Let’s start by defining ‘burnout.’ According to Psychology Today, “Burnout is a state of mental, emotional, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged and repeated stress.”
Yikes. 😵💫
To better understand burnout, we first need to talk about stress.
Did you know most humans have thousands of unfinished stress cycles hanging around in their bodies? What’s a stress cycle you ask?
A stress cycle happens when you are exposed to something that causes your nervous system to feel stress. Under normal circumstances, the stressful event resolves and the stress cycle is complete.
But when the stressors just keep coming and coming, never having an opportunity to resolve, this leaves you with unfinished stress cycles that leave your nervous system frayed, triggered, and unsettled.
But here’s the good news. You can easily complete those stress cycles by engaging in certain activities such as:
These actions send a message to the body that the threat is over and it’s safe to return to normal. 🙂
Burnout happens when we repeatedly enter these unrelenting stress cycles without completing them.
If this sounds like you, here are a few suggestions that will help:
👨👩👧👦 Connect with people who make you feel safe and supported and ask for help.
😫 Complete any stress cycles still lingering in your body by dancing, running, walking briskly, or working out.
😍 Practice a little self-care such as meditation, listening to music, going to bed early, and positive self-talk.
🧠 Take care of your mind: Find a great therapist, talk your feelings out with a friend, or walk barefoot on the grass for a little grounding.
🕵️ Become aware of your stress patterns when you get triggered and work to avoid them.
🗒️ Have some go-to affirmations or a breathing routine you can do when you get triggered.
✍️ Journal or write — getting your thoughts and feelings down on paper and out of your head will be a huge mental relief.
Don’t forget the importance of cultivating safe and supportive relationships during intense stress or burnout. Spending time with your closest friends produces oxytocin and dopamine which help you bounce back and feel better quickly.
What is your go-to activity to relieve stress? Let me know in the comments!
