You may be finding it hard to muster up enthusiasm for chores you used to undertake effortlessly, or feeling regularly overwhelmed and drained. Sometimes, a blanket of fatigue seems to wrap around your day, making concentration a struggle and leaving you feeling empty. You may even feel detached from your work, your passions, and perhaps, to an extent, your own self. If this resonates with you, it’s possible that you’re experiencing burnout.

The core of these prompts is to identify what’s causing your stress, assess if you’re dedicating time for restorative activities, and recognize recurring triggers leading to feelings of burnout. By addressing these key areas, you can gain a clearer understanding of your situation, allowing you to create strategies to manage your burnout effectively.

Affirmations

• Even at my lowest, I remain resilient. Burnout is temporary.

• My boundaries matter. Saying ‘no’ can be a form of self-care.

• Rest is not a luxury, it is a necessity for my wellbeing and productivity.

• Every step I take towards my wellbeing, no matter how small, is considered progress.

Follow up

Addressing burnout involves unpacking the issues that are causing you to feel overwhelmed and seeking balance in your life. For the first question, make a list of the aspects of your life that are currently leading to these feelings. Once identified, think about how to either delegate, share, reduce, or better manage these tasks based on your situation.

Considering your self-care routine, remember that everyone needs downtime to relax, rejuvenate, and do things that bring happiness. Balance is crucial; you need time for work, relationships, relaxation, and play. Or simply not doing anything. Evaluate how and where you can find out time to invest in yourself.

Understanding your burnout triggers can provide invaluable insight into how to manage your workload and stress levels in the future. They could be anything from consecutive long working hours, dissatisfaction in work, relationship problems, or simply just trying to get by day to day. But it all leads to not having enough personal time. Keep a journal to note when you feel the most drained or stressed, and use that data to understand the patterns leading to your feelings of burnout.

While affirmations cannot cure burnout, adopting a positive mindset and a self-forgiving attitude can go a long way in managing it. Recite these affirmations when you start to feel the onset of burnout symptoms, and remember, it’s okay to prioritise your mental health above everything else.

Take small steps, and consider seeking professional help if your burnout feelings persist or intensify. It’s not a sign of weakness but power - the power to acknowledge that sometimes we all need a bit of external help, and that’s perfectly okay.