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It’s no secret that many of us can work too hard and take on too much. Before COVID-19, we lived in an overworked, always-on society where the lines between work and home were constantly blurred. Now that we’ve been dealing with a pandemic for what feels like an eternity, for many people, those lines barely even exist anymore. Not to mention the fact that staffing shortages are spreading workers too thin, many parents are stuck working remotely with children at home, and it seems like there’s no end in sight.
With all these issues, and 79 percent of U.S. employees reporting that they’ve experienced work-related stress in 2021, burnout can easily feel like the norm and not the exception.
Ok, let’s pause for a deep breath … whew, that’s better.
Look, it’s normal to feel tired or overwhelmed from time to time, but when these feelings don’t go away after a few days, you need to rethink how you’re living your life. Curing burnout is going to take more than a day off or a weekend away, but there are some things you can do to release a little pressure without taking a vacation. You need burnout first aid!
Whether you want to learn about how burnout affects your health, or you need an actionable plan to take back control, this blog post has you covered. As a former Army medic, and current mental health coach, I will teach you how to “stop the bleeding” so that you can start to recover.
How Burnout Affects Physical and Mental Health
When we’re overworked, we often experience symptoms of physical and mental exhaustion such as insomnia, irritability, and muscle tension. Left unchecked, these symptoms will continue to worsen and can lead to burnout.
Burnout is a feeling of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that can happen when your body and mind are pushed to the limit. When this happens, it can wreak havoc on your life and lead to a number of symptoms.
Here are some telltale signs of burnout that you should watch out for:
- Lack of energy or motivation
- Chronic fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Reduced productivity
- Insomnia
- Sadness, anger, or irritability
- Alcohol or substance abuse
Not only can burnout cause these symptoms, but a recent study suggests that it can also affect your heart health. Discussing these side effects is not meant to scare you, but I do hope it motivates you to take some action. Follow the plan laid out below.
1. Identify the Source of Burnout
The best place to start is by identifying the source of your burnout. Work-related stress is often the most common culprit, but long bouts of depression and ongoing stressful situations (like a global pandemic) can also lead to burnout.
One of the most productive ways to identify the sources of your burnout is by writing them down. You could try to keep a list in your head, but isn’t that just adding to your mental exhaustion? Get them out of your mind, trust me you’ll feel better.
Once you know the sources of your burnout then you can make a plan to eliminate those stressors, at least in the short term.
2. Pick a Time to Implement Burnout First Aid and Set Boundaries
To get some relief you need to commit to a time and place. If you don’t, then you’re going to be stuck in an ongoing cycle. Ideally, you will want to set aside three days, but if you can only spare one or two that’s better than nothing.
If you have a job that doesn’t have any work-life balance, which likely caused or contributed to your burnout, then you’re going to have to set a boundary or make up an excuse. Choosing a remote location where you, “won’t have access to phone or e-mail,” is always a good one. If you don’t want to let them know ahead of time, or you need to call off today because you just can’t take it anymore, then get creative. Here’s some excuses you can use:
- I was so sick I couldn’t leave my bed.
- I had a family emergency and left in a rush without my phone.
- The power went out.
- I had food poisoning and couldn’t leave the bathroom (gross, but it gets the job done).
Do whatever you need to so that you’re not communicating with work during this time. If you can’t take this step, then you won’t find any relief. Let me repeat that, If you can’t take this step, then you won’t find any relief.
In addition to setting boundaries with work, you will also need to let other people in your life know that you will be unreachable, unless you plan to be with them during this time. You can reach out directly, or just set the auto-responder on your phone.
3. Pick a Location and Disconnect
When it comes to picking a place, your home is fine, but you may have more success if you can get away. Even if it’s only an hour from where you live. Changing scenery will improve the stress reducing effect of this method.
I cannot stress this enough, disconnecting from the world at large is the single most important step you can take in administering burnout first aid. I’m talking no phone, internet, news, email, social media, live television, etc.
We have phones and other devices with us 24/7 to keep up with the latest headlines, reply to texts, check emails, Snapchat friends, set timers for our workouts, plan our vacations, take photos of our food — all while scrolling through Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook. It’s enough to make anyone feel burnt out. Ditch it.
If you don’t have the will power to do this, and let’s face it most of us don’t, then you have two options.
- Actually go somewhere remote where you won’t have internet and phone service.
- Buy a timed lock box for your devices. iDiskk makes one that I use and it allows you to keep your phone charged while it’s in time out. Or, if you need something bigger for your phone, tablet, and other devices then this Kitchen Safe Locking Container is your best bet.
- In addition to locking up your devices, you should also disconnect your internet modem.
In case of emergencies, if you’re in civilization, then knock on a neighbor’s door for help, break your lock box, or connect your internet and use a device like Amazon Alexa to call 911. If you’re going somewhere remote, let someone know where you’re going, how long you’re going to be there, and what time to send help if they haven’t heard back from you.
A Quick Story About the Value of Disconnecting
Let me further explain why disconnecting is so important with a personal story. A couple of years ago when I felt burnout, I booked a week-long vacation with my family. The vacation was nice, we all had a great time, but when I came back I was still burnt out. “What gives?” I thought.
