Understanding Burnout - Day 1

In this lesson, we’ll dive into understanding burnout—what it really is, how to recognize its signs and symptoms, and how it differs from everyday stress. You'll also learn about the profound impact burnout can have on your body, mind, and emotions. To help you start finding relief, we’ll end the lesson with a calming guided breathing exercise to soothe your nervous system.

Note: This is a series of tracks previously from a Course.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to day one of the burnout recovery course.

Today we are going to dive deeper into what burnout really is and why it's so much more than just feeling stressed or tired.

I would like to take a moment to share a pivotal experience from my own life.

A few years ago,

I was working in a high-stress environment as a team manager at a technology company,

Juggling a heavy workload,

Endless deadlines,

And the constant pressure to perform.

I felt like I had to keep pushing through,

Even when my body and mind were telling me to slow down.

Eventually,

I realized deep down that something had to change.

I made the difficult decision to leave my job and take time off to recover.

That period of reflection was a major turning point.

It led me to re-evaluate how I approached both work and life.

I learned how to stop running on empty and start living in a way that prioritized my well-being.

In this lesson,

We'll explore how to recognize the signs and symptoms of burnout so you can identify it in yourself before it reaches a breaking point.

We'll also take a closer look at how burnout affects the body,

Mind,

And emotions.

We'll finish with a calming breathing exercise to help regulate your nervous system and bring a sense of calm back into your day.

This is the first step toward finding balance again,

Simply pausing to reconnect with yourself and notice what's really going on inside.

Let's get started.

So what is burnout?

Burnout is more than just feeling tired or stressed after a long week.

It's a state of complete emotional,

Physical,

And mental exhaustion.

It happens when we've been pushing ourselves for too long without enough rest or support.

Recognizing the signs of burnout early on is essential because the longer it goes unchecked,

The more it erodes your sense of fulfillment,

Joy,

And overall well-being.

When you're burned out,

It feels like you've reached your limit with nothing left to give.

It's as if the passion and joy you once found in your work,

Your hobbies,

Or even your relationships have slowly drained away,

Leaving you feeling detached,

Unfulfilled,

And overwhelmed by even the smallest tasks.

Burnout affects every aspect of your well-being.

Physically,

You may feel constantly fatigued,

Even after rest.

Emotionally,

You can become irritable,

Anxious,

Or numb,

Feeling disconnected from those around you.

Mentally,

Burnout clouds your ability to focus,

Make decisions,

And approach challenges with creativity and motivation.

Burnout can be especially tricky because it doesn't happen overnight.

It builds gradually,

Sneaking up on us as we stay focused on getting things done,

Meeting expectations,

And being productive.

At first,

We might brush off the early signs of burnout,

Convincing ourselves that it's just a rough patch or a temporary phase.

That's exactly what I did.

It took me over a year in an incredibly stressful job to realize that what I was feeling wasn't just stress and fatigue,

It was burnout.

I had been pushing myself for so long,

Without giving myself the space to rest or recharge,

That my energy reserves were completely drained.

Now,

Let's take a moment to differentiate stress from burnout.

Stress is something we all experience,

And in small doses,

It can even be helpful.

It keeps us on our toes and motivates us to get things done.

But when stress becomes chronic and unrelenting,

It starts to wear us down.

Burnout,

On the other hand,

Is the result of prolonged,

Unmanageable stress.

Where stress can make you feel like you're doing too much,

Burnout can make you feel like you're doing nothing.

You're not just overwhelmed,

You're completely tapped out.

Recognizing the difference between feeling stressed and truly burnt out is key to knowing when it's time to take action.

Let's talk about impact of burnout on your body,

Mind and emotions.

Burnout doesn't just affect your energy or mood,

It's a full-body experience that creeps into every part of your life.

It builds slowly,

With warning signs that we often miss or ignore.

So,

Let's take a closer look at what burnout really does to us,

Physically,

Mentally and emotionally.

The physical effects of burnout are often the most noticeable,

But unfortunately,

They can also be the easiest to dismiss.

When you're burnt out,

Your body is constantly in a state of stress,

Which can lead to issues like chronic fatigue,

Insomnia and muscle tension.

You may find yourself experiencing frequent headaches,

Tightness in your shoulders or neck or even digestive issues.

Over time,

Burnout weakens your immune system,

Leaving you more vulnerable to colds,

Infections and other illnesses.

Sleep disturbances are also a major red flag.

Even though you're exhausted,

You might find that it's hard to fall asleep or stay asleep,

Waking up feeling just as tired as when you went to bed.

These physical symptoms are your body's way of signaling that it's overwhelmed and in need of rest and recovery.

Mentally,

Burnout can be incredibly draining.

