Ah, feeling burnt out. Burnt out can be defined as becoming stressed and exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally causing one to be less motivated and drained. We've all been there. Life can hit us pretty hard sometimes, from balancing school, work, family, a social life, and our personal health. How can one get everything done in 24 hours without stressing about it?
We're constantly pushing ourselves to work hard and do whatever means necessary to get everything on our to-do list done. We follow a schedule, we're consistent with it, and we get by most days. We're used to grinding, it's our usual, right?
But there are days, weeks, or months where we feel so exhausted that we can't get by, feeling weak and unmotivated. A lot of us ignore it and keep on pushing through. But being burnt out sets us back from our goals and that schedule we're so good at following. Being burnt out really does hurt us in the end.
Finding ways to cope with getting burnt out can be tough, but here are five tips and tricks to incorporate into your everyday routine to kick that burnt out feeling in the butt.
You're allowed to feel exhausted and burnt out from life, but you're not allowed to keep pushing yourself past that.
1. Take time before bed to reflect on the day past and the day ahead.
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Instead of scrolling through Instagram or Facebook right before bed, put the phone away and reflect a little. I recommend getting a journal or planner and doing reflections via pen and paper. You should use this time to think about all that happened during the day, good and bad.
Then, map out your day ahead and focus on the details. What time you have to wake up, what's on the agenda, when you're going to the gym, what's on your to-do list, and what time you're going to bed. Plan it out, so that you can let go of anything that happened during that day and focus on the next. This will absolutely help you feel less overwhelmed.
2. Take time to eat without your phone.
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Your breakfast, lunch, and dinner should not be eaten while you work. Put that phone or laptop away and eat. Observe your environment, thoughts, and body. This one has been such a game changer for me over the past few months!
3. Find something to do once a day that makes you happy.
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This is something everyone should be incorporating in their life, burnt out or not. Each day, you should be doing one thing that makes you happy. It could be for 5 minutes or an hour, whatever you need that day. This could include going to a spin class, reading the news articles of the day, calling your mom, or taking your dog for a walk.
The possibilities are endless. And, no, the excuse "I'm too busy" doesn't work here. Take five minutes to focus on you.
4. Stay positive.
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Speaking positively to yourself can change your mindset immensely. For example, instead of saying "I'm so stressed because I have so much to do," say something like, "I have a lot to do, but I'm determined to get this done." A positive mindset leads to positive actions. Speak it into fruition.
5. Breathe.
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Notice when you're feeling burnt out and take a step BACK. I'm serious. Pushing through your exhaustion works sometimes, but do it too much and you may really hurt your mental game. Take a step back and breathe.
There are some awesome apps to help you with meditation and breathing techniques. I have a Fitbit, which has an amazing feature on it that helps with breathing. Taking a step away from your stressed state by just breathing really helps.