About a month later, I went on my first weekend backpacking trip with my brother. We were only gone for two days, but during that time I was in Allegheny National Forest, and I had zero phone service. The only thing I had to do during that time was hike and survive. It was aamzing not having any other cares in the world.
When we finally reached civilization, my phone started vibrating like crazy with all my missed messages. At that moment I realized how valuable it was for my mental health to completely disconnect. Those two days significantly reduced my stress, way more than a week at the beach. And they were the inspiration for this method of burnout relief.
So, for mental health’s sake find a way to disconnect.
4. Plan Stress Reducing Activities
I’ve asked you to disconnect, but I don’t expect you to just sit around and twiddle your thumbs. You need to plan out some stress reducing activities. There are several things you can do during your self-imposed retreat:
- Spend time in nature — whether it’s an entire weekend backpacking, a short hike near home, or a walk through a quiet neighborhood getting outdoors has huge mental health benefits.
- Get some exercise — like being in nature, exercise can also boost your mood. Do some yoga, ride a bike, take a walk. It doesn’t have to be vigorous, just get your body moving.
- Do a mindfulness activity — do a short meditation once or twice. You can even do it while you’re spending time outdoors. Or try any one of these 30 mindfulness activities. Mindfulness will help you reduce stress and help you focus on living in the present moment, so that you’re not worrying about the source of your burnout.
- Play a board game — you can find something to play solo like Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion, Terraforming Mars, or The 7th Continent. Or you can invite a couple friends over to play. I highly recommend Ticket to Ride, but steer clear of Monopoly, it ruins friendships. Also, let them know about the no phone rule and try to limit it to one or two people.
- Read a book — immersing yourself in a story is one of the best ways to escape your worries and transport yourself into another world.
- Watch a movie (with caution) — Blu-rays are your best option, but if you must use streaming services you should only turn your internet back on for the duration of the movie. Then unplug it again. Try to watch something that will put you at ease. You get bonus points for watching movies that can improve your mental health. “About Time,” “Soul,” and “Inside Out” are all fantastic options. Whatever you do, don’t binge watch TV, this could have the opposite effect and you’ll feel like you’ve wasted your day.
- Video games (with caution) — It’s probably fine to play video games but limit the amount of time to a few hours. Or break up the time with other activities in between. Also, don’t play anything like Call of Duty, Fortnite or Halo. Stick to stress reducing games like Animal Crossing, Firewatch and Stardew Valley.
- Treat yourself — make a cup of tea, French Press some coffee (I linked to a great one), DoorDash some donuts. Whatever you want, go for it, and let go of any guilt you may feel. Just don’t gorge yourself because you’ll have a stomachache and that’s no fun.
For the burnout first aid to be effective it’s best to do a variety of activities that will keep your mind engaged, or something physical for a long period of time like backpacking or rock climbing.
5. Things to Avoid
Drugs & Alcohol: Hear me out before you gloss over this section. Given the fact that you’re feeling burnt out, I wouldn’t be surprised if you have been using drugs and alcohol as coping mechanisms. I know it can be hard to give these things up, but it’s important.
Successfully reducing chronic stress can’t be achieved with mind altering substances. To improve your mental clarity, you can’t cloud your head with a buzz.
I have significantly reduced my own alcohol intake and it’s done wonders for my energy and mood. If you’re like me and you still need a drink in your hand then here are some great non-alcoholic options that I personally recommend:
If you just can’t give it up for a weekend, then at the very least, limit your intake to one or two drinks.
Crowded Places: Overstimulation is your enemy. The idea behind this is that you need to disconnect and destress. Crowded bars, restaurants, parties and concerts are not going to help you.
Certain People: If you’re an extrovert then the idea of spending a few days alone will probably add to your stress, not fix it. If that’s the case, then plan to spend your time with a couple of close friends, but as I said earlier, make them stick to the disconnect rules. They don’t have to lock their devices up, but they need to be silenced. Place them in a separate room where your guests must physically get up to go check them. Also, this probably goes without saying, but steer clear of anyone who causes you stress.
6. Don’t Put it Off
If you’re feeling burnout then put this plan in action as soon as possible. Don’t wait. To make it easier for you, here’s a summary of each step:
- Identify the sources of burnout and write them down.
- Pick a time and set boundaries.
- Pick a location and disconnect.
- Plan stress-reducing activities.
- Avoid things that cause stress.
- Do it ASAP!
Reassess and Think Beyond First Aid
Alright, once you’ve had your disconnected time reassess the situation. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you feel better?
- Did it help your burnout?
- Did it not work at all?
- Did it only work a little?
If you feel better, that’s fantastic. That’s the whole point of this exercise. If you’re cured even better!
If you were unsuccessful then you need to reflect further. Ask yourself, “Did I stick to the plan, or did I break the ‘rules?’” If you cheated a little bit don’t feel bad about it, but you need to be honest with yourself. Give it another try, but next time follow all the steps.
If you’re still feeling burnt out then you need to take further action. Perhaps it’s time to find a new job or change up the aspect of your life that causing you so much stress. If you’re unable to do that you should consider therapy. Acceptance and Commitment (ACT) is great for dealing with situations you have no control over. Whatever you do, do something. Don’t live your life constantly stressed out.
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