Avoiding Burnout: A Self-Care Guide
We’re always under pressure to achieve a new goal or cross something off our to do list. We’re always breaking records and generational curses. Even if that means not prioritizing our mental health. Our bodies serve as our personal temples. Yet, sometimes we forget that we need a tune-up.
Just like with maintenance on a car, we have to maintain ourselves in every space we exist in. Some of us are so giving of ourselves—our time, our energy, and our presence. We continue to pour from an empty vessel long after we’ve been drained. Many of us are finding ourselves mentally, physically, and spiritually incapable of surviving a day. Yet, each day the task list gets longer even when our mental health is non-existent.
Burnout is becoming a common occurrence amongst our generation. We complain about it, but what are we doing to avoid the crash? Burnout is more than burning the candles at both ends. Burnout can lead to depression, anxiety, and physical health issues. Its an unintentional sacrifice of our power, our light, and a disregard of our own boundaries. Here are some ways to avoid burnout during this holiday season and everyday after.
- Start saying NO! It will not make you selfish or any less of a person. Don’t ever allow anyone to guilt trip you into do anything that goes against your will or your mental health. Set boundaries that prioritize your well-being.
- Meditation/Gratitude Hour. Be one with yourself before taking on the world. Take time out of your day to actually stop and smell the roses. Dedicate time to yourself each day and do a wellness check of yourself. Find ways to detach from the stress of your day. (Find a hobby, exercise, journal, etc.) Be mindful and present within those moments; take mindfulness breaks to preserve your sanity.
- Be purposeful. Work and live with a purpose. Find a real meaning in what you do. Don’t get so caught up in the mundane routine of life, that you aren’t living. Make each minute, hour, day, etc. count. The only thing worse than a busybody is a busybody that achieves nothing.
- Balance. Do NOT allow one aspect of your life to dismantle another. Whether it’s work, school, relationships, or all three. Those concepts are just fragments of who we are. Set healthy intentions and boundaries for each.
- Unplug. Put away and turn off the phones, the laptops, the television, and even social media. Each text, phone call, direct message, e-mail, or post is an energy exchange. Unplug for a few minutes, hours, or for however long your mental health requires. It’ll all still be there when you return.
Queen Media Collective 