Being human means having your ups and downs. If you feel like you’ve been at a low point for too long, maybe it’s more than just a typical fluctuation in mood. When it seems to you that nothing is working in the proper way, you included, remember that willpower is a finite resource. This means that when all your reserves run dry, planning your day beforehand and keeping to a routine are simply impossible, and they won’t help you get back on track in any case. When you can’t rely on your discipline and morale anymore, it’s time to push the “reload” button and look for ways to refill your inner resources.
It is not laziness
“Burnout” is not just a figure of speech anymore; in May 2019 it was included in the International Classification of Diseases. According to the WHO, “burnout is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:
- feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
- increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
- reduced professional efficacy.
Burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.”
By providing this quote, we wanted to show you that you’re not alone. You are a good worker, and maybe burnout is the exact reason why you’re not in the best shape at the moment. Fortunately, if you understand the origins of your condition, it can be easily cured.
Why do you feel like you’re running on empty?
To battle burnout, you have to figure out the reasons which brought you to this state.
Lack of fun
You probably love writing if you’ve chosen composing essays as your occupation. Writing, be it dissertations, business emails, or poems, is a creative activity. And when your creative hobby transforms into a job that pays your bills, you can feel frustrated. The reason is that now your formerhobby has become an obligation, which has little to no fun involved in it.
Writing papers the way your clients will like isn’t as fun as composing essays for your own enjoyment. Spending sleepless nights on finishing an urgent assignment that will help you to pay for your rent isn’t as fun as writing a novel, going days and nights without rest as you are overwhelmed with inspiration.
What makes things worse is that you still expect writing to only grant you positive emotions, and to be that same kind of craft you used to be so passionate and enthusiastic about. But it doesn’t do that anymore, as its function in your life has changed. Now it’s your tool-to-live, which doesn’t have to (and likely won’t) be fun all the time.
False motives
Some creative people try to demonstrate their humbleness by lying about their motives, playing coy when answering the question “Why am I doing this?” You might have heard answers like “I write/draw/play music because I like doing it” or “I do this to pay my bills,” but what only some people will admit is that they want recognition, acclaim, and honour. When you do your job well but don’t receive what you initially and truly wanted, you experience burnout.
Monotony
Boredom is one of the reasons for decreasing productivity and burning out. What is more, in the long run monotonous tasks seem to kill your creativity and ability to tackle more intricate undertakings that require unusual approaches.
Constant stress
Modern life goes hand in hand with constant stress. However, if you don’t differentiate between your personal life and your work (and don’t have at least 8 hours a day when you stop thinking about your job), you are welcoming burnout with open arms.
How to avoid this situation in the future?
When the expression “burning out” starts to shimmer on the horizon, warm baths with aromatic salt, walks in the park, and petting your cat might not help anymore. Now you will need shock treatment.
1. Traveling to new destinations
According to neuroplasticity, we can increase the cognitive abilities of our brain by learning new things, and traveling to unknown places is the best way to get new knowledge and apply it right away. As burnouts come hand in hand with decreased productivity, boosting your brain might be a way out. “Eat, Pray, Love” is an excellent success-story you can learn from before you choose a place for retreat.
Traveling is not about running away from your problems, as this will never truly happen: you take all of your inner problems with you, wherever you go. However, traveling provides you with a new experience, demonstrates to you the variety of life, and gives you some much needed rest from annoying activities. Organize your trip so that you have to communicate with the local people; you won’t receive even half the benefits traveling offers if you choose an all-inclusive hotel, where you will be surrounded by people from your own country.
2. Working out
Exercise affects your brain, and according to multiple research makes you happier and psychologically healthier. To recharge yourself and battle burnout, we recommend high-intensity workouts. Pilates, yoga, and long-distance running will contribute to your mental health as well, but in a different way. Low-intensity aerobic workouts will decrease your stress levels, and according to some scientists, are as beneficial for your mood as taking antidepressants. But as we need the opposite effect, a booster or stimulant, have a closer look at HIIT and all kinds of wrestling classes, which improve the cognitive functions and provide a “reloading” effect.
Try this psychological trick to see how physical activity influences your mental state. Identify the emotion you’re experiencing at the moment and evaluate its intensity on a scale from 1 to 10. Now, perform two minutes of high-intensity exercise: jump, run, do push-ups, sit-ups, or whatever you prefer. Wash your face with cold water. Calm down for two minutes. Evaluate the intensity of your emotion once again. It’s two to five points lower than it was, right? Use this trick every time you start feeling anxiety or apathy, the main companions of burnout.
3. Rethinking your life plans
People are goal-oriented creatures, but no one said that you have to be loyal to one goal or dream throughout all of your life. How many people in their 40s are there who have followed the path they chose after graduation? We rarely understand what we need for happiness before we start to find it. It’s okay to keep on searching for what you like in your 20s, 30s, and even up to your 90s. It’s perfectly fine to continuously develop your taste in music and literature, as well as your likes and dislikes in people and activities.
What is more, in 2020, you simply can’t stop learning if you want to keep your status as a qualified professional in your field, whatever it is. New times demand new decisions: if you’re busy with academic writing, you might start thinking about how you can boost your expertise by trying out technical writing, UX copywriting, or even scriptwriting for the new Netflix masterpiece.
Take your time to reflect on your life and think about whether you are living the life you want and are you happy with what you have and what you are doing.
4. Cleaning up
The way you treat your belongings and your home reflects how you treat yourself. If you feel like your life is a mess with no place left for hobbies, new interests, affections, and enthusiasm towards anything, have a better look at the place you live in. Do you take care of your surroundings? Does your flat have some colorful elements? Is it comfortable? Do you know where the scissors are in your apartment or do you have to take a 30-minute journey through all your closets and drawers to find them?
The rule “fake it until you make it”, which is usually related to the wardrobe a person wears, can also be applied to the situation with your house. Try to clean up, and maybe some clarity of thought will be your reward.
5. Helping others
One of the main symptoms of burning out and a clear sign that you need to reload is that you start thinking that everything you do is pointless and has no importance. Find out how you can help society: volunteer at pets shelters, help the people who need it, check out some charity organizations you are willing to participate in. Take care of your own family and friends, as sometimes those who are closest to you need your attention the most. Helping others will create new meaning in your life, and will fill you with feelings of gratitude and enthusiasm, something you need so much of in your current condition.
Don’t think that you have no time for taking care of yourself. When in a state of burnout, you simply can’t perform at a high level; just deal with it and don’t blame yourself. Take longer breaks and give yourself time to relax and have a complete rest from your work. Three to four days without constant emails and calls from the office might be enough to recharge your inner battery, however, if you’re already in a pitiable mental state, some more intense methods might be required. You are the most important resource you have, so don’t let your job, your managers, or your clients suck out all your energy.
