Burned Out?

For almost a year now, we’ve been dealing with a pandemic that has drastically changed the way we work, shop, worship, socialize, and learn, i.e., it’s changed our lives. From nursery schools to nursing homes, people in every sector of the population have been affected. It’s put a strain on our relationships, finances, businesses, health. Most people I talk with say that they’re just tired. Maybe not physically tired but emotionally tired. People are running on empty – burned out.

With the emergence of the Covid-19 vaccine, there’s an inkling of optimism, a hope that maybe, just maybe, we can return to some semblance of normalcy. But most of us aren’t naïve enough to believe that we’ll ever return to “the way we were”.

That being said, what can you do now? What can you do to re-energize, to fill up your physical and emotional tank, to ignite the spark, and be ready for whatever is to come? Here are a few ideas.

Take care of yourself.
During a particularly rough patch in my life, a wise counselor gave me this advice. “Eat well. Sleep well. Exercise. Journal.” Of course, you know the value of eating well and getting adequate sleep. But knowing and doing are often quite different, aren’t they? So, put your knowledge into practice! Exercise. Even a 15-minute walk outside will raise your energy level and lift your spirits. Journal. For this purpose, journaling doesn’t mean diary entries of the activities of your day. This type of journaling provides the opportunity to do what is sometimes referred to as a “brain dump”. Committing to paper – perhaps in bullet points – all the thoughts that are running wild in your head. This practice clears your mind, puts things in perspective, and helps diminish the feeling of overwhelm.

Focus on what you can control, not what you can’t.
We human beings love to be in control. We like to think that we can manage, plan, arrange, dictate, influence, manipulate events and people to conform to our wishes, but reality proves us wrong. The past year has demonstrated that, in addition to the weather, traffic, and other people, there is much that exceeds our power to affect. So, focus on what you can control – your attitude, behavior, thoughts, disposition, the way you react to people and events.

Connect
When you’re experiencing burnout, there’s the tendency to isolate, and in these days when we’ve been encouraged to do just that, it’s easy to pull into your shell and not make an effort to connect. However, human beings are made to be in community. We’re designed to live in families and bond with friends, and we function at a higher level when we’re in contact with others. The lack of physical contact is one of the reasons that the pandemic has been so stressful. So, rather than disconnecting, connect the best way you can. We’re blessed with the technology that makes this possible, so reach out to friends and family through Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, and even the phone! Participate in online gatherings. Don’t give up attending virtual church services. During these months of isolation, my husband and I have made it a practice to schedule Zoom time with acquaintances across the country. Through this blessing of technology, I connected with a high school friend who lives in Germany, and last week, we enjoyed a visit with dear friends in the United Kingdom that we hadn’t seen in years.

And more thing…Choose optimism. It is a choice, you know, and it’s much healthier and more fun than the alternative.

If you feel burned out, you’re not alone. My hope is that perhaps even one of these suggestions will help you ignite a spark of energy, enthusiasm, and enjoyment.