Have you ever found yourself constantly exhausted, jaded, frustrated with work, school or life?
I have been undergoing said feelings this past few weeks, some might say it’s a sign of being burned out — “feeling empty and mentally exhausted, devoid of motivation and beyond caring.” In fact, I have a final exam tomorrow and I’m still here writing this article, did I just… stop caring?
I have read and listened many books and podcasts on the concept of burning out, some are convicted of its legitimacy, some say it’s a myth — “there’s no such thing as burning out, it’s all a mental state that people make up.” Regardless, being exhausted and lack of motivation to work or study is real, and we are going to explore how to get over that together.
1. Check your state of mind
I found this really cool illustration by Gemma Correll on multi-tasking and also a brief commentary on why one might find herself tired despite not exerting much effort on work or physical activities in any given day:
Overthinking
I don’t know about you but I am a chronic, serial, professional overthinker. It makes me feel safe and secure like I’m keeping an eye on a boiling kettle. I’d think “Oh, I’m worrying about all of my problems, therefore they might not go awry”. If I forgot to worry about a problem and later realized, I’d had to add that to my list too. Worrying is a thing I do that makes me feel in control.
But it’s exhausting mentally, and leaks into overall well-being. So how to cope with this tendency?
→ give your mind a (literal) break by giving space to be away from your thoughts and streams of consciousness.
Meditate, Journal, Exercise, Talk to a friend, Cook, Bake — each of these activities give temporary refuge from your thoughts, and more. They calm your nerves, make you more centered and present.
When you worry, a lot of the times you are not living in the present but rather the future, meditation for instance can help restore that sense of groundedness.
2. Nature time
There are reasons why people call nature Mother Nature, a place where you can come back to to find your inner child, reconnect with the surrounding world and the universe.
Natures do wonder and it can heal you like magic ✨
If possible, find some time this week walking outside to fill your lungs with fresh air. If you live near a lake or ocean, take a stroll around or sit by the water body to take in its movements. Be still and observant of the nature helps one realize how insignificant one’s worries are in the grand scheme of things — of the universe and the long history of Earth.
3. Tap into your creative powers
When one is busy, many times, her hobbies and healthy habits are the first to be abandoned. I know at least that is the case for me.
If you are feeling yourself overworked or bored with your daily routine, pick up a pen and doodle, or put down your thoughts onto paper, open that dusty guitar case to replay some old songs, etc.
Whatever your creative outlet is, make time for it especially when you are feeling exhausted, creativity can fuel inspiration and catalyze intriguing thoughts and ideas.
It’s when I’m actively writing for leisure that I can tap into deepest inner work of my minds and better understand myself as an individual, something I can hardly do during the usual daily activities.
4. Take breaks, lots of them
Breaks are a wonderful tool to have a productive and meaningful life. They similarly allow space for your mind to take a breather, let you take a step back and observe life from some distance — sometimes ending up with interesting view points that you wouldn’t otherwise have had.
Breaks can happen in the shower, over a meal with your family, on a walk around the neighborhood, at a local coffee shop while people watching, or during travelling.
A car can’t run on no fuels, and so can’t you. Recharge yourself, and do it frequently.
I hope you are staying well, in many and all aspects. talk soon!