1) Slow Down

When was the last time you slowed down enough to pay attention to how you were feeling? I’m imagining that you keep going and fighting through any bad emotions that come up because bad emotions likely indicate that you’re weak.

Well – overwhelm and burnout don’t just magically go away… although I wish they did.

So, the first thing you are going to want to do if you’re feeling any sort of burnout or overwhelm is to SLOW DOWN, even just for 5 minutes. Just sit there, be with yourself, feel the feelings and reflect on: 

“Am I doing what I want to be doing?” 

“What else could I be doing? 

Where is my life going? 

Giving yourself space to slow down allows your body to integrate and feel and acknowledge that you are having emotions that are hard. 

SLOW DOWN? Yep, you have to do the thing that feels impossible.

2) Put yourself in a plant’s shoes

Now this is an odd one but bear with me…Sometimes when we are burnt out, worked out, overwhelmed, we lose touch with our basic needs and requirements about being a human. Think about these things: did you drink water today? Did you get sunlight? Did you eat? Water gives us energy, sunlight puts photons in our eyes and boosts our circadian rhythms, and food fuels us. So, think of yourself as a plant – if a plant starts wilting, you’d probably put it beside a window, add some fertilizer and nutrition, or give it some water to make it thrive.

But we do not do this for ourselves.  

If you are burnt out, it is likely that you can’t do much more… but you certainly cannot keep neglecting your own needs. Sometimes you can feel better IMMEDIATELY just by fulfilling one of those needs, like taking a gulp of water, or going outside and getting some sunlight.

When was the last time you did things that you should do to survive as a human? Then, do whatever you need to do to go from a wilted plant to a thriving plant.

3) Check in with your to-do list

If you’re overworked and doing too much, you likely feel like you’re overwhelmed and addicted to the stress too. It probably feels like – if I stop, I don’t know what else is going to be there. If that is you, check in with your to do list. What on your list actually HAS to be done? I get into this habit where I feel like everything must get done now – But does it? No, probably not.  

When you are a perfectionist, high achiever who is also overwhelmed, you tend to have all or nothing thinking. For today, look at your to do list. Ask yourself seriously “what has to be done?” What are your must do things? Everything else can wait. If you take something off your list that doesn’t have to be done – DO NOT ADD something else to the list.

Start there and see how you feel. These 3 tips can go a long way in reducing your feelings of burnout and overwhelm.

Need more? Check out The Mental Fitness Quiz to see where you are at – then, set up a call with me if that feels aligned for you!