Burnout: A Path To Healing #6

In this sixth stop of the series, extracted from the book Self-Trust, Ana Barreto invites you to change the way you may see Burnout.

In Chapter 15 of Self-Trust: A Healing Practice for Women Who Do Too Much, read by Diane Box, Ana invites women to understand and reflect on burnout symptoms that women tend to discount. She also gives you quick remedies.

Transcript

Chapter 15 Being Burned Out I believe that 95% of the people who are burned out don't know that they are.

It usually takes someone else within their circle to point it out to them.

Moreover,

Those who are burned out often don't accept it because burnout is perceived as a career killer.

People believe that those who are burned out don't get promoted,

They get fired.

According to research,

There are common symptoms of people who are burned out,

But we tend to discount these conditions as normal because so many people experience them.

People become cynical,

Irritable,

Impatient,

Show low productivity,

Grapple with concentration,

Feel dissatisfied with their achievements,

Struggle with sleep,

And experience health problems such as headaches and digestive problems.

They may also use food,

Drugs,

Or alcohol to feel better.

For many women,

Being burned out is a double-edged sword.

They're already fighting against the archaic reputation that women are emotional and weak.

They fear their burnout could be a confirmation,

Especially in male-dominated industries,

That women aren't capable and can't manage stress.

Most women perceive being burned out as being thrown into the deep end of the pool.

You feel you're drowning,

And you forget how to swim to the edge.

A friend might throw you a floater,

But you can't see it.

When you're burned out,

You don't have access to your full awareness and capacity.

It's that simple.

It seems illogical that someone would not see their way out of the water,

Or any situation for that matter.

But some women stay in the deep end and yell,

I've been pushed into the deep end of the pool for years before they decide to calm down,

Swim to the edge,

And get out with help.

We place blame elsewhere because we can't see our way out of the situation.

Most of the time,

Women don't recognize they're burned out because that's the only state they know.

Feeling angry,

Short-tempered,

Edgy,

Unmotivated,

Hungry,

Impatient,

Tired,

Unable to think,

And medicated with drugs and alcohol are some of the ways they've learned how to cope and keep things moving.

They confuse activity with achievement,

Sometimes mastering the ability to complete tasks while depleted.

Some women have also increased their capacity to work under the depleted state,

Which in itself is a remarkable skill.

If it weren't killing their spirit,

And perhaps their body,

No human being can maintain stress for long periods of time without destroying their body,

Mind,

And spirit.

That's just human nature.

But there is good news.

People have adapted and became more resilient to their environments.

There are activities,

Exercises,

Natural medicine,

Self-help books,

Healers,

And energy recovery techniques available that expand the time between wellness and full burnout.

People are surviving it longer,

But still not avoiding the burnout ditch.

The Power of Recognition Regardless of your awareness of your state of depletion,

Life will always give you glimpses of well-being.

All humans have an inner compass that takes them toward relief.

Sometimes,

The aid comes through a book,

The words of a teacher,

A retreat,

A spiritual experience,

A disease,

Or even a near-death experience.

In my first book,

Women,

Rice,

And Beans,

I talked about paying attention to our life.

Your daily life gives you clues about who you are being when you stop and pay attention.

Your everyday life reflects what you do,

Think,

And feel.

If you have the physical energy to go outside for a walk,

Accept it as a clue that something needs to change.

Clues can also come in other ways,

Such as not being able to open your bills.

It's an indication that you don't want to think.

If you find yourself avoiding returning a call from a good friend,

Check in with your feelings because it may be that you don't want to feel or talk.

Mostly,

By the time people recognize such clues,

Burnout is just about to shut down their powers.

When was the last time you experienced these clues?

The memory will help you recognize the next time you ignore your inner compass.

Here are some of the clues.

You don't want to think.

You don't want to feel.

You don't want to face your issues.

You don't want to give freely.

You don't want to share.

You don't want to see people.

You don't want to talk.

You don't want to touch or be touched by others.

You don't want to do any of the actions above but feel pressured to do them anyway.

You don't want to get out of bed.

You procrastinate instead of doing important tasks.

You're too tired to take a shower,

Brush your teeth,

Or carry out your daily routines.

Band-aiding burnout.

Although there is a wide range of depletion,

Every woman has her own energy level limits.

Some people reach for an energy drink.

Others prefer a pot of extra strong coffee with lots of sugar,

While many just bite the bullet.

These things appear to work,

But they don't.

They are just temporary fixes.

These actions will put you in a further state of body,

Mind,

And spirit depletion.

The best solution is always to listen to your body before you get depleted.

Some people believe that a night's sleep will help them recover from burnout.

Sleep is certainly the first remedy.

You may feel a bit better after a night of sleep,

But one night isn't enough for recovery.

You will need more self-nurturing and relaxation to regain your power and recharge your spirit.

In fact,

If you try to push through a burnout with just another night of sleep,

You will extend the burnout.

Quick Remedies.

The second best solution is to give yourself time.

Ideally,

You should disconnect from work,

Non-nurturing people,

And electronics.

All electronic gadgets deplete your energy.

I understand that it's impossible to move to Tahiti for a week,

But try to spend time alone in nature and meditate twice a day.

It will help you restore your body.

Also,

Long,

Undisturbed sleep will improve things significantly.

When we sleep,

Our body restores itself naturally and quickly,

But you need more than a single night after which you return to overworking.

Of course,

There are days when you can't just call the office and tell your boss you're taking a day off or that you're going to be late because you have no energy.

For those times,

Here are five quick remedies to help you recharge your energy and go on with your day.

Number one,

Take a slow shower.

Our body is 50 to 65 percent water,

And water has been used to bless people in many different religions for centuries.

It refreshes and changes your mood,

Which changes your feelings.

A positive change in your feelings is the most critical component to changing your energy.

Number two,

Do a grounding meditation in the shower or just after.

A regular five-minute meditation early in the morning can do wonders for your energy level and your health.

If you're already running late for work,

Five minutes may seem like an eternity.

So,

Simply meditate when you're in the shower.

It will connect you with Mother Nature,

Which is an excellent recharge of energy.

Number three,

Wear red underwear.

You heard me right.

Take out those sexy red undies and wear them all day.

The red color will energize the first energy center of your body,

Located where your spine meets your tailbone.

This is the root chakra,

Which governs the doing functions of the body.

If you don't own any red underwear,

Please add some to your shopping list.

Number four,

Eat red fruits and vegetables.

Strawberries,

Cherries,

Watermelon,

Red tomatoes,

Beets and others are great natural red color foods that help to restore your energy on three levels.

The body,

Natural food.

The mind,

Your new knowledge of the benefits of red color and the spirit.

Red energizes the root chakra.

Number five,

Go to bed early tonight.

You must give your body time to recover.

When you sleep,

Your body regenerates itself.

When receiving adequate rest,

You're able to hear the signals your body sends you before you go into a state of depletion.

The fastest way to regain your energy is to relax in nature without exerting.

I'm not suggesting a heavy duty camping trip off the grid.

It needs to be pleasurable for you.

If you don't enjoy the activity,

You're going in the wrong direction.

Everyone can sit in the sun on a lunch break,

Read a book under a tree,

Walk the dog on the beach or take a short hike in the park.

Here is another truth.

These suggestions will help you for a day or two.

It would be wise to give your body a break so that you can be who you really are.

Live life like a butterfly.

Take a rest,

But never forget how to fly.