Am I “Burnt out?”

What is burnout?

Burnout is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion, usually as a result of some sort of stress built up over time. Our motivation is low, our mental and emotional energy is low, and we are no longer engaging with the things we usually enjoy. This may sound like depression, but shows up a little differently. Here is a guide that breaks down some of the differences between burnout and depression.

Burnout is typically a response to a significant stress, it often comes as a result of a job, but can show up with anything causing stress. If you are finding yourself going “from zero to sixty” easily, or feeling constantly overwhelmed you may be in a stage of burnout. If you are having trouble connecting with friends, or you want to do something you love but just can’t seem to get going, that could also be a sign of burnout.

What can we do to get out of burnout?

You may have seen people talking about “self-care” all over social media, but what does effective self-care look like? While some days if may be a hot bath and a good book, sometimes that is not what you need.

There are many different areas of self-care, and each will tend to a different part of your needs system. Maybe one day you focus more on relaxation, because your body is telling you you need rest. Maybe another day is spent singing along to the songs you love while you tackle the pile of dishes that has been gathering. Maybe another day is hanging out with someone important to you and putting your phones away so you can just enjoy your time together. Your body will tell you what you need, it just takes practice to learn to listen.

You may think “Kate, you’re telling me to just do what I need but what if what I need is not currently possible?”

This happens all the time. Maybe you really need a vacation, but you need your rent paid even more. In therapy this is something I work with individuals to break down. What would a vacation give you? Why? If we can break something down into its parts, sometimes we can find places even in busy schedules to allow for space, to allow for you to get your needs met. Sometimes it’s just a start, but when you start to feel that relief it can get easier to keep finding it.