I share my tips for managing burnout.
Hello friends! I hope you have a wonderful morning. We have a few appointments today, and it’s back to school and the *real world* after a glorious winter break. We slept in almost every day, watched a ton of movies, played Tucson Tourist, ate takeout, gathered with friends and family, and just enjoyed our time together. I’ve barely touched my laptop, but I can’t wait to get back to it today!
For today’s article, I wanted to talk a little about burnout, which is a bit of a triggering subject. Many of us know exactly what burnout feels like, and it’s horrible. I imagine myself in complete exhaustion mode, and how exhausted and completely exhausted I felt, and I just want to give my past a hug.
I was a Type A, high-anxiety kid who spent my childhood through my twenties either running away or fighting. Then, I got married, I started this crazy adventure that is military life (we’re almost done!!) and I became a mom. It was such a beautiful time, but it was a difficult time – I feel like I missed out on a lot of the girls’ baby years because I suffered from postpartum depression/anxiety and was completely exhausted.
I know this is what led me down the path of mysterious health issues and autoimmune symptoms.
Even though I’m not *completely* recovered from burnout, I no longer have symptoms and feel a million times better. I’m still working and learning as much as I can, but I wanted to share some of the things that have helped me in today’s post. As always, this is not medical advice! I am simply sharing my experience, and if you are suffering from burnout, reach out to someone who can help you on the path to well-being and peace; you deserve to feel good <3
How to deal with burnout
Let yourself be a little more type B
This was a huge step for me, and it’s also the hardest. I just learned that I can’t be for everyone all the time. I can’t do everything, I can’t be perfect, I can’t have a perfectly clean house 24/7, wear makeup and be cute all the time, and say yes to millions of social activities and of children’s events.
Sometimes now I leave the dishes in the sink until morning, leave the laundry on the chair for an extra day, go out in public looking untidy, and say no to events and invitations. I also worked 24/7, but I stopped responding to emails after hours and tried to shut down my computer at a reasonable time.
The messy house is a stressor for me, so I still try to clean every day, but I will set a timer. When it explodes, that’s it. Plus, the kids are older now and can help more!
Incorporate things into your day that you enjoy and that are just for you
This is SO important. It’s so easy to feel exhausted when your entire day is spent doing tasks for other people. You *should* take some time for something you enjoy every day, whether it’s a walk outside, a bath, time in the sauna blanket, reading a book, a phone call with a friend , a juice from your favorite place, anything. it brings you a little joy. Even if it only lasts 5-10 minutes, it’s worth it.
Prepare your future for success
Try taking small actions to care for your future self, like taking the time to put away leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day, booking something you’re looking forward to (like a facial or massage), ordering something you use regularly before running out. , fill your water bottle for the next morning, etc. Sometimes the only person looking out for you is YOU, so take care of yourself. <3
Outsource Where You Can
I am a firm believer in outsourcing anything that is worthwhile and would make life easier than your budget and life allows. We have a house cleaner who comes every two weeks and saves my life. I would get rid of a ton of stuff in the budget before I got rid of this lol. Maybe order healthy meals, like Sakara, get groceries delivered, laundry service, car cleaning, mobile pet grooming, whatever makes your life easier.
Make a list of things you love doing and a list of things you HATE doing, and try outsourcing some of them!
One of the main components of burnout is feeling sleepy, so find people who can help you feel caught up with things.
Focus on the basics
The basics are fresh air, exercise, nutritious food, clean air/water, and stress reduction. Try to participate in these things a little each day. I didn’t walk as much during the break and I feel it. I feel more balanced and energized when I do these things every day.
Functional tests
Functional testing was a game changer for me. When you’re exhausted, you’re also likely nutrient depleted (stress burns nutrients!) and face toxicities, which can impact gut health (affects neurotransmitter function, which impacts metabolism). mood!) and how we absorb nutrients.
When I performed functional tests in the laboratory, I was able to see the effects of stress on my body and work to regenerate myself on a fundamental level. If you are interested in testing, email me at gina@fitnessista.com under subject TEST. My new program will be launched in February, which will also include functional testing! To get first access, make sure you’re on my newsletter.
So, tell me, my friends: what helped you fight burnout? Any books or resources you love??
xoxo
Gina
More: How to Recover from Mom Burnout
