Burnout is the buzzword taking the world by storm as people are starting to recognize the unhealthy norms of constant productivity. There is a societal notion that one must always be productive to gain worth and value. This is called toxic productivity and only furthers feelings of restlessness and guilt when not working. As we listen to the messages that we can only be “good” once we have proven ourselves via success, we minimize the authentic part of ourselves yearning for rest. Thus, we reach a point of burnout, stress, fatigue, and mental illness.
Related: 3 Ways to Identify Burnout
1. Identify Signs of Burnout
Identifying how burnout presents itself for us is key to taking steps toward an integrated life of peace. Taking time to reflect on personal signs of burnout gives insight into what might be happening in your mind and body. Some common characteristics of burnout are:
- Constant fatigue and exhaustion
- Avoiding social situations and friends
- Loss of creativity and inspiration
- Loss of desire to work
- Feeling stuck in a “rut”
This list is not exhausted by any means and may be longer for many people. Yet it is important to know what your signs of burnout are.
Once you know how burnout presents itself, you can take proactive actions to prevent slipping into a full episode of burnout. You do not need to be in a full-blown scenario of burnout to take action. In fact, working proactively is better than getting too deep into exhaustion and trying to fight your way back to well-being.
2. Determine your Priorities
Prioritize what is important to your life. We are human and have a handful of time in our day to spend time doing what we want. There are many tasks we must perform, many tasks we choose to perform, and many tasks we can do without.
Take an audit of your life and investigate what you spend your time doing. Are these activities that inspire you, keep you grounded, align with your values, and care for your whole being? There are certain priorities that we forget we need for our wellness (exercise, quality meals and snacks, time outside, work responsibilities, rest). When we forget to align our time with our priorities, we can slip into burnout. Even further, when we try to take on too many tasks we get spread too thin.
Determine your priorities, ideally 3-5 for each day, and start to align your schedule with your priorities. Set aside a time each week to check in with how you have successfully prioritized yourself and your responsibilities. When we set non-negotiables, we are better able to create balance before slipping into burnout.
Prompts for Priorities:
- What are your non-negotiables?
- What puts you in the best position to have an integrated life?
- What is most important for you? Balance, success, connection, physical wellness, mental health?
3. Align with your Values
Living a value-driven life leads to a sense of fulfillment, purpose, and balance. Placing your values as your core of living provides a way to act in a way that provokes optimal well-being. Take steps to identify and align with your values, then evaluate if you are living in tandem with your values.
When you stray from living in alignment with your values, you will start to notice burnout creep into your life. You give your time to things that do not fill your cup or match your identity, giving dread and exhaustion an environment to thrive.
Align with your values by setting goals for each week. Choose one value a day to focus on. For example, if you value personal connection, make the choice to call a friend or loved one each day. This will give you the boost you need to break up your routine and remember the sweet parts of life.
Journal Prompts for Values:
- What are your top 5 values?
- In what ways are you acting outside these values?
- In what ways are you acting in alignment with them?
- How can you incorporate your values every day?
- What are small actions you can take to align with values?
4. Set Healthy Boundaries
A common factor leading to burnout is the lack of external and internal boundaries. External boundaries are ones that you set within relationships, in a physical space, and with responsibilities. They communicate with others how they can treat you, what your expectations are, and how you can arrive at a place. Internal Boundaries are the ones you hold inside yourself to maintain emotional wellness, mental health, and personal accountability.
Setting boundaries gives you the space to recharge yourself, feel comfortable within relationships, and desire to work with others. You protect yourself and the ability to show up to work, relationships, yourself, and your needs.
| Internal Boundaries | External Boundaries |
| – How you react to other people – Emotional boundaries – Time limits on tasksHow you speak to yourself – The time you will take to care for yourself | – Personal space – Who can and cannot touch you – How someone can talk to you – What you accept as respect – How long you will work on a task at work |