Can I ask you an honest question? Or perhaps, may I encourage you to ask yourself an honest question?
How are you doing?
I mean, how are you really, truly doing? Are you finding rest in your days? Joy in your work? Peace in the midst of a chaotic world?
Would you consider yourself to be “thriving?” Or – are you, like so many of us right now, “just getting by?”
While I certainly hope you can answer these questions with an emphatic, “Sarah, I’ve never been better!” I also recognize that may not be the case.
If you’ve been struggling with feelings of overwhelm or burnout…you certainly are not alone. In my recent post, The Burnout Breakdown, I unpack exactly what burnout is and why it is impacting so many right now.
Let’s start with some good news! “Burnout” is not a permanent, irrevocable state of being. In other words, you can make a comeback! You may feel “stuck” but in reality, change is possible.
Just because you are feeling tired or overwhelmed today, doesn’t mean you will feel that way next year, or next week, or even tomorrow.
Alright, let’s get practical! (I know that’s what you’re really after anyway.)
X Tips for Dealing With Burnout
- Identify Your Key Stressors
Burnout is typically the result of one or two key areas of life that are causing you stress. Sure, it may feel like everything in life is overwhelming, but that feeling is truly a symptom of a deeper root issue.
For example, the dishes piled in the sink probably aren’t the cornerstone of your overwhelm, but they may feel like “just one more hard thing” after a particularly stressful day at work.
Take an honest look at your life…what area(s) seem to be triggering stress and overwhelm in your life?
Common sources include: work, relationships, finances, and parenting.
- Set Clear Boundaries
Once you’ve identified your “key stressors” it’s time to make some changes! How can you set some healthy boundaries in your life to reduce the level of stress you feel from those key areas?
For example, if work is one of your key stressors, perhaps turning off notifications for your work email during your “off hours” could be a helpful boundary to give you some much-needed downtime.
Here’s another one – If the chaos of raising children is a primary source of stress in your life, consider setting your alarm 30-60 minutes earlier each day so you have time to have a cup of coffee, meditate, read a book, exercise (or whatever rejuvenates you) before your children wake up and active parenting begins again.
- Get Rid Of Unnecessary Tasks
If we are honest with ourselves, we all have items on our to-do lists that aren’t that important. My advice? Get rid of them! Spend your time on necessary tasks and give yourself permission to let go of the other things.
For example, if your plan to get professional photos taken this month for upcoming holiday cards just isn’t panning out…let it go! Store-bought cards work just as well.
- Think About Outsourcing
Outsourcing is a GREAT (and in my opinion, highly underrated) option for those important tasks in life that need to be done, but don’t necessarily need you to be the one who does it.
Grocery shopping is a great example! One positive thing that came out of COVID is that pretty much every major grocery store chain now offers both pickup and delivery for groceries. Save yourself an hour or two and get those groceries delivered.
If you are a parent with kids in school or extracurricular activities, carpooling is another great way to “outsource” some of the transportation. Make friends with the other parents and share the driving load.
- Prioritize Your Health
Physical health is very closely connected to feelings of stress (or lack thereof.) Taking care of your health is an important and highly effective way to mitigate the impact of stressful situations.
This includes:
– Getting a good night’s sleep
– Eating a balanced and nutritious diet
– Regular exercise (hello endorphins)
No one is immune to feelings of burnout and overwhelm. We all experience it at one point or another…BUT, you don’t have to stay in a place of burnout either.
If you’re interested in being part of a community of motivated individuals who can offer tips, accountability, and support in beating the burnout blues and living life to the fullest, my Brilliant Leaders membership program could be right up your alley!
Click HERE to learn more and to join the waitlist today!
Article was contributed by: Maria Lees, Team Writer with Sarah Boxx
