Break Free from Burnout
Burnout is real. Women have more responsibilities today than ever. Keeping a full-time job, raising children, and managing household chores are just the tip of the iceberg.
Outside of the typical chores, you add on even more — leading PTA meetings, taking on a side job, and guiding that one friend who just can’t seem to get her life together. After all, you have to be busy at all times, right? The early bird gets the worm!
While making an effort to be an involved adult is admirable, taking things too far is a recipe for burnout. You will hit the wall of exhaustion at some point, and the dominoes you’ve laid out so carefully will begin to fall.
So what is burnout, its effects, and how do you overcome it?
What Is Burnout?
Burnout is usually associated with the workplace. However, a combination of stressors involving work, family, and relationships often leads to feelings of burnout. Regular multi-tasking, taking on too many responsibilities, and not engaging in regular self-care can all result in burnout.
People who experience burnout present several symptoms, including:
- Exhaustion
- Regular headaches
- Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
- Irritability
- Mood swings
- Substance abuse problems
- Negative thinking
Burnout begins with simple tiredness. You may require greater stimulation to get going with your day. Tasks that once excited you aren’t so attractive anymore. Your mood changes quickly, and you get angry at small things.
Recognizing and addressing symptoms of burnout early on is critical to recovery. If you do nothing to rectify the issue, it only grows worse.
Burnout becomes especially dangerous when you develop depression, anxiety, or substance abuse problems. Depression and anxiety often require therapy and medication to treat. Substance abuse affects the body physically and can ruin relationships with friends and family.
Recognizing Burnout
Symptoms of burnout begin with feelings of stress and overwhelm. While it’s normal to feel stressed sometimes, problems arise when the pressure doesn’t relent.
Increased anxiety forces the body into overdrive and increases cortisol production. As cortisol production increases, so does stress. If nothing is done to release the cortisol and reduce mental pressure, the cycle continues and symptoms worsen.
If you notice a continued cycle of feeling stressed, it’s critical to take action as quickly as possible. Early intervention can often cure the beginning stages of burnout and prevent it from becoming chronic.
To stop burnout in its tracks, make a list of all of the responsibilities handled in a regular week. Assign a number to each activity, rating the levels of stress you experience from it from one to five. The most stressful activities should be labeled with a five, while the least stressful is a one.
Be honest with yourself. You don’t have to share your list with anyone. If children are the primary source of stress, it doesn’t make you a bad parent. Similarly, if work is driving your anxiety, it doesn’t mean you’re a failure at your job. There are solutions for eliminating overwhelming feelings of stress, and we’ll look at each one.
Overcoming Burnout
Once you’ve identified the primary sources of your stress, it’s time to take action. Consider these ideas for reducing anxiety and improving your mental health.
Ask for Help
There is no unwritten law that prevents someone from asking for help. You may be able to keep all of the balls in the air for weeks or months, but it becomes too much at some point. Asking for help can go a long way to reducing your burdens.
If you’ve labeled children as your most significant stressor, perhaps it’s time to seek a regular babysitter. You can hire someone outside your household to take care of your kids on weekday afternoons or for a full day on the weekend. Ask your partner or a willing relative to step in if money is an issue.
Work is a pervasive source of burnout. If work has become overwhelming, take note of how many hours you spend on your job outside of the standard schedule. You have a boundary issue if you constantly check emails in the evening, work into the night, and spend your weekends battling the latest crisis.
Boundaries are essential for cultivating a work-life balance. If your employer expects too much of you, it’s time to set a line in the sand. Leave your laptop at work in the evening, and don’t respond to emails sent after working hours.
If your employer complains, be polite but firm. Tell them you have obligations outside of working hours that require your time. If they expect things to be handled by a specific deadline, they can reshuffle responsibilities in the office or hire a new employee to take on the overload.
Adopt Self-Care Habits
You might often hear about the importance of self-care, but many people don’t regularly practice it. Self-care involves taking time away from your responsibilities to do healthy things you enjoy. The key word is healthy. Practicing self-care doesn’t mean binging the latest Netflix show or indulging in copious amounts of wine.
Self-care is an act of self-compassion. Healthy activities that can benefit you in the long run include:
- Regular and consistent exercise routines
- Finding new recipes and trying them out
- Starting a journal for your thoughts
- Meditating
- Taking outdoor hikes or long walks
- Attending a baseball game
- Joining a local recreational sports team
- Spending time on your hobbies
- Listening to music
- Going on a vacation
- Visiting a local museum
- Trying out a new restaurant
- Connecting with family and friends
- Going to the spa or getting a massage
There are many ways to indulge in self-care. Not every act of self-care will resonate with everyone. Finding an activity that you enjoy is critical.
Self-care should be a part of your daily routine. The more time you spend on relaxing and inspiring activities, the better.
The Takeaway
Recognizing the signs of burnout is vital to mental health. If you notice feelings of exhaustion that last more than a week or two, sit down and make your list. Take action and seek help with the responsibilities that have become overwhelming. Above all, make sure you take the time you need for self-care and practice it regularly.
