That's what happened to me; I refrained from calling myself the 'L' word, you know, lazy and listened to what my body was telling me - "girl, you need rest!"
Is being overwhelmed okay? Hmm, let me ask you this, is abuse ever okay? Hard question but that's how we should see it because when we don't set any boundaries for ourselves we inflict abuse upon ourselves - whether it's an open invitation for others or negligence with our self-care, they both have one thing in common, they are the works of our own hands.
Now there are two sides of the coin of being overwhelmed, so don't think every overwhelming feeling is dreadful but as the title to this post mentions, 'burnout, now what?' places emphasis on linking the missing piece to the wellbeing puzzle.
At some point in our lives and most recently due to the uncertainties of what's happening right now, the global pandemic, racial tension and injustice, we have come face to face with difficult emotions and hurdles, and it's perfectly understandable to feel the weight of it all, you're not alone. But we come to a danger zone when we layer our emotions with guilt and shame, which adds an enormous amount of pressure, unnecessary pressure to our lives.
Take for instance you're feeling anxious, stressed out or depressed but you ignore those feelings and layer it with guilt or shame because you feel more obliged to your responsibility than to yourself. So instead of addressing your former state, you've now multiplied it with conditions that lead you to be burnout.
We often tolerate feeling overwhelmed to get through our hectic lifestyle like it's expected of us or feel the need to wear the invisible badge of honour with pride, but what's truly expected of us and admirable, is for us to look after our temple aka our body. We place self-care on pause whilst our commitments, deadlines, expectations, to-do lists dominate our lives until we reach a point when our body forces us to slow down, to pay attention to our wellbeing, to simply just rest. And, that's when you have reached the burnout phase - spiritually, relationally, physically, and/or emotionally. When you tell yourself, "I'm just done.."
But why wait until you're depleted to take care of yourself? Seriously, [insert your name here] don't wait until you're depleted to take care of yourself. Let this be a new day where you start to priorities yourself. Keep the old saying in mind, that prevention is better than cure and remember you can't pour from an empty cup, so you should never feel guilty for taking a break.
When your brain has too many tabs opened it doesn't function to its best ability. Recognising and overcoming what stresses you nourish your wellbeing by improving your mental health. After all, there is only one you and to give your best you have to be your best. Rest assured that everything will be OK in the end, and if it's not OK then know that it is not the end. So what do you do? Don't worry - we've got your back, here are 5 signs that you might be feeling overwhelmed accompanied with self-care strategies to encourage you to do what matters most and to live a purposeful balanced life.
Disclaimer: The information highlighted in this blog post is written from my personal and lived experience. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for seeking support. Information provided is not a replacement for medical advice or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health or mental health, you should always consult with a healthcare professional.
5 Warning Signs That You Might Be Overwhelmed and Burnout, And What To Do About It.
#1 You have a weakened immune system
Our mental health and physical health are intricately connected, so when stress affects your body it is important to pay attention to the alarming bells as this is your body's response to alert you that something is not right. Having frequent colds for example can be a clear sign that your immune system is struggling to keep up. Other symptoms affecting the body due to stress may include but not limited to: headaches, heartburn, dizziness, high blood pressure, insomnia, and heart palpitation.
Keep your immune system stronger and healthier by trying these self-care tips:
maintain healthy eating habits by eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water (more omega-3 fatty acids and minimise sugar and refined carbs).
make exercise a priority even though it may be the last thing on your mind, it helps by increasing blood flow, reduces stress and inflammation and strengthens antibodies.
get enough quality sleep to help speed up your recovery, soothing music or scents such as lavender can ease you into relaxation. During your sleep your immune system releases cytokines that help fight infectious diseases, that's why you always feel better after a good sleep.
#2 You become unproductive and struggle to focus let alone priorities
It seems like there is not enough time to do all the things you need to do. Cramming everything into your day can and will eventually leave you exhausted, overwhelmed and unproductive. This could then spiral into forgetfulness, procrastination and disengagement - so now you're back at square one. These are all signs of being mentally and physically drained out regardless of how simple the task may be or not.
