Burnout. We all know it. We all hate it. But, how do we beat it? If you've found yourself frantically Google searching other jobs, or calculating how much money you would need to last through some unemployment, you may be burnt out.
In these weeks video, I talk about boldness, and how you need to use it to kickstart 3 actions to cure your burnout.
Where burnout comes from
As much as we want to blame our job, our boss, our professor — or whoever — for our burnout, most of the time, it’s our own fault. I've found that burnout is a result of one of the following things:
You lack prioritization - When we have too much on our plate, it's typically a sign that we're not prioritizing effectively. Over time, this leads to our burnout because we're trying to do everything -- rather than focusing only on the most important things. That's why it’s critical to make clear what you will and will not do, particularly in your career. It not only protects you from burnout, but also sets you up for success by limiting the scope of your goals, and therefore, making them easier to achieve.
You under-communicate - Most of the time we experience burnout because of prolonged stress -- meaning, we're suffering in silence for months. We don't want to disappoint the people in our life, or initiate potential conflict. So, we keep our mouth shut and keep telling ourselves that things we'll get better. But, that's passive. And, the only thing that's talking when you're passive, is your fear.
You have an overly guilty conscious - Or, classic "yes-man" syndrome. We keep saying yes to the things that we should say no to because we have a guilty conscious. We work late into the night because we feel it's our duty -- and if we don't deliver, we'll feel like we let someone down (ourselves, our boss...doesn't matter who). But, overworking IS NOT COOL. And working less is nothing to be ashamed of if it helps you achieve emotional stability and healthier balance.
You mismanage boundaries - Dear fellow burnout buddy -- you and me -- we're not very good at boundaries. We consider our boundaries to be "directional guidance," when in reality, they should be hard and fast. You can't be the best contributor to any project (whether it's for your job, or your own business), if you're unhappy. Boundaries are not a nice-to-have. They're essential, and they're only as strong as your ability to enforce them.
The benefit of burnout
We can agree that burnout is an absolute trash feeling. But, there's one thing that I didn't discuss in this video -- and that's the benefit of burnout. I know, I know. I'm a crazy lady throwing out blasphemous statements such as this.
But, as awful as my burnout was, I’m grateful for it. Nothing makes you re-evaluate your life quite like being miserable. It jump started my hunger for more meaningful living. So remember this:
Getting over burnout isn't about running away from the lifestyle that you have. It's about identifying what you need to change, so that you can run towards the lifestyle that you want.
My burnout did precisely that -- it helped me find the pursuits that I wanted to run towards. When you hit burnout, nothing is more tempting than drastic action and the prospect of running away. Sprint for the door! Make a clean break!
But, it doesn’t make sense to run away from something you’ve enjoyed in the past because you haven’t taken the time to think through possibilities on how to fix it. Things break when they’re not maintained. If you don’t take the time to simmer on some alterations, you may chuck a perfectly good thing in the trash prematurely. Tailor your current life, before you chuck it like a chair through a window in the midst of your anxiety.
And, how? Take advantage of this time by noticing the subtle features of your life that contribute to or detract from your joy. Use your burnout as a catalyst for your exploration. The only other option is to continue silently stewing in a lifestyle that you're not happy with -- which isn't an option at all.
Gamify your burnout recovery
Last but not least, consider gamifying your burnout recovery. Games are fun! (Burnout is not). By turning burnout recovery into a personal challenge, I felt less guilty about enforcing my boundaries -- and instead, more proud, when I successfully stuck to them.
Reward yourself for the little wins -- daily habits to de-stress, feedback that you communicate, or boundaries that you enforce on your workday. Because, remember: this is your Mission.
It's the most important Mission to maintain emotional wellbeing, but not an impossible one.
Should you choose to accept it, of course.
Comments