Preventing Burnout

Do you love what you do? Or...

Are you on the verge of burnout?

Okay, these 2 are on the opposite sides of the spectrum but burnout is serious and not be taken lightly. Whether you're impacted or you know someone who may be experiencing it, read on.

Here is how burnout is usually perceived: it occurs when we are mentally and physically exhausted after a prolonged period of stress and overwhelm. We have so much cr*p on our plate and are so depleted, we feel unable to meet the constant demands of life.

But consider for a moment that

a) Burnout is not only caused by having way too much on your plate but more specifically too much of the things that just don't light you up.

b) Combine that with NOT doing enough of the things that replenish you and you have a recipe for a glorious meltdown.

If you were overwhelmed with things that you loved doing, you would actually feel pretty grateful to have so much coming your way, right?

Too much of the things that don't light us up to me feels like eating microwaved turnips at every meal. Your soul slowly starts shriveling from the inside.

So how do you turn this around?

#1 Nourish your nervous system

If you're stressed, overwhelmed and in a constant fight-or-flight mode, the part of your brain that has access to problem-solving is going to be offline (blood actually moves away from the pre-frontal cortex which governs rational thinking and problem-solving).

This means you remain in the same patterns of thinking that got you stuck in the first place and no creative and helpful solution will emerge.

So even if you have no idea how you're gonna get yourself out of this mess, it is crucial that you take at least 10 minutes a day to slow down, breathe and/or tap to regulate your beautiful brain.

#2 Set boundaries

Whether you set them with others or yourself, start establishing boundaries to protect your time, how you spend it, and whom with.

Block your calendar for self-care: make appointments for yoga and healers weeks in advance.

Learn to say no. Be aware of what fills and what depletes your energy.

Carve time for the things that replenish your energy.

#3 Light it up

What lights you up deep down? When was the last time you made a list of all of the simple things that you really love about being a human on earth, the things you would write about on your gratitude list?

Like your first cup of coffee wrapped in a blanket, being challenged with an exciting project, watching your puppy run around with excitement, drawing or painting just for the sake of it, taking a walk by a lake or a stream, making a gorgeous colorful meal, tending your garden, a deep and meaningful conversation with a friend...