Tips on how to overcome burnout

Have you ever suffered from burnout? Has your body told you to rest? Here are some tips on how to overcome burnout.

This month has been an incredibly busy month for me. Not only in relation to work, but in my personal life too.

I’ve had lots of uni work to do in preparation for my assessment period; I attended the London Book Fair; I went to my friend’s gorgeous wedding; and today it’s my sister’s birthday.

Whilst March has been a mix of work and play, it hasn’t really left me with time for pure relaxation. It’s been quite full on.

As a result, this past week I’ve been unwell and the doctors told me it’s my body’s way of telling me to slow down and rest. Hence why there was no blog post on Wednesday.

So, as someone who has experienced burnout to an extreme, I thought I’d share some tips on how to overcome burnout and rejuvenate and reset your body and mind.

Sleep is your best friend

We’ve all heard the advice that we should get around seven to nine hours of sleep per night. But sometimes, life makes it impossible to sleep that much.

However, I can safely say that sleep will help you. If you’re particularly stressed or suffering from burnout, getting some extra sleep, even during the day, will help your body rest.

I’ve been sleeping this week and having days in bed to fully relax and let my body do nothing. Let me tell you, this hasn’t been easy for someone who suffers from productivity guilt, but it definitely helps you recover.

Fluids, fluids and some more fluids

Human beings need water to survive. It makes perfect, logical sense that when we’re feeling rundown and not at our best, water will help us recover.

Sure, having a hot drink with some water in is good, but there’s nothing better for you than pure water.

So, when you’re feeling burnt out, make sure you drink your water and keep on top of replenishing your glass/bottle.

Find your comfort

Every person is different and therefore, what we like differs. But one thing I’ve found to help me this week is finding things that bring me comfort.

For instance, a comfort tv show, a comfort movie, a comfort music artist etc. By having something that makes you smile and brings you comfort can help you feel more relaxed and therefore, can help you recover.

It doesn’t matter if it’s watching action movies or musicals, or bingeing television dramas or supernatural shows. Whatever you find comforting, embrace it and just lie down and indulge.

No screens

Now, I know this may seem counterproductive, given that I just suggested you indulge in comfort tv shows and movies, but this point is more about phones.

One thing I’ve found has helped me this week is not having to look at my phone all the time. Thankfully, I don’t have work that requires me to be available all day anymore, and my friends know that I will reply to them as soon as I can.

This week I’ve just been able to lie in bed and leave my phone without stressing that I need to keep checking it. It helped ease my mind and let me rest, which helped me recover faster.

So if you’re able to abandon your phone, if only for a few hours, I’d recommend it because it could do wonders.

Hopefully, if you’re feeling burnt out or particularly stressed, and your body is reaching a point where it’ll eventually force you to rest, these tips can help you.

Until next time…