How to recover from burnout
Have you lost your usual zest for life? Do you feel exhausted and empty?
If you have no enthusiasm, can’t concentrate, feel worried or anxious a lot of the time, and struggle to get a good night’s sleep, stress may be getting the better of you. Worse still, if you feel like there’s nothing left to give, and are unable to cope with daily life because you feel overwhelmed, then you are likely suffering from burnout.
The good news is you can recover. The not-so-good news is that a week’s holiday or a few days off work isn’t sufficient time to repair the damage done. Burnout is a serious condition that manifests from prolonged stress. The road to recovery can take months or even years. A full recovery from burnout will involve rest, reflection and re-evaluating the habits that led you there.
So how do you know if you are burnt out, what are the warning signs, how do you recover effectively, and how long will it take?
What is burnout, and am I suffering from it?
Burnout is defined as the experience of mental and physical exhaustion due to stress. If you feel overwhelmed and exhausted all the time, you could be burned out. But other health conditions can cause fatigue, such as cancer, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, and infections like mononucleosis, HIV, flu and Covid-19. Always seek medical advice to rule out other possible underlying causes.
You may be burnt out if you have been working or living in a stressful situation for a long time. If this is you, seeking help from a mental health professional to receive a proper diagnosis and support is important.
What are the warning signs of burnout?
Stress can quickly become normalised, so the path to burnout can often be challenging to spot. These are the warning signs to watch out for:
• Exhaustion – if you feel persistently tired, rundown, have low energy, and frequently feel overwhelmed, and there isn’t another medical cause, you may be in or heading for burnout.
• Worry and anxiety – if anxiety has increased and you have worries that won’t go away, it could be a sign you are suffering from long-term stress. Emotional signs and symptoms of burnout include a sense of failure and self-doubt, loneliness, and decreased satisfaction.
• Mood swings – in the earlier phases of burnout, it’s not uncommon to experience irritability, anger, frustration and mood swings before apathy sets in.
• Loss of enthusiasm – feeling indifferent towards work or social activities you once enjoyed could be a sign you are depressed. It may also signal burnout, especially if coupled with some of the other indicators.
• Unhealthy work-life balance – poor work-life balance is one of the common causes of stress. If your work takes up so much time and effort that you don’t have the energy to spend time with family and friends or partake in pastimes you enjoy, you could burn out quickly.
• A cynical and negative outlook – you may have become more critical, negative and pessimistic. These are central attributes of burnout because there isn’t the energy or mental resource to cope. As a result, a person with burnout feels disillusioned and finds it easier to criticise than mobilise and do something positive.
• Sleep problems – high-stress levels impair sleep, and sleep loss further triggers stress hormones creating a vicious cycle. Difficulty falling asleep, not getting enough sleep, or frequently waking at night are additional stressors that worsen burnout.
• Poor performance at work – burnout manifests over time. In the workplace, you may feel disillusioned with your job, are less engaged in your work, and become less productive. Tasks you once found easy may feel more complex, and your concentration may be affected. You may be procrastinating and finding it difficult to make decisions. Perhaps you dread going to work and feel inclined to take sick days or arrive late more often.
• Unhealthy lifestyle choices – when you lose energy and drive, it becomes more challenging to make healthy choices. You may eat more junk food and perhaps drink alcohol or take drugs to manage tension and escape from anxiety and uncomfortable feelings.
• Withdrawn and detached – people experiencing burnout feel disconnected. If burned out, you may feel your empathy waning and feel emotionally distanced from others.
• Physical symptoms – with burnout, you are likely to be experiencing a range of physical symptoms, such as a racing heart rate, high blood pressure, headaches, stomach issues, gastrointestinal problems, muscle aches, and frequent acute illnesses due to impaired immune function.
The three main elements of burnout to watch out for are emotional exhaustion, a negative or cynical attitude, and reduced professional performance. Recognising the signs of burnout is the first step to recovery.
Recovering from burnout and improving stress management
Ultimately, burnout happens because of poorly managed stress. Unfortunately, burnout doesn’t go away on its own, and it is vital to start a recovery programme as soon as possible.
Think about the why
An essential part of recovery from burnout is to reflect. Evaluating and assessing stressors is crucial, so strategies can be implemented to minimise them.
