Have you been feeling burned out lately? If so you are not alone. Seems that these days more and more people are experiencing stress, and overall feeling of being exhausted or at the very least feeling stretched very thin.
I was in the middle of relocating, I was doing some traveling, working and speaking, and I found that I had little to no time to myself, I was becoming exhausted.
So I had to take a pause, I mean I literally put everything on hold, and really not so much by choice.
My body shut me down. I had to take it easy. My body was calling for more rest.
So I’ve been taking it easy lately, I braided my hair for the summer, and in my rest I’ve become refreshed.
It’s easy for goal oriented, purpose driven people to become burn out.
Here’s why…
It’s because we are always focused on producing results, and that takes action. Action is forward motion, and if we are not careful, no matter how positive and driven we are, we will eventually burn out.
In addition to eating right, and working out, there were still things that I needed to do in order to care for myself. I realized that the reason for my burnout was because I needed to put into practice a few more very important self-care habits.
Set Boundaries
Identify your personal and professional limits, then stand your ground. Consider what you can and can not tolerate, and make no apologies for it. Realize that the word “NO” is a complete sentence, and that your “NO” does not require further explanation. If what is being asked of you does not align itself with your purpose, say no to it or them. Time is a valuable resource, and wasting it on things that have nothing to do with where you ultimately want to be, is a sure fire way road to burn out.
Say YES To YOU
Fear, guilt and self-doubt are all self-sabotage. Some people fear the other person’s response if they set boundaries, however it is important to realize that your boundaries are how you love and respect yourself. Setting boundaries so that you protect your energy is smart, especially when you notice that you feel emotionally drained when you interact with certain people. It’s important to identify the energy drainers in your life, so that you can set and protect your boundaries.
Make Self-Care a Priority
Practice self-care on a daily basis. Here is a list of daily self-care practices that I have incorporated into my life:
- I get plenty of sleep. Now, this did require that I move closer to my office (I was driving an hour in the morning, and an hour at night to get home). Now I literally can walk across the street and be at work within a couple of minutes, and this allows me to sleep in later in the mornings. I usually start my day at 8 am, versus 5 am when I had to get up early just to fight traffic.
- I meditate for at least 30 minutes every morning. I sit still or lay in my bed, and I just allow myself to be in the moment, with no distractions, no worries, nothing to focus on, and I just breathe. It relaxes me and breathing is a great way to clear your body of toxins.
- I make sure I have something wonderful to look forward to, every single day. Sometimes it’s reading a great book, sometimes it’s doing nothing at all. You’d be surprised how effective the emotion of “anticipation” can be in your life.
- I’ve picked up a new hobby. Some friends of mine and I went out for some girls night fun, and we enrolled in a painting class. I never realized how much of a stress reliever painting could be. With every stroke of color on my blank canvas, I became more and more energized. Painting is a beautiful way to create something new and unique, something that’s all your own. It’s a fun activity, and I look forward to doing it again very soon.
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