Suffering From Burnout? These 5 Tips Will Bring You Back From the Ashes

Unfortunately, burnout is affecting more and more people every day, and the reason isn’t hard to pin down. Society took a quick turn over the past decade, and everyone is having a hard time adjusting. Inflation is rising by the day, and we’re working double time to make ends meet. Social media puts psychological pressure on us and makes us feel like we need to be perfect. And the news is constantly blasting us with terrifying and negative stories. It’s all coming at us nonstop, and the human mind simply wasn’t designed for it.

Today’s way of life makes it feel impossible to rest. But after being “on” for months or years, your mind and body WILL hit a wall. That’s when you reach the point of burnout.

According to the American Psychological Association’s Dictionary of Psychology, burnout is “physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others.”

The Cleveland Clinic writes that there are five stages of burnout:

1.) The Honeymoon Phase- This stage may actually be satisfying. You see problems to fix or a goal to achieve, and you have the drive to tackle them. Even if you’re tired, you keep going because you’re making progress, and it feels great.

2.) Onset of Stress- The novelty of being a machine is starting to wear off. The demands are increasing, and you’re having trouble keeping up. You’re starting to feel exhausted, and it’s difficult to concentrate.

3.) Chronic Stress- Now the exhaustion is non-stop. You feel trapped in the cycle, and you need a break. But the breaks don’t come. So you’re moody and depleted. And rest never makes you feel rested.

4.) Burnout- You’re past exhaustion at this stage. Your entire being feels depleted. You’ve lost your drive, and even the smallest tasks feel overwhelming.

5.) Habitual Burnout- This is when your mind and body try to find a new baseline and accept burnout as normal.

While burnout isn’t considered a medical condition, it does cause symptoms that you may see a doctor for, including fatigue, tension headaches, changes in appetite, GI troubles, body aches, apathy, irritability, and more. For some reason, hustle culture has taught us that it’s noble to push through. But there is nothing noble about self-sacrifice. We all need and deserve peace and wellness, and there are ways to regain control.

Break the Burnout Cycle

1.) Replenish

Did you know that chronic stress depletes your body of several nutrients? You feel drained because you quite literally are drained.

When you’re experiencing stress, your body sends nutrients to your nervous system to help you cope. And the higher the stress, the quicker your body taps out its reserves. According to the NIH, stress can leave you deficient in magnesium, vitamin C, zinc, and B vitamins (especially B5, B6, and B12). There are also studies suggesting that it also depletes your calcium and iron concentrations, and your Omega-3.

Interestingly, those nutrient deficiencies cause the same symptoms as burnout, i.e., irritability, fatigue, etc.

If you’re going to heal, you need to give your body the right tools. Consider adding a high-quality daily vitamin to your diet, preferably food-based. And supplement with fish oil. You should also focus on eating those nutrients because getting them from food is always best. Focus on foods like pumpkin seeds, spinach, legumes, salmon, tuna, eggs, berries, and avocados.

2.) Identify the Stressors

There could be one or many reasons you’re burned out, and it’s important to identify them. You can't fix what you won't name. Grab a piece of paper and actually write them down — every single one, even the ones that feel shameful or impossible to change. If you’ve been stuck in burnout for years, you might have a difficult time pinpointing all your stressors. Journaling can slowly help bring them to the surface.

If you’re in a toxic relationship with a romantic partner, friend, or family member, the constant conflict will wear you down. If your job demands non-stop attention, the responsibility can feel overwhelming, and your brain will never turn off. Obviously, some stressors are unavoidable, but there are still ways to cope. No matter what they are, you have to find actionable ways to remove them or make them more manageable by setting new boundaries.

3.) Set Boundaries

Yes, setting boundaries is easier said than done. But it’s the only way to find balance. Often, overextending yourself or accepting toxic behavior is the root cause of burnout. So you have to learn to say, “no.”

If social media and the news keep sending you into a doom scroll, limit your screen time. Or find outlets that are less triggering. If you have a friend who talks down to you, put a healthy distance between them. If your partner isn’t carrying their half of the responsibilities, have an honest conversation with them. If your job is unreasonable and demanding, start working on an exit plan.

It may take months or longer to set clear boundaries, but we promise that you’ll immediately feel relief when you do. Sometimes, setting boundaries can actually feel impossible. Trauma has a way of rewiring your brain to make you feel powerless. A therapist, support group, or a community of close friends will help.

3.) Reframe Your Perspectives

When you start recognizing burnout as normal, you stop seeing life for what it is. Sometimes you need to reframe your perspective on the things that are wearing you down.

A thankless, mundane job might make you cynical. Finding meaning in your job can make it less draining. That meaning could be anything. Maybe you have a co-worker who is struggling for her own reasons, and your role makes hers more manageable. Or maybe you really enjoy some of your professional friendships. There could be something good your company does for the world. Or maybe you see your position as a stepping stone. We’re not saying you should gaslight yourself into loving your job. You should still do everything in your power to switch to a career you honestly love. But in the meantime, finding a purpose will get you through your days.

This same concept applies to everything else that may be dragging you down, too. You need to see your self-worth to escape an unhealthy relationship. To stop prioritizing the hustle, you need to realize the importance of self-care. It’s all a matter of perspective.

4.) Escape

No one should expect you to carry the responsibilities of 10 people. No one should expect you to sacrifice all of your free time, and no one should expect you to carry their emotional load. You deserve time to explore your passions and time to care for yourself.

When you get stuck in the burnout cycle, you forget about self-care, and you forget about your hobbies. You’re hyper-focused on responsibilities and taking care of everyone else, and you may even feel guilty about giving yourself the bare minimum attention.

Even if it feels impossible, carve out alone time. Take a hot bath (and add Epsom salts to balance your magnesium levels). Revisit an old hobby. Join a book club. Go on a hike. Listen to your children laugh. Do something every day that brings joy back to your life.

Sometimes all you need is to be reminded that life can be beautiful to revisit your priorities and make the necessary changes to truly live again.

This story’s featured image is by Eric Ward on Unsplash.