Have you ever felt so overwhelmed with stress that you feel like a battery running on empty? That is what burnout is.
Burnout is when you experience physical and mental exhaustion as a result of prolonged stress. You feel like you have nothing else left to give. Every day starts to feel like a bad day or what you are doing is a waste of time. Burnout can be damaging to your physical health where you can be vulnerable to illnesses.
Burnout is no joke as you should have enough energy to complete your daily tasks. By fighting burnout, you will feel a sense of hope and positivity all over again.
Good Stress Vs. Bad Stress
Good stress happens when we feel excited. Even though our heart beats fast, this type of stress does not come from any threats or danger. It can be the anxiously excited stress we get when we are waiting in line for a rollercoaster. We are scared, but at the same time excited for the thrill of the ride. Good stress can make us excited about life.
Bad stress, on the other hand, is a different story. Acute stress is when we feel stressed out at certain moments like being stuck in a traffic jam. When we find ways to go back to our relaxed state, the stress will go away. Chronic stress is also completely different. This type of stress does take a toll on our physical and mental health when it does not go away. It could be from having a stressful job, marriage, or other factors. It is the feeling of not being able to escape.
Cortisol is an anti-stress hormone that makes energy-rich compounds to your body. They start to come to you when you wake up in the morning to give you energy throughout the day. For those without burnout, the energy will fall during the day until it is time to sleep. For those with chronic stress, the cortisol levels reach an all-time high and remain there to cope with the stress.
Symptoms of Burnout
Burnout can make you lose your determination to do simple things like getting out of bed. While the signs may be subtle at first, they can grow over time if left untreated. Physical signs can be things like having a low immune system as well as frequent headaches. Your sleeping and eating habits can change, as well as feeling tired most of the time. There are also emotional symptoms such as feeling like a failure or having a negative outlook. You could be taking too long to get things done or withdrawing altogether.
Decreasing Your Burnout
When stress takes over your life, you may think that you have no control over it. The truth is that you have more control than you think. The first thing you can do is reach out to people who are close to you. Relationships will be strengthened knowing you are coming to them for support. Surround yourself with positive people instead of those who bring you down. It is also never too late to meet new friends as you expand your social network.
You can also reevaluate your priorities like learning when to say “no” when you have too much going on. Set aside some relaxation time like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing to activate the body’s relaxation response. Make exercise a priority in your routine as 30 minutes of activity can boost your mood. Incorporate a healthy diet where you minimize sugar and healthy foods to help lower your levels of anxiety.
If you still feel burnout and stress on a daily basis, speak to a therapist to gain new tools to help you relax. While life can bring you stress, there are also wonderful people and activities to explore to help you feel at ease.
