How to Combat Burnout: The Benefits of Self-Care
In my last article, I talked about burnout - what it is, how it’s different from regular fatigue, and how to combat it. Here’s a quick recap:
What is Burnout?
Feeling exhausted, drained and overwhelmed as a result of living out of alignment with one’s values and purpose.
How is burnout different from fatigue?
Fatigue is feeling physically tired. Burnout, on the other hand, has nothing to do with how many hours you’ve worked or how strenuous an activity has been. You can be tired and still be satisfied and content. In contrast, you cannot be burnt out and happy - you will feel drained, empty and hopeless.
How Can I Combat Burnout?
Luckily, there are many ways to combat burnout! Ensuring that your career is aligned with your purpose and interests (sign up for my free Masterclass!), paying attention to your priorities and values, managing your time better, having the right mindset (say goodbye to people pleasing and perfectionism!), and - dun dun dun….self-care.
Self-Care As A Treatment For Burnout
Today the antidote to burnout I want to focus on is self-care. Sounds pretty simple and logical, right? If you are feeling burnt out, take a break and recharge.
And yet, this is SO HARD for many women, myself included. There are many excuses for not taking care of ourselves, including:
I don’t have time today, there’s just too much to do.
I can’t afford it.
That [coworker/mom/spouse] isn’t taking a break, so why should I get one?
I’m a bad [wife, partner, mother, friend, employee] if I take time for myself before attending to the needs of others.
[Partner, kids, boss, friends, clients] will be disappointed in me if I don’t do [x/y/z] for them.
Classic people pleasing. And then of course the more subconscious scripts, or deeply held beliefs we are running off of:
Women are caregivers and should put others’ needs first.
It’s selfish to put my own needs before the needs of others, especially my children!
I don’t deserve [a massage, a day off, a night to myself].
Maybe some of these ring a bell? Or maybe you’ve got other excuses for not taking care of yourself?
The point is, what do all of these excuses have in common?
Darling, they are all just thoughts! They are judgments, beliefs, subjective opinions that you have about the world and your role in it.
And that’s great news! Because we can control and change thoughts (with a bit of practice that is :) We can choose thoughts that are more productive, more positive, and more expansive.
Click here to get access!
How To Create A Pro Self-Care Mindset
As I was engaging in one of my favorite self-care rituals the other day Pelotoning my heart out with my favorite instructor Robin Arzon, she said something that really resonated with me:
“Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s sacred.”
Exactly! If your well is empty, how can you offer anything to others?
Plus, there are real consequences of not taking care of yourself. Here are a few:
Being cranky and bitchy with your spouse and kids.
Feeling chronically fatigued and therefore being less productive.
Doing a sub-par job at work or for your clients. (Translates to no promotion, no positive impact, eventually less income and revenue.)
Destroying your mental and physical health - how do you plan to work when you have a heart attack in your 40’s?)
In contrast, research shows that regularly engaging in self-care increases longevity, decreases chronic health problems, leads to better job performance, and combats burnout, among other things.
Objectively, there are clearly a lot of wins for self-care.
So gorgeous, the next time you find yourself starting to get to a point of exhaustion, stop pushing forward. Take stock of the excuses you are making to avoid self-care. And then challenge them. Challenge yourself to reframe the way you think about your basic human right to self-care.
Next week, I’ll go over how to translate your new mindset into ACTION and start implementing a basic self-care plan so that you can stop burnout before it stops you. Stay tuned!