Recognize and prevent burnout!
By Dina Venezky, PhD, BCC, and Myeisha Thompson, LMT, author of Through You To You: Stepping Out of Anxiety and Depression & Into the Next Version of You and owner of Amani Massage and Wellness
Early signs of burnout can be difficult to identify.
While burnout may cause challenges like brain fog, indecision, or lack of energy for some, for others, it may look like snapping at your spouse or general irritability with everyday situations. However burnout shows up in your life, you’re not alone! It can sneak up and sideline even the most passionate entrepreneurs and professionals.
In this two-part series, we'll dive into the world of burnout, equipping you with tools to not only recognize and halt its progress but also to fortify yourself for the future. Each section provides a brief overview along with immediate action steps to stop the downward spiral.
Part one focuses on identifying your unique combination of burnout symptoms. You’ll learn to:
Recognize your personal symptoms of overwhelm
Permit yourself to say no
Use your body to reduce tension in the moment
In part two, we'll explore long-term strategies and lifestyle changes that can help you build resilience including how to:
Recognize what drains and fills your energy
Notice your comfort, growth, and freak-out zones
Prioritize time to connect with those who support you
Pad your calendar to get the most out of travel and big events
Whether you’re noticing signs of burnout or looking for ways to avoid it, this guide offers practical, actionable advice to help you reclaim your passion, focus, and productivity.
Part One: Stop the Bleeding!
#1: Recognize your personal symptoms of overwhelm
Be an overwhelm detective! Feelings of overwhelm are the early warning signs of impending burnout and your combination of symptoms is unique. Pay attention to the signals your body sends and note your energy levels throughout the day.
Take the first step to fighting overwhelm by learning common physical and mental symptoms.
Potential red flags:
Physical symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches and tight muscles, along with changes in sleep patterns, appetite, and digestion.
Emotional indicators like irritability, cynicism, a need for control.
Cognitive symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating, lack of creativity, or even misplacing things.
Workplace symptoms, such as a decrease in your productivity and motivation.
Hypersensitivity to environmental inputs, such as sounds, texture, and touch.
These red flags may signal that you’re experiencing overwhelm and teetering on burnout.
Action steps:
First, simply notice what is going on!
Avoid trying to “fix” situations ( often leads to more overwhelm).
Record your symptoms, feelings, the activity you were engaged in, and the time you noticed it.
Are you focused on something you can control? Is there anything you don’t control that you can let go of?
Once you have recorded several symptoms, look for patterns to identify potential issues.
#2: Permit yourself to say no
It’s easy to overcommit in our personal and professional lives. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to set clear boundaries with colleagues, friends, and family to protect our time and energy.
Prevent burnout by giving yourself permission to say no and step away from commitments.
Know your purpose and evaluate situations based on how they are helping you be the person you want to be.
Practice saying no firmly but politely. You do not need to over-explain your decision.
Practice excusing yourself politely from meetings and activities, if appropriate. Think about what else you could be doing that would add value or align with your purpose.
Find phrases that help you feel empowered like “I’m not able to give my full attention to that at the moment” or “I’m tracking saying no to prevent burnout. Thank you for your understanding.”
It’s often harder to break a commitment than to say no at the beginning.
Remember: saying no is a form of self-care, not selfishness. Stepping back from certain commitments can improve your overall performance and well-being.
Action steps:
Implement a personal rule to wait 24 hours before agreeing to new responsibilities.
Carefully evaluate if the commitment aligns with your goals and current capacity.
Consider the long-term implications and how the new committment might affect your existing obligations.
Reflect on how the new commitment might impact your work-life balance.
Celebrate your ability to say no.
#3: Use your body to reduce tension in the moment
Your body is a powerful tool for short-circuiting burnout before it builds momentum.
Utilize a body-based activity toolkit to help reduce tension in the moment.
Focused breathing exercises can reduce tension quickly anytime, anywhere.
Progressive muscle relaxation, tensing and releasing different muscle groups, can add body awareness and aid in recovery.
Gentle stretching or simple yoga poses release physical tension.
A short walk or simple change in your environment can provide a fresh perspective.
Brief meditation or visualization exercises can help calm your mind.
Recovery takes effort. Set reminders to take brief breaks throughout your day to build your relaxation muscle and reinforce the habit.
Action steps:
Experiment with body-based activities throughout the day, taking note of how you feel after each.
Focused breathing suggestions:
Lengthen your exhales: Exhale for longer than you inhale, such as inhale for 3 and exhale for 6 to help calm your nervous system.
4-7-8 breathing: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7, and exhale for 8.
Box breathing: Use equal counts for inhaling, holding, exhaling, and holding. Repeat.
Breathe into a body part: Imagine sending air from your inhale to your toes or an area of tension. Feel your shoulders relax as you exhale the tension.
Muscle relaxation: Hunch your shoulders or make fists for a count of five, release for a count of five, then repeat two more times.
Short stretch: Stand up and reach for the sky. Then twist to look over one shoulder and over the other shoulder - this relaxation technique comes from knowing there is no danger behind you. Finish with a stretch to each side.
Change your perspective: Take a short walk or change your focus. Try finding 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell (real or imagined), and 1 thing you can taste.
Brief meditation: Imagine waking up in the future to the perfect day as your ideal self. What do you see? What do you do?
Find what works best for you and keep the techniques top of mind during periods of potential burnout.
