As a student, blogger, and human, learning to slow down and avoid being consumed by the monster that is “productivity” can be difficult at times. Many times. A few weeks ago, it finally hit me that we’ve all been living in what feels like a continuous cycle of grocery store runs, uncertainty, and zoom calls, for more than a year. I’m certain we all get burnt out from time to time, however, burnout in a pandemic is unlike any other. It is defeating to begin each day feeling unsure about what the future may hold, and unsure if we’ll ever get a sense of normalcy any time soon. We’ve all experienced this past year in unique ways, but I’m sure we can all draw the same conclusion that it has been exhausting. Life happens, and getting rest is not always as easy as we tell ourselves it is.
At the very least, I want to remind you today that your health matters before anything else. The projects you’re working on, the endless deadlines you need to meet, the people that are all counting on you … will always be there. It’s tempting to tell ourselves “I’ll rest when I finish xyz,” until the next xyz comes around and you’re back on the hamster wheel. You may receive the pat on the back you were hoping for, but you’ll never get the time spent with your loved ones, your health, or your sanity back.
So, can we really conquer this beast called burnout? I’m not sure if we can entirely, but we can definitely manage it. I encourage you to do yourself a favour and be kinder to your body this year. I’m a victim of burnout and it isn’t fun, but it’s bound to happen in this fast-paced world we live it. Most likely it will affect many of us again in the future, so today I want to share with you tips that have helped me and hopefully they’ll help you too.
Prioritize your mental health.
The overarching theme of this post is to be mindful of your mental health. It is important that we continue speaking out about the ways in which mental health affects our daily lives and how we can move foward collectively. A few reminders:
- Do not feel ashamed to seek help and admit that you are suffering.
- Don’t be scared to acknowledge your feelings and communicate them with others. And if you are feeling ashamed or scared, those are normal feelings too.
- Do not suffer quietly.
- Being vulnerable about these things is not easy but it’s not impossible.
- It’s okay to want to consider others’ feelings but do not feel that you owe others an explanation for making time for yourself either.
- Most importantly, you aren’t alone.
Stop beating yourself up.
If I’m being honest, it can be difficult to show up sometimes, even for the things/people that we love. And with that, comes a lot of guilt. Have you ever made a commitment and later regretted it, not because you didn’t want to fulfil that promise, but because you felt you had nothing to give? Or maybe because you were initially in a better headspace and no longer were? When I launched my blog in January and shortly after began taking social media (Instagram that is) more seriously, I was also met with growing demands in school. Not to mention, we were still in lockdown.
It was an exciting time in my life but also very exhausting. The pressure to complete day to day tasks slowly began to overtake the excitement and desire I had to get them done. I believe that oftentimes, this dread arises not because of external pressures, but because of the pressure we place on ourselves. Raise your hand if you’re often your toughest critic. *insert raised-hand emoji* Me too. I’ve learned to remind myself not to take myself so seriously and to allow myself to feel what I need to feel and keep moving. If you’re in a rut or feel stuck, don’t be too hard on yourself. Identify the areas where you feel most stressed, give yourself time to rest (away from too much noise), and regroup.
Implement breathing exercises into your day.
This requires no equipment and no fuss. Simply stay where you are and take a couple of deep breaths. Inhale. Exhale. Each time I do this, I instantly feel relaxed and it requires little to no effort! The world is so fast paced and it’s easy to get sucked into it’s high tide. Regain your peace by isolating yourself from the rest of the world for a few breaths.
Stretch.
Take a couple of minutes and just stretch your body. You never realize how stiff you are until you get up and move your body in different directions. Stretching consistently will increase flexibility and give you more mobility.
Drink more water.
If you’re like me, you often neglect the bottle of water on your desk because you get lazy or you put other tasks at the top of your priority list. Staying hydrated throughout the day however, is super important and it doesn’t take much time to take a few sips. To remind myself to drink water I keep a bottle around me at all times. Having it in plain sight will encourage you to hydrate.
Redesign your environment.
“Most people live in a world others have created for them. But you can alter the spaces where you live and work to increase your exposure to positive cues and reduce your exposure to negative ones. Environment design allows you to take back control and become the architect of your life. Be the designer of your world and not merely the consumer of it”
– JAMES CLEAR, ATOMIC HABITS
Lately I’ve been inspired by a book I’m reading called Atomic Habits by James Clear. It offers amazing insights on the power of creating habits and the impact they have on your life in the short run and long run. One quote that stuck with me was, “Most people live in a world others have created for them. But you can alter the spaces where you live and work to increase your exposure to positive cues and reduce your exposure to negative ones. Environment design allows you to take back control and become the architect of your life. Be the designer of your world and not merely the consumer of it.” Sometimes all you need to do to get into the right headspace is declutter, refurnish, and design a space that caters to your specific needs.
Take a shower. Cold or hot.
