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How To Deal With A Burnout

So you’ve been working for weeks and you’re starting to run low on energy. You start to need more hype songs on your playlist, more coffee in your cup, more affirmation and validation. Tiredness sets in earlier and earlier each day and you can feel yourself crashing under the weight of expectations. If you feel like this, you are facing burnout. You are stressed.

Burning out is perfectly normal. Just like your body, your mind reacts to pressure too. Facing a burnout means you may have to take some time to gather yourself mentally. But if you work a 9 to 5 like most people, it might be difficult for you to carve out time for yourself. You cannot wait for your annual leave to fix yourself, so here are some things that can help.

1. Cancel your plans

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When you’re facing burnout, the last thing you need is to engage yourself in things you will dread. Learning when and how to say no to people is valid for self-care. You don’t have to attend every event or hangout. So if you’d rather stay indoors, say so. It is okay to need some space and be a little selfish with your time.

2. Go to your happy place

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Burnout is basically your mind and body collapsing in response to stress. So your goal should be distressing yourself. Engage in activities that you’re good at and enjoy. Take some time to listen to good music, have a good laugh, and think happy hopeful thoughts. Your happy place could even be a person. Call up and talk to someone that loves you. It will definitely charge you up.

3. Re-evaluate your goals

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If you find yourself burning out, you’re likely very low on motivation. Retreat into a meditative state. Think about your life. Make a short and long list of your goals and how you plan to attain them. Cut out things that do not align with those goals. You have to eliminate distractions to gain some clarity.

4. Declutter

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Speaking of clarity, destressing also involves taking care of your environment. Living in a cluttered house amplifies the stress and is a physical manifestation of being mentally overwhelmed. Your environment mirrors what is on the inside and clutter signifies blocked energy. Clearing your space while also meditating will relax you and loosen the knots. It makes room for your creative energy to flow through, sparks joy, and increases your quality of life.

5. Find the cause of the burnout

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All though there might be many factors that lead to burnout, there is usually one major factor that acts as the ‘last straw’. During your meditation, try to locate the metaphorical straw and figure out what you can do to either eliminate or work around it. As the saying goes, accept the things you cannot change, change the things you cannot accept, and know the difference between the two.

6. Switch up your routine

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At this point, you should have identified the stress factors in your life and grouped them based on your circle of control. This will help you know what you can change. Being burnt out is an indicator that your routine is not optimal for you. Figure out what you can do without or what you can tweak to make life easier and less stressful. It might be eating breakfast or sleeping earlier. Whatever it is, do it for your mental and physical health.

7. Get off social media

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Social media is a time stealer. It contributes a lot to stress and for mental clarity, it is advisable to take momentary breaks from it. Consider disconnecting from social media for a little while and watch the quality of your life increase. It also helps you focus on more tangible things like spending time with family and friends. Spend some more time with yourself instead of being on your phone or PC when you don’t have to.

8. Eat cleaner

burnout remedy clean eating healthy food
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If you find yourself burning out, you may need to take a close look at your diet. A cleaner healthier diet is essential for recovering from a burnout. Being stressed can increase your need for certain nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin B, selenium, and magnesium. Synthetic, transfat fast foods do not offer the nutrients you need to distress. So avoid junk food and cleanse your diet. Fruits, vegetables, and fibre-rich foods will reduce your stress and help you recover from your burnout.

9. Exercise

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Exercise can act as a stress reliever. If you’re not an athlete or even if you’re out of shape, you can still use workout to kill your burnout. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are basically the body’s natural painkillers. They help relieve pain and stress and actually make you feel good. Studies show that people that exercise are less likely to be depressed and have a higher tolerance for pain and stress.

10. Reduce your workload

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Ask yourself if you can handle your responsibilities at work and at home and talk to who you need to talk to. Be open and honest about how you feel about the mounting pressure. Have a long conversation and see if you can reach a compromise that you will be better off for.

Your mind and body need rest and maintenance. Pay attention to your health earlier to avoid dire irreversible consequences later in life. Don’t allow yourself to be in the statistics of people who worked themselves to death. You owe it to yourself and the people that love you to live a long and healthy life. So get out of your burnout and shine on.
What do you do when you’re burning out? Share your tips in the comments below. Share this with whomever you think might need it. For more on mental health, check out our articles on managing anxiety.

Tokoni Akosubo

Tokoni is a content writer and screenwriter who is passionate about stories and social issues. When she's not tapping away at her keyboard, she's a committed foodie with an eye for style and interior decor.

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