You must develop an understanding of what has happened to you. Why did you end up here? Reflection requires some deep work. Although some of the reasons you ended up in an exhausted state will be obvious, others will take introspection and time to uncover. It is a good idea to seek the help of a professional therapist to identify more subtle patterns in your behaviour that don’t serve you well.
When you become more aware of the triggers that cause stress, you can react differently or put things in place that give you adequate time to recuperate.
Create a better work-life balance
For some people, this may mean quitting a job. If your job has been the cause of burnout and your stress load is unlikely to change, it could be time to move on. If this isn’t possible, focus on the parts of your job you enjoy. Reach out for help from your co-workers or business associates. Re-evaluate your working day and regain a sense of purpose and control. Take screen breaks and try to leave on time most days.
Outside of work, focus on the pastimes you enjoy. If you feel exhausted, take some time off work to recharge.
Learn to say no!
If part of the reason you are stressed is that you take on too much, you need to learn to say no. If you find this difficult, make ‘let me get back to you on that’ your go-to phrase. This response will give you time to assess whether you can manage what is being asked of you.
Re-evaluate your priorities
Burnout is a clear indicator that something must give in your life. Take time to slow down and take a step back. Think about what is important to you.
Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a common factor in burnout. The first step to changing this is to recognise this in yourself. Then try not to dwell on what you are missing. Instead, focus on your choices and what you are doing now.
Practise self-care
Recovering from burnout may be a long and daunting road. However, you can take many small steps to support yourself on the journey back to health. For example, try meditation, journaling, listening to soothing or uplifting music, walking in nature, drawing, painting or colouring, doing a puzzle, reading, cooking a healthy meal, or learning a language or a new skill. You could also write down positive affirmations or start a gratitude diary.
The point is to do some things that make you feel good. No matter how small, everything you do for self-care adds up.
Getting adequate rest and sleep is also imperative to your recovery and managing stress further down the line. Try to go to bed at the same time every night, even at weekends. Limit screen use in the evening. Shortly before bedtime, introduce a relaxing routine. Try breathing exercises, mindfulness or meditation, sip herbal tea, or take a warm shower.
Start to schedule breaks into your daily routine. Even five minutes of doing some breathing exercises can make a difference.
Eat a healthy balanced diet
When the body goes through prolonged stress, it gets out of balance. Nutrition is a vital tool in your recovery toolbox. Food choices are critical for normalising adrenal function and managing blood sugar levels. Eat a healthy balanced diet. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, refined carbohydrates and sugars, as these exacerbate stress symptoms. It may be helpful to seek the advice of a qualified nutritional therapist.
Prioritise exercise
When you feel exhausted, the last thing you are likely to think about is exercise. But doing some form of exercise is critical to combat the effects of stress. It is one of the most effective ways to deal with stress and anxiety because it reduces stress hormones and stimulates the release of endorphins, which relieve pain and induce a sense of well-being.
Start with 20 minutes of brisk walking or gentle stretching, like yoga or tai chi.
Reach out for help
When you feel overwhelmed, seeking a therapist’s help can make a world of difference. Seeing a road back to normality isn’t easy in a state of burnout. A therapist can help you manage stress and give insights into the behaviour patterns that led you to where you are now.
Remember, your recovery will relapse if you return to your old ways.
How long does it take to recover from burnout?
The effectiveness of your recovery from burnout and the time it takes depends on several factors. There are degrees of burnout. If you have been heading this way for years and have burnt out badly, it could take years to recover fully.
On the other hand, if the circumstances that led you to burn out happened relatively recently, then with the proper recovery plan, you could be back on track in just a few months. Kick-starting your recovery on a retreat is a fabulous idea. If your burnout is terrible, a long-stay retreat would be ideal.
We must talk more about burnout!
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at some point, nearly every fifth child or teenager and every fourth adult will be affected by burnout.
Burnout doesn’t only have an impact on individuals. It has far-reaching effects on family, friends, colleagues, businesses, health systems, and economies. It is a travesty for individuals and a burden on broader society. Fortunately, it is a problem that can be fixed.
The Place Retreats in Bali helps guests begin their recovery from chronic stress and burnout. Our unique and effective therapeutic programs empower chronic stress patients to recover, renew and revive.
Contact us to find out more about how you can restore energy and regain your zest for life.
