Burnout is very real though and if you are feeling emotionally, physically and mentally exhausted you may be on your way there. Knowing the warning signals, taking them seriously and putting in place strategies to mitigate them is crucial for stopping burnout in its tracks.
What is burnout?
Described as resulting from chronic workplace stress, I personally believe that burnout is not just a workplace issue. The exhausted mum juggling kids, housework and looking after elderly parents is just as susceptible as the high flying career woman. The common denominator is ‘chronic stress’ and who hasn’t experienced this in the last 18 months?!
Unfortunately for us ladies, the research also suggests that women are at greater risk of burnout. Perhaps because we tend to put everyone else’s needs first, deprioritise ourselves and carry on regardless!
As with most things, burnout operates on a spectrum. At one end, we can all have days where we feel overwhelmed, under pressure and as though we’re drowning, but we cope, get through it and get ourselves back on top of things. At the other end, if these days become relentless we can lose all hope, motivation and energy and struggle to find a way out. We literally have nothing left in the tank to give.
If we reach this point, our mental and physical health will already have taken a hit. But there is also research linking burnout to an increased risk of conditions such as high cholesterol, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, so we really need to know what to look out for, acknowledge that our body is trying to tell us something, and take action to prevent it.
Warning signals
Burnout does not happen overnight and the signals can be subtle and easy to brush off. There’s also more to it than just mental health related signs. So what should you look out for?
Emotional signals; anxiety, low mood, depression, loss of confidence, lack of motivation, reduced sense of accomplishment, feeling lonely and becoming increasingly cynical and pessimistic.
Behavioural signals; withdrawing from family and friends, loss of interest in activities, procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities, irritability, changes in appetite and increased use of alcohol/smoking/drugs as a coping mechanism.
Physical signals; chronic fatigue, sleep problems, brain fog, headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, skin flare ups, worsening PMS, weight gain and frequent colds and infections.
Preventing burnout
The good news is there are lots of things we can do to stop burnout in its tracks. Using my FundaMENTALs framework is a good place to start to ensure you’ve got all bases covered when it comes to building your resilience to stress.
Nourish your adrenal glands
The adrenal glands produce our stress hormones, so when you’re under a lot of stress they’ll be working overtime to keep up. This uses up a lot of key nutrients in the body and can leave you depleted.
Key ones to focus on are vitamin C (citrus fruits, kiwifruit, berries, capsicum, broccoli – basically any colourful fruits and veggies so eat the rainbow!), B vitamins (leafy veggies, nuts and seeds, oats, organic meat, fish, dairy) and magnesium (darky leafy greens, brown rice, nuts and seeds and my favourite…..dark chocolate!).
Move but not too much
Exercise can be a great stress reliever but it can also increase stress on your body and up your cortisol levels. This isn’t helpful if you’re on your way to burnout.
If you find you feel more depleted than energised after exercising it may be time to swap the high intensity for the restorative.Give your adrenals a break and try yoga, pilates and resistance training instead of the cardio.
Sleep to repair
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do for your body as it allows it the time to rest and repair. It also helps to regulate your cortisol levels and keep them within a normal rhythm.
Sleep doesn’t always come easy when you’re feeling stressed though, so prioritising sleep hygiene practices is super important. Have a read of my previous blog to learn my top sleep promoting tips.
Connect to distract
Withdrawing from family and friends is a common symptom of burnout yet connecting with those you trust can be the perfect antidote to lowering your stress levels, putting things in perspective and giving you some much needed distraction.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Just try and stick to those who bring some positivity and fun and not those negative Nelly’s who will bring you down!
Restore to build your resilience
There is no getting away from stress so knowing your triggers and limits and putting strategies in place to buffer these is crucial. To better deal with stress we need resilience, and to build resilience we need time to recover and restore. Your car will not keep going if it runs out of petrol and the same applies to you!
One of the best ways to restore your body and mind is to find your flow! This is any activity that you love, you can completely immerse yourself in and be fully present in the moment. Whatever these activities are for you, give yourself time to get your flow on each and every day, even if it’s just five minutes!
Sometimes you may be too far down the road to burnout to know where to start. If this is you and you need some support, do get in touch to learn more about how I can help you get back in control and back on track.
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