Burn, Burn, Burn – Burnout

Burnout recovery: an essential skill for the 21st-century professional

Ladies and gents, we are truly, madly, and totally fried. We have been plugged in and going non-stop. Our eyes are on screens for the majority of our days and nights. When invites come up, we say yes more than we say no. We go and go and go. When we stop, we are only doing so to catch a breath but not fully recovering from overextending ourselves. Now more than ever, burnout recovery is an essential skill for the 21st-century professional.

Let me take a few moments to share my secrets to burnout recovery.

1. Own it. Hi I’m Lauren and I am absolutely burned out. Anyone who is familiar with Alcoholics Anonymous or has heard about the 12 steps knows that you have to first own and accept where you are and who you are. Admit your burnout to yourself, which will liberate you so you can begin recovering.
2. Breathe. No just kidding breathing alone is not going to help you rebound! You are spent and tired and worn down. You have to do more than breathe, you have to stop. You have to clear a day in your week that is YOUR day. This is not a Saturday or Sunday because as human beings we tend to fill those days with things. You have to take a weekday. During your “down day” you can do active lifestyle things or you can lay around and Netflix, it’s your choice (and we are in a judgment free zone here). As for work, colleagues, your boss and your projects: you are unavailable. Repeat after me: “I am unavailable”, “I will not be able to meet on (MY DAY) I am unavailable” try it out see how it feels. No excuses, no apologies, just the truth, you are unavailable because you are refueling your well being.
3. Unplug and tune out. I make a conscious effort to turn off my technological devices at 10pm every night. I don’t need pings and lights and vibrations to ruin my REMs. I also think that being constantly tied to a device 24/7 is not good for my health. When I tell people this I immediately hear “I can’t turn off my phone what if there is an emergency?” to that I say ok but mute or go into do not disturb except for calls from your loved ones.
4. Remember that recovery is not a sprint. As with most damage we do to our minds and bodies, it is not done overnight. It is done slowly and over time and then takes its toll on us. You cannot take just one day and feel totally refreshed. You will need to be intentional about recovering from burnout. Take time, take mini-breaks, get in tune with your body and any indicators of stress. If you find that a breather day provided a much needed reprieve then do it again and again.

If you want to know how to recognize signs of burnout, I have a great guide on stress and cortisol the stress hormone. This guide provides information about the signs to look for when you get to a level of cortisol that begins to impact your well-being. Contact me for your free copy.

Lauren Williams, Founder & Principle Consultant

Lauren Williams utilizes her 20-years of expertise in the HR field to support companies by improving and enhancing their people skills/operations, which maximizes a company’s full potential. With care and passion, she focuses intently on the employee experience and how to leverage a solid community-based company culture that encourages organic employee engagement, retention, and empowerment.