3 Ways to Recover from Burnout that No One's Talking About

Are you perpetually overwhelmed?
Is it challenging to get anything done?
Is doing nothing what you want to do most?

Burnout culture dictates that overwork is a badge of courage, but giving 110% isn't noble or even possible.
Recovering from burnout can take months or even years.

I know because I've been there.

After suffering burnout while getting my doctorate,
I started my coaching and consulting businesses.

I signed up for a program to help me start my new venture
and give me a better business mindset.

It ended up being 6 months of content condensed into 3 months,
and it broke me all over again.

I later found out that I potentially had an autoimmune disease playing a factor in my fatigue.

The moral of the story?

Burnout causes long-term damage to productivity in exchange for meeting short-term goals.
You really do have to end the burnout cycle before expecting yourself to be able to...

  • manage stress.
  • problem-solve efficiently.
  • meet previous expectations of yourself.
  • communicate effectively.  
  • have any kind of work/life balance.

I wasn't doing any of those well, and I had to get serious about my own burnout recovery.

I did the usual "get outside," "exercise," and "eat right,"
but quickly found out that there's so much more to it than that!

 

3 Ways to Recover from Burnout that No One's Talking About

  1. Get Real. 
    What really caused your burnout?  What is at the core?  Do a deep dive into your life, thoughts, and feelings.

    Are you blaming overwork instead of confronting something else like...
    - a mindset that perpetuates burnout? (See my previous blogposts about these.)
    - personal crisis?
    - not liking your job?
    - an underlying health condition, mental or physical?
  2. Sit with It.
    Do that nothing for which your heart and mind ache.
    Make your burnout recovery a priority.
    Find out what you need personally to start finding joy in life again by listening to that voice inside.

  3. Communicate.
    You need to let the people around you know how much burnout is effecting you.
    If you don't tell them, no one will, and they probably won't know.
    Does the thought of that feel shameful?  That's burnout culture talking, and it's up to you to fight the stigma.
    Find the leader inside you and step up. 
    This isn't about complaining.  It's about communicating.
     

You have to find out the reason for your burnout before you can fully recover. 
 
Your burnout may not have anything to do with external factors.
It may have everything to do with you.

 


Dr. Nancy Williams is a musician, educator, and coach & consultant for leaders who want to create cultures of joy and empowerment.  Sign up to receive weekly newsletters of inspiration and download the free guide, "3 Ways to Beat Imposter Syndrome" here.

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