Life can get crazy sometimes – okay a lot of the time – and it can be easy to get burnt-out. With so many things going on in daily life, we often put our health and wellbeing on the back burner and fail to take proper care of ourselves. As a result, we start running out of fuel to run on and our physical and mental health begin to collapse until we crash into a fiery pit of pure misery.
When you start to get burnt-out, you can tell by a number of signs and symptoms. If you’ve ever felt any of these effects, you may have suffered from burnout:
- Feeling stuck in a rut, extra emotional, depressed, stressed, overwhelmed, drained, anxious or upset
- Lacking focus, energy or concentration
- Losing interest, motivation or drive
- Feeling hopeless, helpless, alone, negative, cynical, dissatisfied, empty or insecure
- Isolating yourself, procrastinating, lashing out, withdrawing or losing control
Burnout is real and we’ve all been there. However, with proper rest and care for your body, you can avoid burnout and achieve a happy, fully functional lifestyle.
Sleep is absolutely essential to achieve your best self and be fully-functioning. While staying up late to take Buzz Feed quizzes, scroll through Instagram, or watch Netflix can be fun, it can take a toll on your mental health, physical health and overall wellbeing. By not giving your body the rest it needs to recharge and recover, you could be setting yourself up for failure.
Sleep deprivation is not fun, especially when the consequences begin sneaking into your life, uninvited. Have you ever gotten angry over something small and insignificant? Maybe you’ve gotten overly emotional or had a mental breakdown over more tasks being added to your to-do list. Whatever the case, we’re a lot more sensitive and emotionally unstable when we lack rest and sleep.
In addition to being overly-sensitive, we can lack energy, and therefore productivity as well. Skipping a workout, putting off an assignment, or even ignoring messages can result from getting burnt-out or lacking rest. When you lack proper rest, you lack energy and as a result, your performance in day-to-day tasks might be lacking. Not to mention, your motivation can be completely thrown off.
Here are some ways you can prevent burnout and achieve your best self:
Go to Bed Earlier
It sounds cliché but it’s so true! Sleep is extremely important for your health and wellbeing.
Invest in Me Time
Carve out time in your schedule for yourself. Do things that you enjoy and that make you happy, start a new hobby, or treat yourself to something nice.
Vent Sesh
Talk to someone about how you feel. Spend time with friends and family and get some support to help you through whatever you’re going through.
Detox Your Life
Take a break from social media and things that are toxic to you. Avoid negativity and negative people. Get out of the house, immerse yourself in nature, and surround yourself with people who are positive and have good vibes.
Have Boundaries
Be okay with saying no. It’s okay to cancel or reschedule plans with people. If you can’t seem to catch a break, talk to your boss or professor, take time off, or even decrease hours at work.
Develop Healthy Habits
Eat well and get active. Try yoga, journaling, or meditating. Practice incorporating healthy habits into your daily life to boost your overall health and wellbeing.
All in all, it’s totally okay to take a breather once in a while. Whether that’s taking a day off, venting to a friend or family member, spending time each day to read a book or do another hobby, or even taking a bubble bath with a glass of wine and a box of chocolate, you deserve a break once in a while!
These things are not wastes of time; they’re ways for coping with emotions, relieving stress, and recharging our bodies, minds, and spirits. Take advantage of these breaks because they are significant factors in boosting our functionality, improving our mentalities, and achieving a better, happier you! Show yourself some love and take care of you because we all need a breather every now and then.