You might notice that your ability to concentrate or focus is slipping.

Simple tasks that used to be easy feel difficult or overwhelming.

You might start procrastinating more or feel as though you're moving through life in a fog.

There's also a mental exhaustion that sets in.

A sense that no matter how hard you try,

You just can't keep up.

This can lead to feelings of hopelessness and frustration.

You may start to detach yourself from work or responsibilities,

Feeling disconnected from the things you used to care about.

The joy and satisfaction you once found in your achievements may no longer be there,

Leaving you questioning your purpose or direction.

Emotionally,

Burnout can leave you feeling drained,

Irritable and anxious.

You might find that you're more easily triggered without patience,

Running thin over things that wouldn't have bothered you before.

Anxiety can become a constant companion,

Surfacing as persistent worry or nervousness,

And often it's a clear sign that burnout is taking hold.

You may also experience emotional numbness,

As if you've disconnected from your feelings altogether.

It's as though your emotional reservoir has run dry,

Leaving you with little capacity to handle life's ups and downs.

Another key indicator is the overwhelming feeling that no matter how much you do,

It's never enough.

This can create a cycle of guilt and self-criticism,

Deepening the sense of emotional depletion.

Burnout also impacts the way you behave.

You might find yourself withdrawing from social activities,

Avoiding responsibilities or isolating yourself from friends and family.

Some people turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like overeating,

Alcohol or excessive screen time in an attempt to numb the discomfort.

Pay attention to whether you're procrastinating more than usual,

Missing deadlines or finding it hard to get motivated.

If you notice these behaviours creeping in,

They're signs that burnout may be taking hold.

Now that we've explored how burnout can manifest,

I invite you to take a moment to reflect on your own experience.

Remember that we all encounter stress in our lives from time to time,

And that's perfectly normal.

In this exercise,

The goal is to examine whether these feelings have been persistent and ongoing for a longer period.

This reflection is a key step in recognising the presence of deeper exhaustion in your life and allows you to acknowledge it without judgement.

Let's begin.

Find a comfortable position,

Whether seated or lying down.

Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so,

And take a few slow,

Deep breaths to centre yourself.

As you breathe,

Ask yourself,

How has stress been affecting me physically?

Think about how your body feels.

Are you carrying tension in your neck and shoulders?

Do you often feel fatigued,

No matter how much you rest?

Are you experiencing any headaches,

Digestive issues or other physical symptoms that might be linked to stress?

Now shift your focus to your mind.

Are you finding it hard to concentrate or stay motivated?

The tasks that once seemed easy now feel overwhelming.

Have you been feeling foggy,

Forgetful or disconnected from your usual drive and enthusiasm?

Finally,

Tune into your emotions.

Do you feel more irritable,

Anxious and emotionally drained?

Are you finding it harder to enjoy the things you once loved?

Or perhaps you've been feeling numb,

As if you're moving through life on autopilot.

As you reflect on these questions,

Remember there's no need to judge or criticise yourself for feeling this way.

Acknowledge these feelings with compassion and kindness,

Knowing that this is simply where you are right now.

Take one more deep breath in.

And a long,

Slow breath out.

As we wrap up today's session,

Let's take a moment to connect with our breath.

This simple exercise will help soothe your nervous system,

Especially if you've been feeling overwhelmed or fatigued.

Find a comfortable position,

Whether you're sitting upright or lying down.

Allow your body to settle.

And when you're ready,

Gently close your eyes.

Let's start by taking a deep breath in through your nose.

And slowly exhale through your mouth.

Imagine that with every inhale,

You're drawing in a wave of tranquility.

Filling your lungs with refreshing air.

As you exhale,

Envision releasing any tension or stress you've been holding onto.

Letting it drift away like clouds in the sky.

Take another slow,

Deep breath in.

Feel your belly expand as you fill your body with that calming energy.

And now exhale slowly.

Allowing your shoulders to drop and your body to relax more deeply.

Let's do a few more rounds of this together.

Inhale deeply.

And exhale fully.

Breathe in through the nose.

And breathe out slowly through the mouth.

When you're ready,

Gently wiggle your fingers and toes,

Bringing awareness back to your body.

And when you feel comfortable,

Open your eyes and take a moment to notice how you feel.

And that's it for today.

I hope this session helped you better understand burnout and its effects on your body,

Mind and emotions.

Tomorrow,

We'll dive deeper into the root causes of burnout and how to identify your own triggers.

Until then,

Take a moment today to rest and care for yourself.

You deserve it.

See you tomorrow.

Reviews

Loved this! Came across it while looking for burnout meditations and talks and I am ticking all the boxes. Looking forward to listening to the others ❤️