If I fall asleep in the next ten minutes, I might be able to get four hours of sleep…
I don’t have time to workout today, my deadline is coming up soon…
I can’t believe I forgot about that appointment, what is wrong with me?
I wonder if I’m depressed…I hope no one can tell.
I’ll just skip lunch today…
Sound familiar? We all know the saying, “you can’t pour from an empty cup”, but are we practicing what we preach? Are you putting on the proverbial oxygen mask to help yourself before others, or are you struggling to prioritize your own needs?
Recognizing the Signs of Burnout
Being “burnt out” is a popular term that is not taken as seriously as it should be.
Burnout is not just stress or exhaustion, it is the result of an accumulation of mental, emotional, and physical fatigue and extreme exhaustion.
Burnout is your brain and body’s way of saying, “I can’t take this anymore”. We become anxious, depressed, experience disrupted sleep, irritability, withdrawal or isolation, weakened immune system, and become at a greater risk of illness, disease, self-harm, substance abuse, and addictions.
Why is Burnout So Common?
Why is burnout so common? Why do we feel the need to “go, go, go”, work overtime, ignore our basic physiological needs, and push ourselves to our breaking points?
Workplace pressures and expectations? Sure.
Family and marital responsibilities? Definitely.
High standards, perfectionism, desire to succeed and achieve your goals? Absolutely.
Western society typically views success in monetary and superficial ways; abundance of wealth, status, privileges, appearance, societal influence, and so on…
Redefining Success: The Importance of a Calm Nervous System
But what if success was a calm nervous system? What if we considered “having it all” by way of slowing down, working less, connecting more, working to live, and not living to work?
How could you begin to prioritize your emotional, physical, and spiritual needs, not to remove stress altogether (because, whether we like it or not, stress is a part of the human experience), but to reduce your risk of burnout, to better adapt to unpredictable experiences, and to improve your overall health and wellbeing?
So here it is: self-care. Another buzzword. We say it, tweet it, post about it, but are we actually practicing it? Self-care is not just expensive massages and vacations. Self-care is anything that improves your quality of life and mental and physical health, and any activity that nourishes you personally!
And remember, everyone has mental health, and mental health is not the absence of mental illness, rather, it is finding ways to personalize your lifestyle to support your unique self! For me, self-care usually takes the form of what I like to call the “20-minute power nap”, a piece of sea-salt dark chocolate, or walking my dog at the park.
Understanding Self-Care as a Preventative Measure
For you, self-care might look like any of the following:
Spending time in nature
Ordering your favourite take-out meal
Setting boundaries with friends or family
Positive self-talk
Practicing gratitude
Investing in a creative outlet or hobby
Cuddling with your pet
Meeting with your doctor
Listening to music, an audiobook, or a podcast
Self-care is a preventative measure. When you make time for yourself, your hobbies, your enjoyable or energizing activities, you actively reduce your risk of burnout.
Therapy: Not Just a Last Resort
Many clients often view therapy as a last resort, and will attend counselling in need of damage control, when everything is already at its worst, and hope feels bleak and distant.
But when you break a bone, or feel ill, you don’t wait to see the doctor until the arm has almost completely fallen off, right? (At least, I hope you don’t!). No, you call them up right away, in need of help and support. Counselling can have the same effect!
Life doesn’t have to be terrible for you to ask for help, sometimes we just need a check-up.
Disclaimer
Information provided through Balance Psychological Services' blog posts is meant for educational purposes only. This is NOT medical or mental health advice. If you are seeking mental health advice, please contact us directly at (587) 985-3132.
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