At first you loved the adrenaline rush from racing around, getting things done. You felt on the ball, ready for action. There were times when work was really busy, but also times when it was slower. That’s when you could relax and laugh with your colleagues.
But lately, you’ve been on the go, all the time. Never stopping until it was time to finally go home. And more often than not, you’ve worked over, just to stay on top of things.
You know you need a break, but the next holiday you have planned is months away. That constant pressure to keep up and do more means you’re now making silly mistakes. It’s clear you’re feeling burnt out.
You know you can’t carry on like this or you’ll end up off sick. So here’s how to recover from burnout without quitting your job!
The fact you’re reading this is good news. You know this resonates. So you know you’re already ‘burning out’. There are more signs of burnout, along with burnout stages you can read about. But let’s save this one for the key strategies you can use to nip it in the bud.
1. Start by slowing your body down
First of all, your body needs reassurance that this is not the end of the world.
The best way to communicate that to your body is to pause and take some deep breaths. I know it’s easier said than done.
If you feel embarrassed doing this in front of people, take a toilet break. Or find a task that you can do away from others. When you get there, sit down if you can. Close your eyes for a moment and take a few slow, deep breaths, in and out. Place your hand on your chest and abdomen to really feel that slowing down.
Do this regularly throughout the day.
And for goodness sake, slow down. Don’t rush everywhere. It’s ok to go at a slower pace, no matter what anyone else thinks. Remember, the aim is to recover from burnout without quitting your job.
Slowing down doesn’t mean stopping or shirking responsibility. It means a careful, paced approach to tasks so they’re done efficiently.
2. Look at what’s draining you at work
Next, think about the tasks you do. List them out if it helps. Then highlight the ones you find the most difficult or tiring.
Can you swap these with someone else? Delegate them? Or ask your manager to tweak the rota?
This involves communicating your needs at work with your manager and/or colleagues. I know this is difficult. But the sooner the better.
Your manager would rather have you at work, doing a good job, than racing around making mistakes and pushing yourself until you’re sick.
3. Stop giving work your extra hours
It goes without saying that this is not the time to be doing overtime.
You know you’re on a slippery slope, so you need as much time away from work as possible. Check that you’re only working the hours you’re paid for. There’s no need to do extra.
In fact, when employees do extra all the time, the figures show they don’t need any extra staff. So by sticking to your scheduled hours, you’re doing a service for all of your team by showing what the true capacity of the department is.
Imagine if everyone did this? There would be no need to recover from burnout, because it simply wouldn’t exist!
4. Look at where your time is really going
When you have a spare moment at home, take a look at what you’re really doing with your time.
How many hours are work, housework, family responsibilities, screen time and actual down time without a screen?
Are you saying yes to everyone, every time? Have you filled your diary so there are absolutely no gaps?
This is a trap I fell into. I thought if I stayed busy, I’d be able to outrun the feelings I was having.
Now I know the gaps are the magic.
Actually schedule an hour between activities if you can. Block out a day every weekend to do nothing, not even housework.
If someone asks you if you’re free, you’re not! You have a date with yourself! Relax, watch your favourite movies, go for a walk, sit and read. Let your mind switch off from all of the tasks running through your head.
And if the kids are still small, and your life revolves around taking care of your family, it’s ok to book a day off work when everyone else is out, just for you.
In fact, if you have spare annual leave, now is a great time to tell your manager that you’d really like help to recover from burnout. Ask if you can book off an afternoon once a week, or a day every couple of weeks.
5. Give yourself permission to put yourself first
It feels selfish, doesn’t it? Taking time off to be alone or doing something you love.
Congratulate yourself for coping so well with the strain. Give yourself the grace to put yourself first.
If you’re always filling everybody else’s cup, who will fill yours? And who will fill theirs when yours runs out?
Right now, you have to be number 1. In all plans.
Focus on your strengths and pat yourself on the back regularly. Take it one step at a time, remembering to be kind and gentle with yourself.
6. Ask for help before you reach breaking point
Finally, ask for help.
Tell the people you love that you’re struggling and need a bit of help. Let the kids do the dishes. Share out the housework. Get a cleaner.
Figure out what you find the hardest and look for another way, together, with support.
There’s no shame in asking for help.
You don’t have to wait until you hit rock bottom
If you’ve read this and thought, ‘There’s no way I could do that!’ then you’re me, 7 years ago.
Right before I hit rock bottom, ended up on medication and took 11 weeks off work.
Now I’m trained to help you in exactly the way I was helped. But I’m hoping you’ll reach out sooner than I did.
I help professional women break the patterns that lead to burnout and give them tools they can use for life, so they can recover, feel like themselves again and reduce the risk of burnout returning.
We work at your pace, using science-backed techniques alongside a better understanding of how your mind and body respond to stress. The aim isn’t to keep you coming back for support. It’s to give you the understanding and tools to recognise the signs, make changes earlier and know how to support yourself in the future.
Click below to book a call – the most appropriate package for you is the ‘Reclaim Your Calm’ package.