Are you guys feeling burnt out? It has been a long year but of a different kind. After two years of long lockdowns and intense uncertainty, life has been back at full pelt. We’re all seemingly moving forward but there seems to be a grey cloud over our heads. Are we even doing ok? What even happened in the last two years? Why are we moving forward but not acknowledging what we’ve gone through over the last two years? I am not even sure we even know the answers to these questions, but I have a feeling that it’s contributing to how we’re all feeling. Moreover, dealing with life, mental health issues, and just the state of the world in general…. Wow. It’s a lot. With three months left of the year, let’s talk about how we can manage these feelings of burn out.
First, to manage burn out we need to be aware of what it is we need to deal with. Some common signs of burnout are:
constant forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating
feeling detached from things you previously used to enjoy and felt a sense of pride in
losing sight of your goals
withdrawing socially and letting go of self-care and self-hygiene
frustration and irritability with co-workers
constantly feeling on edge and feeling overwhelmed
Feeling paralysed by work, relationships, family, etc.
If you’re feeling these and more nearly all day, every day, then chances are you’re experiencing burn out. Here are some tips to follow to manage some of these feelings:
Identify immediate changes you can make. Have a think about what is in your control and what is not in your control. Things that are not on your control cannot be helped. What is in your control? What can you do to make life easier regarding the things that can change?
What can you delegate?
What do you actually need to do? What is wishful thinking and actually doesn’t need to get done?
Talk to people you trust to help you manage rumination and stress.
When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep? Sleep has such a vital role in regulating our mood and stress levels.
When was the last time you moved your body? Any form of movement whether it’s light stretches, a walk, a run, or a gym work out, moving our body helps manage burn out and stress.
When was the last time you journaled? Journalling does not have to be a daily exercise. Some people find this helpful, other don’t. I love journaling, but sometimes there are months between my journal entries. It’s a thing I do when I feel I need a brain dump because there are some tough feelings I’m dealing with.
Have your boundaries been breached? Saying yes to too many things can contribute to burn out and overwhelm. Before you say yes, push the pause button, ask yourself if you really have the time and energy, is it meaningful for you and is it going to be helpful?
When was the last time you checked in with yourself to manage your own needs? Take a minute, pause, where are you at in this moment? What do you need in this moment?
What brings you joy? Carve out time for it.
Do you need to speak to a professional? For support with burnout and to learn ways to manage, we’re here to help. Give our team a call on (03) 9882 8874 to book an appointment.
To subscribe and listen to our podcast “Breaking the Rules: A Clinician’s Guide to Treating OCD”, click on the following links: Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Episodes will be released fortnightly and will simultaneously be published on our webpage here.
This blog was written and prepared by Dr Celin Gelgec – Clinic Director and Clinical Psychologist at Melbourne Wellbeing Group.