I took a power yoga class one morning last week and the instructor mixed in bursts of “flows” with moments spent in child’s pose (which, for those who might not know, that’s the “rest post” in yoga). She said something to the effect of being in tune with your body enough to be able to give your life power and movement but to also know when it’s time to pull back and rest. Easily applicable to real world life… maybe now more than ever with school starting, work demands increasing, family demands, and the everyday stresses of the real world, it can be easy to get caught on a hamster wheel of going, going, going… worrying, worrying, worrying… checking off the long to-do list… and then forget to hop off and give yourself a break. And let’s be honest, we live in a world that tends to glorify being “busy” and “having packed schedules” that rest and recharging isn’t something that is emphasized enough…

I had to remind myself of this several weeks ago when I found myself feeling burned out from life. It’s funny how it creeps in, slowly at first, and if you’re not paying attention to the warning signs, it can shift into full blown burnout before you know it….

Very often I wished that more of my work as a therapist was “preventative” versus clients being in a state of distress. Don’t get me wrong, that’s what therapy is for, but I’ve always felt that if we could get more preventative information out there it might help us all catch things sooner, and when we can address issues that arise sooner, rather than later, we typically fare much better.

So, today I’m sharing the signs and symptoms of burnout and some effective ways to address it below. I truly hope it’s helpful in one way or another.

*My Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your mental health provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional psychological or medical advice nor delay in seeking professional advice or treatment because of something you have read on this blog.

– Is it becoming increasingly more difficult to find the motivation to complete everyday tasks??
– Snapping at family members more? More easily agitated by things that wouldn’t ordinarily bother you??
– Are you overthinking everything? Yes, some decisions require a lot of consideration before being certain, but what about easy, everyday decisions? Overanalyzing interactions with others more than usual?
– Is your mind wandering? Spacing out more than usual?
– Even after a full evening of sleep are you still dragging your feet and feeling exhausted?
– Does everything seem to trigger an emotional response?
– Are you feeling like you just don’t have the emotional and mental effort to get through the day?

And while everyone’s antidote to feeling burned out will look different, I always find if I stop and take inventory of what I’m currently doing, and how I feel when doing said “things,” always helps me to figure out what I need to add more of in my life… and it can also alert me to actions I take/activities I engage in that actually exacerbate negative feelings that can lead to burnout (i.e. watching too much news…).

I’ve always believed that I am responsible for taking care of myself and making time to take care of myself. No one benefits from a burned out human… not myself, not my family, not my friends, and not co-workers. I used to have clients (the parents) tell me all the time that “I don’t have time to take care of myself…” and my honest response to them was

1: We make time for what’s important to us, and you should be important to you….

AND

2: Let’s look at your day and schedule in time to take care of yourself….

100% of the time, we were able to find small 10-15 minute blocks of time where they could sneak in moments of self care to recharge throughout the day. That’s the thing, self care doesn’t have to be sneaking away to a spa and having an hour long massage. I mean, it can if that’s what does it for you and you have the time/resources… but the beauty of self care is that it’s different for everyone, and the power to discover what works for you lies within yourself.

I routinely observe my life using the below Self-Care Observation form to evaluate the actions and activities I engage in that bring me joy and a sense of being recharged (for me these items can include a 10 minute mediation on the Peloton app, reading from a new book, chatting with a close friend, etc…) and then I schedule them in weekly. Sometimes that means waking up way before my girls get up (earlier now that we have a school schedule to follow)… or maybe staying up a little later… or asking for some help in the middle of the day (I realize this isn’t available to everyone, and again, that is why all of this is unique to the individual person).

If you’re feeling drained, and like you need to recharge, I hope this below activity can help a little! And as always, seek out professional therapeutic help if you’re feeling like you need to talk to someone… taking care of your mental health is equally as important as taking care of our physical health.