Burnout has a way of creeping up on you. Like that annoying neighbor who never stops coming over for a cup of sugar, it comes slowly and builds over time. We could often call it stress—stress that happens over and over again. When our stress levels reach their peak, we’re burned out.
The last few weeks have been stressful for a lot of us because of work, relationships, and even the inflation rate that’s pretty much on a world tour. It has spared no country.
Stress is a natural response to a difficult situation. We might even say that we’re used to it and that “it’s nothing new.” Burnout, on the other hand, is the real deal. It feels like physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. And it’s because we didn’t take a break when we should have. Yes, we keep saying “we” because we know you’re probably going through this as much as we are.
Let’s paint a picture of what burnout feels like to us: It’s an exhaustion that seems sudden, but it’s familiar because it’s the same exhaustion we normally call stress. We don’t usually have a word to describe it, but we go with “frustration” and “tired.” We no longer have the motivation to do our usual routine, including the things we enjoy. And when we muster the strength to do something, we don’t do it as well as we usually do. We’ve even noticed that we’re just not satisfied with our lives. We want to be left alone, and on some days, we’d prefer not to be alive. It sounds drastic, but it’s true.
Although, there’s always a way to get better. We’ve been coping with burnout by identifying the source of the problem. Once you know what’s causing you stress, you can start to take steps to address it. For example, if you’re burned out from work, you might need to talk to your boss about delegating more tasks or taking a break. If you’re burned out from your personal life, you might need to set some boundaries with your loved ones or find ways to reduce your stress levels.
Finally, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly have helped us with stress and avoiding burnout.
When we feel overwhelmed, we reach out for help from a friend, family member, therapist, or other trusted person. Talking to someone and being vulnerable about how you’re feeling can help you to process your emotions and develop coping strategies. We try not to listen to the voice in our head that says we’re oversharing and we don’t think you should too!
