Have you started 2023 refreshed and renewed or did you come dragging into it with burdens from 2022? “Burnout” is quite the buzz word from the last year or two. While it isn’t a medical condition, it does impact our physical, mental and emotional health. The APA Dictionary of Psychology defines burnout as “physical, emotional or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes towards oneself and others.” Does that describe you? If so, don’t despair, there is hope!
Is there anything good about burnout?
If you have ever seen any type of drag racing, you know that the drivers do a “burnout” at the beginning of their race. While this is cool to watch, they’re not doing it for entertainment purposes. Burnouts serve a purpose. Two actually: 1. burnouts remove debris from the tires and 2. burnouts heat up the tires to provide more friction. Having the tires clean of debris and warm enough to better grip the asphalt gives the driver a competitive advantage.1
How might burnout serve a purpose for us? Does being burnt out present us with the opportunity to “remove debris” from our lives and provide “friction” to move us into action? Has the short-term need for working long hours turned into the expectation? Have you been tolerating an environment that drained you mentally or emotionally and now you’re past your limit? If you recognize that you’re burnt out, you are able to do something about it. We’ll explore this together over the next few weeks.
Call to action
Identify the causes of your burnout. Is it physical exhaustion? Is it constant conflict? More than one thing? Being able to name the contributors to your burnout will help you be able to overcome them.
Come back next week for tips on overcoming your burnout.
Would you like 1:1 help with your burnout and identifying "what's next?" Schedule your 20-minute Complimentary Consultation and we can discuss how I might be able to help.