Burnout
Physical Burnout:
How to Identify & Shift It
As a subtle energy worker, I am devoted to bringing awareness to the mind-body connection and help people listen closer to their bodies' messages.
Physical burnout is alarmingly common and often goes unnoticed until it takes a significant toll on our well-being.
My personal journey with burnout began subtly, with signs that were easy to dismiss. It started by me feeling unmotivated, persistently fatigued, and emotionally distressed. Logging into work filled me with dread, and I held back my words instead of speaking up.
Over time, the signs became more apparent and harder to ignore. I didn’t feel like myself at all, and a horrendous cold sore appeared on my lip. I was also experiencing sleep paralysis accompanied with natural disaster dreams.
I initially didn't connect any of this to my situation. Eventually, the symptoms accumulated and were louder, leaving me feeling lost, discouraged, annoyed, and disengaged from my daily tasks.
When we’re in the thick of it, identifying the source of the issue can be challenging. For me, pinpointing specific events was difficult, but reflecting on common patterns revealed excessive workloads, lack of control, and insufficient support.
One significant factor was my interaction with a colleague, August. Although my burnout wasn't directly about him, his lack of competence and tendency to project insecurities onto me amplified my stress, exacerbating feelings of inadequacy and frustration.
I came to understand that the physical manifestations I experienced were signals from my body, alerting me to deeper issues.
The cold sore indicated that I was not speaking my truth, and the sleep paralysis highlighted energy imbalances and blocked communication. These experiences, coupled with intense and unsettling natural disaster dreams, reinforced my sense of helplessness and emotional distress.
Overall, severe fatigue and emotional numbness made it increasingly difficult to function both at work and in my personal life. Realizing that I was burnt out brought a mix of exhaustion and yet a slight glimmer of hope I could shift things. I knew there had to be more to life than this relentless cycle of stress and fatigue.
To address my burnout, I turned to holistic healing methods. Therapy, journaling, detox baths, and learning to surrender control were partly pivotal in my recovery. These practices brought more ease and grace into my life, helping me reconnect with myself and find balance.
We have to listen to our bodies and seek approaches that resonate, while at the same time prioritize self-care, establish boundaries, and ask for help when needed.
When we do, we heal. When I applied the work, my relationship with August naturally began to improve. Although I didn't have explicit conversations about my stress and burnout, the changes in my approach and attitude gradually influenced our interactions.
It’s like Wayne Dyer said, “when we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” And I had to do just that. Change.
Recognizing my burnout prompted me to make significant changes in my work environment and approach.
If you are experiencing burnout, first, identify it with my “B.U.R.N.O.U.T.”Acronym:
B - Balance your energy levels: Assess if you feel tired all the time, even after a good night's sleep. Pay attention to a persistent lack of enthusiasm or drive for tasks you once enjoyed.
U - Understand your emotional state: Monitor feelings of annoyance or frustration, especially over small issues. Recognize if you feel detached or indifferent towards things that typically matter to you.
R - Review your physical health: Evaluate frequent illnesses, colds, infections, and be aware of headaches and muscle pain. These can be signs your body is under too much stress.
N - Notice your sleep patterns: Check for difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing sleep paralysis. Note if you wake up feeling unrefreshed despite sleeping for enough hours.
O - Observe your work attitude: Acknowledge if you consistently dread going to work. Be honest about whether your productivity and quality of work have declined.
U - Understand your cognitive functions: Notice any areas where your concentration, memory, or decision-making decline. Take note of negative and pessimistic attitudes that weren't there before.
T - Take note of your triggers: Pay attention to situations, tasks, or interactions that consistently lead to stress or negative emotions. Recognizing these triggers can help you understand what contributes to your burnout and take steps to manage or mitigate them.
Using the B.U.R.N.O.U.T. acronym provides a structured approach to assess various aspects of our lives and identify signs of burnout, enabling proactive steps to address it. By following these four strategies, you can effectively manage burnout:
Setting and honoring boundaries: Establishing clear limits between work and personal life to prevent overextension and maintain well-being.
Delegating tasks: Distributing responsibilities to others as appropriate, reducing workload and fostering teamwork.
Speaking truth: Expressing thoughts and feelings honestly, promoting authenticity and reducing stress from unspoken concerns.
Ensuring breaks for reflection, energy work, and recharging: Taking regular pauses for introspection, engaging in activities that replenish energy levels and enhance mental clarity.
Looking back, I realize that proactive self-care and clear communication about my limits could have helped prevent or mitigate the burnout. It's essential to listen to your body's signals and address stressors early on.
Now, I balance self-expression and stress management by maintaining regular self-care routines, practicing mindfulness, being honest about my needs and boundaries, and get the support I need to energetically balance.
Burnout is a sign that something needs to change, and by taking proactive steps, you can regain your health and well-being.
If you are dealing with burnout, try the above, explore, stay curious, journal to listen to your body, and consider holistic healing practices. It's crucial to prioritize our health and seek support when needed!
If I can offer help, I am here! Start by downloading my free guide below to the top 20 common bodily symptoms I see pop up, and some easy remedies to apply! May they be of benefit!