According to WHO (World Health Organization), burnout is defined as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:
- feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
- increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
- reduced professional efficacy.”
No matter if the burnout episode lasts a day or an entire month, it can be safe to say that burnout feels terrible. From my personal experience, it tends to first start as mental exhaustion (too tired to think), then branches out into either physical (too tired to move) or emotional (too tired to feel). If it gets really bad, it eventually devolves into a burnout of all three. Whether or not you relate to that kind of sensation or if burning out feels different for you, nobody wants to experience that kind of weariness from the bone and soul longer than they have to. But it takes time to completely recover from burnout. So what can you do to aid in the healing process?
- Take a nap. When your phone/ipad/laptop runs low on battery, you don’t continue to use it (not as much anyway)! You charge it! That’s one thing you can do when you’re low on battery (burning out). Get some rest and peace in your mind. Life can’t all be work or total concentration. Your body isn’t designed for that. It has to have a balance, between free time and work, between concentration and wandering attention.
- Partake in a hobby. Even if you’ve lost the interest to do it or if the first few minutes don’t seem enjoyable, still do it. Oftentimes after a little while, the joy in the activity comes back. There are two caveats to this rule though. First, the hobby can’t be looking through social media. I repeat, SCROLLING ON THE WEB DOES NOT COUNT AS A HOBBY! You can have hobbies that involve electronics (I, for one, write my stories on a google document), but they can’t be on places like social media. Even if you feel like browsing the internet is the only thing you have the energy for, resist the temptation! While it may seem nice at the moment, in the end, you will have nothing to show for it, no skills gained by scrolling. In contrast, partaking in an actual hobby hones your expertise in it, and produces a greater feeling of satisfaction. The second caveat is that if your hobby has something to do with operating heavy machinery, using sharp objects, or something that could physically hurt you or others if you’re not careful, take a nap first. Getting injured in your hobby when it could have been prevented sucks.
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Create a diagram of how you are feeling. Although I can only speak from personal experience, drawing a diagram of how I am feeling typically helps me feel less emotionally drained. I’m not sure why, maybe having my emotions written down helps alleviate the stress of being unsure how I’m feeling or maybe it’s like self therapy? I am not an expert on mindfulness. The emotional diagrams I draw aren’t exactly like journal entries, but you can do either to express your feelings. Here’s an example:
- Spend time outside in nature (optimally 2 hours, but you can do 15 minutes if you can’t spare the time). According to https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-06/MHAW21-Nature-research-report.pdf (Shortened version here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/research/nature-how-connecting-nature-benefits-our-mental-health#:~:text=Nature%20can%20generate%20many%20positive,particularly%20lower%20depression%20and%20anxiety.for those who don’t want to read a 55 page pdf.), https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature, https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-health, https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/3-ways-getting-outside-into-nature-helps-improve-your-health/2023/05, and https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/mental-health/the-mental-health-benefits-of-nature-spending-time-outdoors-to-refresh-your-mind/, spending time outside in nature (leafy green environments or even coastal beach enviroments) decreases stress, improves concentration, fosters cooperation, relaxes you, and correlates to greater satisfaction with life overall.
- Exercise. Even if you don’t feel like it and/or don’t like exercising, exercise is good for you, and does provide mental benefits as well as physical. When you exercise for an extended period of time, your body releases endorphins. These chemicals block out pain and stress signals, thus improving a person’s sense of wellbeing.
- Make a list of all the things you have to do. If you are more focused on getting your work done, it may help you to make a table of all the tasks you have to complete. Even if you already know what you have to do, having a visual diagram of it can give a sense of certainty and lessen the feeling of being overwhelmed. Here’s an example of a table of task I use:
History
| Do notes |
Math
| 6.5 Sine, Cosine, Tangent | Page 221, 1-19 (odd), Page 226 18-30 (even) |
| 6.7 Pythagorean Theorem | Pages 70, 1-10, 12-14 |
English
| Do essay |
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