Make your day more productive and less stressful by trying these self-care tips for a more balanced lifestyle:
take breaks to do the things you enjoy and to rest. It improves your mood, performance and boosts your creativity. This could be from creating an uplifting playlist, going for walks, spending time in worship and prayer, visiting museums, pampering yourself to a spa break, journaling, looking at the stars at night or just enjoying a cup of hot chocolate whatever you like to do, ALWAYS take a break from the mundane activities of your life to give yourself the gift of yourself.
be kind and honest with yourself, give yourself permission to take it easy as frustration and guilt will only sabotage your wellbeing. Reframe your negative thoughts by being mindful with your self-talk, taking a break doesn't make you lazy, and being stressed out doesn't make you weak.
say no if you have to, never allow your continuous desire to help encourage you to take on more workload than you can handle. Things can always wait and if they can't it can be delegated or prioritised around - that's when a checklist comes in handy. It's also important to value yourself so that you don't feel the need to please everyone else.
#3 You i-soul-ate from others
When you're stressed and overwhelmed, your natural response is to disconnect from people. You don't have the energy or mental capacity for social interactions whether they are your family, friends, co-workers or neighbours. Even the thought of interaction becomes burdensome and fills you with anxiety, this may be a sign of other health-related issues like depression, but it is also a sign for you to recharge your batteries. Your soul was never created to be lonely and there is a difference between alone and lonely.
Let's break you free from i-soul-ation by trying these self-care tips:
use your 'me time' to restore balance and to refocus not to disconnect from yourself and others. Don't use your situation to define you as mean, unfriendly, apathetic etc. again be mindful of how you speak to yourself when you're feeling low and avoid comparing with others. Meditating on scriptures helped me to pull through my darkest hour. Do activities that you enjoy, fill your day with laughter it really is medicine for the soul.
reach out to people you trust with your vulnerability, you'll be surprised how much transparency transforms.
avoid drugs and alcohol, there is no lasting freedom, peace or hope from temporary relief. This prevents you from dealing with the underlying problem(s) and can be detrimental to your health and wellbeing in the long run.
#4 You're agitated and vent based on your irritability
Mood swings, short-tempered, impatient, tension are all signs that you may need to create some lifestyle changes and if not recognised it could harm your relationship with people and jeopardise your productivity at work or school. Why is this the case? because you're more susceptible to be sensitive in stressful situations and easily annoyed by anyone or anything.
Reduce your irritability so that you can feel better by trying these self-care tips:
before you respond take deep breaths as this helps calm your mind because it increases the supply of oxygen to your brain and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of calmness. This self-healing practice is often underestimated but works so powerfully. Why not practice doing the 4-7-8 breathing technique.
again it's always good to squeeze in some exercise into your day as the chemicals released (dopamine and endorphins) promote happy hormones and is the body's natural pain reliever.
it may seem like it's a bad day but it's not as bad as it may seem. When overwhelmed our judgment oftentimes gets clouded, and when we look back we find out that the situation wasn't nearly as bad as we thought, but we fail to see that within the situation. So don't be too hasty and act before you think, this has the tendency to make matters only worse. Be mindful and take pauses in life, to prevent turning a minor nuisance into a major catastrophe. Shaping your perspective on the matter, will fill you with wisdom and inner peace to get you through the day.
#5 You're consumed with worry, anxiety and more stress
Living on autopilot as you become submerged with worry, anxiety and stress lead to an unfulfilled life. This numb frame of mind robs you of being in the moment and ignores the significant stressors that trigger being burnout, but it also points to areas where better management is required when you take the time to be still.
Reverse the negative effects of stress with these self-care tips:
consider all the above tips by prioritising yourself.
familiarise yourself with resources available and seek professional health care advice, and if you are a believer, pray and meditate on the Word. You're not meant to be carrying worry and anxiety, you're loving Father promised to take care of you.
remember you are not what you go through and not everything you can control so don't be afraid to set boundaries to guard your mental health.
I hope this post inspires you to take care of your emotional and mental health because whether you believe it or not, you matter. A quick confession, writing this post made me accountable to implement these strategies in my life. We are all a work in progress so it would be nice to know some of the ways you practice self-care?
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Be encouraged and be blessed.