Ever get hit with waves of demotivation, where the things that you once loved just seem tedious and unappealing? Not gonna lie, this happens to me from time to time. I get these spells, where my hobbies, job, and sport feel absolutely draining. It is usually a gradual decline where the days get harder and harder. Usually a week into the spiral I notice that I am definitely fizzling away. I’ve noticed that there is usually a certain pattern to it or different events that bring it on, which has equipped me with my own arsenal of ways to carefully relight my fire and get me back to normal.
Being in isolation has triggered in me this burning desire to create more than I ever had before. Which is excellent in some ways because it allows me to express myself creatively and enjoy the things that I love. However, by putting myself into overdrive I sped up my typical timeline of when I feel burnt out.
Typically I feel burnt out after intense training blocks in my sport of track and field and usually after periods of strenuous production like work or school. Usually happens beginning of summer or in the winter but this time it happened earlier this spring.
Today, I’ll be delivering to you 3 tips that I use when I am experiencing Burnout. I hope that these tips help you during your time. Always know that you’re not alone and burnout is more common than you think.
*** DISCLAIMER: Not everyone’s burnout is the same and some people experience it more severely than others. I am not a doctor or psychologist, all tips are from the experiences that I had and learned from. Please talk to a healthcare professional if your symptoms are extreme/severe**
Before we begin here is a brief definition of Burnout
Typically Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands
For Athletes or those in the fitness world: Burnout is a response to chronic stress of continued demands in a sport or activity without the opportunity for physical and mental rest and recovery
Tip 1: Take a break
I bet you’re saying, “Dom, come on, this is so basic”. Well easy there, when i’m doing what I do for days, weeks, months on end I don’t even consider taking a break. It’s probably the last thing on my mind. I don’t even realize that I am wearing myself thin until I have nothing else to give. I contribute this to the fact that the things that I am doing bring me some sort of gratification. So as the gratification stops, the first thing I do is just take a break. This looks different for different people. For me, typically I put away my electronics and go home to see my family for a bit. The change of environment helps me refocus and rejuvenate. Which helps me feel less overwhelmed and happy again. My family is probably the one thing that always without a fail brings me joy and grounds me back to earth.
Tip 2: Reflect
As you can tell from my own blog, I do love to write and reflect. I have a journal that I frequently write in that harbors all my thoughts and feelings. They are never about one specific topic because well this is life and sometimes everything bleeds into each other. When I am in my wave, I write to get my thoughts down on paper. I ask myself, what is causing me to feel overwhelmed? What are my emotions and thoughts about anything and everything that comes in my mind. When I’m done word vomiting, I usually come to a realization of what is making me feel so overwhelmed. Whether I do something about it or not, it helps to open up even if it is just to yourself. I find that it helps me separate the overwhelmed from myself and look at it from another point of view. Reflecting is such a great way to understand yourself in ways you probably didn’t notice before.
Tip 3: Go to sleep early
By far the oldest trick in the book, going to bed earlier than normal. Think about it, if you are experiencing burnout now, it could just be because you are sleeping less or abnormally than you were before. I’ve found heading to bed at 9 instead of, let’s say, 1 am truly makes a difference. You wake up feeling refreshed and energized and good to go. Finding a better bedtime routine might be the thing you need to hop out of your mental exhaustion. Remember your brain needs a break too.
There are times in our lives that we don’t realize that we are going going going until we have nothing else to go on. Maybe it’s the society we live in, where production is how we measure worth and the value of a person. I think it’s important to remember that doing the things you love should always be enjoyable and if taking some time to realize that again is what you need, know that you deserve to take it.
As always love you and hope these tips helped you and subscribe and like for more weekly health | fitness | lifestyle content <3
Signing off,
Domonique
Instagram: @domoniquepanton_