Aside from our natural need to shower and freshen up each day, you can also use showers as a way to destress. Sometimes on her work breaks, my sister will go take a shower to refresh her body and mind. If you’re able to do the same, being home and all, I would suggest you do the same once in a while because there is nothing quite like feeling and smelling fresh. Also, it may be a better alternative to drinking a cup of coffee if caffeine gives you the jitters like it does to me.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed, stressed, tired, drained, or bored, take a quick break and hop in the shower. Hopefully you’ll feel more energized and have a clearer mind.
Plan your day the night before.
To-do lists might sound like a pain, but they ease you of a lot of stress that you’d get from saving things to the last minute! Set aside 10-15 minutes in the evening before a hectic day and list out all of the urgent tasks you need to get done. Don’t skip the little tasks either as they add up, especially if you can be forgetful like myself. I write down everything, even the snacks I need to get at the grocery store! Knowing what to expect the next day will prepare you and you’ll face the day with more confidence.
You might ask, “how will a to-do list help my burnout?” Well, according to Psychology Today, by definition, burnout is “a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress.” I believe to-do lists will reduce this stress by preparing you in advance for the days you have a lot on your plate. Being organized will give you a sense of direction and control over your life, and this is why I love them!
Stop worrying about what others are doing.
When you focus your attention on what others are doing, consciously or subconsciously, this can easily take a toll on your wellbeing. Social media, if used incorrectly, will leave you feeling inadequate or behind but do not doubt yourself. Being unique and staying true to what feels natural to you will always pay off far more in the end. We each have our own paths and although one person’s may look different from yours, this doesn’t mean you’re not where you’re supposed to be.
Trying to keep up with the crowd will have you working your body harder than it needs to, and because you feel like you’re not doing enough, you’ll keep pushing yourself harder. Friend, relax yours shoulder, unclench your jaw, wiggle your fingers and toes, and relax your forehead. You’re doing the best you can in this moment and that is enough. Work harder to achieve your own goals but don’t do it because society is pressuring you to.
Ignore emails or messages that don’t require an urgent reply.
Unless it is urgent, don’t feel bad for reading the subject line and continuing to swipe. Not everything requires your immediate attention. Take the energy you would have spent replying to that message and channel it elsewhere. You can get back to them when you’re mentally prepared.
Disconnect.
As someone who spends quite a bit of time online, I also make it a point to unplug as much as possible. This takes discipline, but the longer you practice it the easier it becomes. I find myself scrolling endlessly on social media apps if I’m not careful, and more times than not, I do not feel that much better afterwards. If you spend lots of time on the internet, whether your work requires you to or you do so for your own pleasure, be sure to set limits or else you will definitely burnout. Social media is a crazy place and too much time on it will do more harm than good. All it comes down to is knowing your limits and recognizing when your mind needs a break.
Release the tension in your body.
Signs that your body may be tense include; a slouched posture, a tight chest, neck pain, and a clenched jaw. Whenever I feel these things, I take it as a sign that I need to release and relax. Observe how your body is feeling right now and release all of that built up tension.
Go for a walk.
Taking a few steps away from my environment to clear my mind always gives me so much mental clarity. A walk outside surrounded by fresh air is always best, but make due with what’s around you! If you’re in a building and all you can do is take a walk down a hallway or up and down the stairs, that is great too. Anything to get your body moving and mind away from work for a while will do you good, I promise.
Complete a power workout.
If you need to release built up tension fast, find time for a quick HIIT workout or run. When I’ve been at my desk for too long or need to clear my mind, I head to the treadmill. Any high adrenaline movement that will increase your heart rate and force your muscles to work will shock your body and boost your energy. In the moment you may dread it, but afterwards you’ll feel proud of yourself for doing it.
Speak to a loved one.
Text, snapchat, call, or facetime someone you love. Sometimes all you need is to hear a familiar voice, see a friendly face, or read a thoughtful text from a person you care about. It will make the other person’s day go by much easier and will also bring you joy to catch-up and share a few laughs with each other. Staying in touch with the people in your life is important because we all get so busy. That, and living in lockdown has made communication a lot harder. A quick exchange always goes a long way, and you never know how much a few kind words will impact someone’s life.
Get your beauty sleep.
This is one of those things that are easier said than done for me. Why? Because I’m currently typing this at 2:51AM. This year, high on my priority list will be to maintain a normal sleep schedule. One in which I’m not awake to see the sun rise each morning. Getting enough sleep allows you to perform at your best and when I get a good night’s rest, I wake up in a much better mood and feel much more optimistic about the day awaiting me. Burnout often comes from a lack of rest so today, allow yourself to sleep!
I hope you found these tips helpful like I have. It’s not always easy to press on the brakes and slow down, but once you do it’ll be worth it. I’m proud of you for putting that work in every day, but don’t burn yourself out. Now, go rest!
Xo, Kundi
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