Are We All Burned Out?

Hi. I'm back - did you miss me? Don't answer that!
It's been a while. I kept meaning to come back to this blog and update it, but the pandemic has taken a fair bit out of me both personally and professionally and it's been difficult to find the motivation to keep writing. But I'm back, with a blog about burnout.

I figured that burnout would be a good thing to talk about in my first blog post back because it's one of a handful of words that I've been hearing a lot recently - up there with "self-care," "resilience," and "fatigue" - and don't worry, there will be blogs on those topics as well I'm sure. But for now, I'm wondering whether we're all burned out and if so, what we can do about it.

Can't adult today. Tired wolf.

So what is burnout? Well, according to several online sources, it's a state of exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. Exhaustion can be mental, physical and emotional, and it's typically linked to work. In fact, in 2019 the WHO referred to burnout as an "occupational phenomenon." And therein lies the problem for me.

Burnout isn't just about your job

When we talk about burnout, it seems almost inextricably linked to what you do for a living. We all know that through the pandemic the lines between work life and home life have blurred, and if you find yourself answering emails at 10pm or lying awake at night thinking about the jobs you have to do tomorrow you're definitely not alone. But I think that burnout transcends your work life - there's a global pandemic on (yes, still), there's a whole host of things going on in the world that make your eyes burn if you look at them too closely, social media can be a force for good or evil depending on the day, and we're all still just tying to get by. Who says we can't just be "burned out" in general, with work having little to do with it?

Feeling burned out sucks

Talk about stating the obvious, right? But do you actually know what we mean by "feeling burned out"? It's not just anxiety, although that's part of it, and it's not just tiredness, although that's part of it too.

Some of the symptoms of burnout include:

• Feeling detached, as though you're alone and nobody can help you
• Loss of motivation
• Lack of sleep
• Feeling increasingly negative and pessimistic/cynical about life
• Feeling drained or excessively fatigued
• Physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, or random aches and pains
• Feeling more stressed or anxious about things than you used to

Most of these things on their own are probably par for the course if you're currently engaging in the world in any way, but if you're feeling a lot of those things a lot of the time, it might be a good idea to speak to someone about it.

Part of the reason that burnout sucks is that the same thought process that slowly turns your thoughts more cynical and negative can easily convince you that nothing can change and that you'll always feel this way. That, coupled with physical symptoms like tiredness or headaches, can make you feel even worse.

Your brain is a liar

This guy? Well-intentioned, but doesn't always have the best idea at how to help.

The good news is that burnout can be managed - but it won't happen overnight, and it won't happen unless you step away from the things that are making you feel burned out for a little while. I promise, they'll still be there when you come back. Your brain's a good liar, but even though it will try to convince you that things are hopeless and you can't feel any better - you can. It just takes some effort.

If you're feeling burned out:

• You need to step away from the things that are contributing to your sense of burnout. I understand that you can't just "step away" from work - but can you take some sick leave? You can't just "step away" from the pandemic or other world issues - but can you stop doomscrolling Twitter, just for a few days? Can you ask someone to come and help you with the kids for an hour or two? Stepping back, however small, gives you a chance to evaluate things.
• You also need to breathe. Relaxation and breathing exercises can be really helpful here - if you've read my other blog posts, you know what I'm talking about, I'm not going to preach to the choir!
• Are you getting enough nutrition? That Kind bar you picked up as you ran into the office doesn't count (it really doesn't, I will die on this hill). Are you drinking enough water. You can roll your eyes and say "yes, mum" at me - on your way to the sink.
• Doing the above should give you enough space to work on your strategies for managing stress. Exercise, relaxation, boundaries, communicating with others, taking on less at work or home, whatever works. You might have to try a few different things before you find something that gives you the outcome that you're looking for - and don't be afraid to think about things that you wouldn't previously have given yourself permission to think about. Do you need to leave the job you're in? Do you need to leave the relationship you're in? Nothing's off the table, but that doesn't mean we have to act on everything. They're just options.
• Sleeping can be tricky when you're feeling burned out. There are lots of sleep tips that can help, but in general you should try to avoid caffeine after midday and try to have a consistent sleep/wake routine. If you've stepped back from some stuff you might have more free time in the day - use some of that to catch up on sleep, but try to get up at a consistent time every day if you can.
• Above all, remember this: you're not a failure for feeling burned out. Even if it's not related to your job, it doesn't mean that you feel it any less, or that you need any less help. Nobody will think any less of you for taking some time out, especially not after the year we've all had. Maybe it's time to focus on yourself for once.

If you've been feeling burned out, tell me how you've managed it in the comments.