s time to slow down. There are times we have to push through challenges and continue to exert physical force to hit deadlines and get tasks done. But this shouldn’t be a constant lifestyle and way of doing things.
Working hard and playing hard is an expensive game. We tend to work more and play less and that’s the hardest part.
With so much pressure and a constant desire to overextend ourselves, we deplete our energy and experience unnecessary levels of exhaustion before we realize it.
Burnout is real.
Take it seriously if you feel it in your body and mind. Dismissing it prolongs rest and causes deeper burnout and a longer recovery period. Listen to the body when it's tired and take a time out to slow down. Know when the mind is stretched too thin and needs space to rejuvenate. These are the kinds of acts of self-love and self-care that matter the most for optimal wellness. A lesson I’ve had to learn the hard way in understanding what true self-care and self-love actually mean.
Self-Care
When we love ourselves in the right ways, it's easy to love others. When we take responsibility to save ourselves, then we can then teach others to do the same for themselves. Making sure we’re at our best makes the world a better place to live, because we’re giving from a full vessel, not an empty one.
“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what’s left of you.” — Katie Reed
Burnout is a common experience
The latest statistics on burnout experienced this year from professionals was around 56% in 2023. C-Suites were at 73% and middle management at 43%. Remote workers experience slightly more burnout at 86% than their office counterparts at 70% and hybrid workers fell in the middle.
How to acknowledge when burnout is coming.
1. Irritability and exhaustion - small things will be irritating when they come up. Or when the body is pulsating in rest and the exhaustion is deep and it can be felt within the bones.
2. Boredom and feeling useless - when efforts don’t feel like they amount to much and perceptions of non effectiveness and thoughts that lean more cynical which leads into mild depression.
3. Mind wandering too much - disconnecting and daydreaming excessively is an indicator that burnout might be approaching. Stress could also cause the mind to check out and shift the mind to concentrate on other things outside of work.
4. Pain in the gut, sleepless nights - physical indicators in the body tell us that the environment we’re in might be toxic for us. When stress is around, our immune system and nervous system get compromised which causes aches in the mind and body.
Create systems to reduce burnout and stay balanced.
What can be cleared off the to-do lists?How can new space be created to focus on what is a priority? Allow room to engage in the projects and activities that bring you pleasure, joy and offer a new level to challenge skills and mindsets.
Prioritize what is a necessity of self-care and decide what goals want to be accomplished. Build a routine that is consistent to stay on track and give enough structure to get the day-to-day tasks done. Allow the space to roam.
We need to be mindful of where we place our attention. We might think we’re resting, but if the mind is still running on too many stressful thoughts, we’re not really helping ourselves.
Start preventive care now
Keep the creative well running and never dry out by having tools to maintain optimal wellness.
1. Learn to take the right breaks - find ways to unplug that give you a moment to rejuvenate. Walks, meditation, naps and new environments are a few options to get distant and perspective from the habits of daily life. A moment to reflect and make any needed adjustments.
2. Get into small passion projects - stir up excitement with something to look forward to outside of the normal day to day. It can be anything that releases stress and lets the mind unwind.
3. Timebox activities and disconnecting more - procrastination and work for and against us, depending on how we use it. Putting a timeframe on activities that need to get done and on activities we want to do lets us balance out our schedules and our priorities.
4. Rest the mind - it might feel counter-intuitive, but the more rest we get and disconnect from all the noise will give us more focused attention. That energy to be harnessed into precision to get anything done.
“Self-care is so much more than a beauty regimen or an external thing you do. It has to start within your heart to know what you need to navigate your life. A pedicure doesn’t last, but meditating every day does.” — Carrie Anne Moss
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