Help! I’m Burned Out. Overcoming Burnout Today

As you have probably noticed; this month’s blog is late. We are usually prompt about getting our newsletter out by the first of the month. The sad thing about our lateness, is that I was responsible for writing it last month, getting it proofread by my manager, and correcting any errors she may have found.  My lackadaisical attitude isn’t due to obstinacy or not wanting to fulfill my obligation; it’s due to burnout.

Burnout is defined as a state of mind that comes with long-term, unresolved stress. We all have been under long-term stress for quite some time, haven’t we? The stress keeps coming, and at times it seems as though there is no resolve in sight.  In this 5 series blog subject, we want to share the 5 stages of burnout and how to overcome them.

The Honeymoon Phase is the first stage in burnout, it happens when we take on a new task (like writing a blog) and we experience a high. You know, that feeling of being able to conquer the world, and no one can stop you, kind of high. You start with energy, enthusiasm, commitment, and your awesome creativity. Then Poof! Out of no where the stress begins to seep in, that predicted stress that comes with the new task; now what?! You’ve committed, and all of a sudden, you’re falling behind! This is because we fall in love with the task at hand but hadn’t fully developed our action plan.

The sweat beads are forming, the honeymoon is over before it began. How do we avoid becoming too anxious too soon? Our first defense in the initial stage of burnout is to implement coping skills. The way we cope with stress when it first rears its ugly head is to have a plan to lessen its affect. Create a wellbeing plan, like breaks as you work toward the goal.  Or set up a massage to ease the influence of stress before it becomes overwhelming. Remember, Small Steps Lead to Big Results! Meditation is a great way to alleviate stress, and so is positive self-talk. Planning for the stressful moments will help you before, during, and after your task. Learning to be productive in stages will help assist you in winning the battle of burnout. Together, we can overcome burnout, and its exhausting effects on our body and life. In our next blog we will dive into the second stage of burnout: The onset of stress.

Tammie S. Brown
Owner, Restoring Bodies Fitness & Nutrition Services