While this might seem counterintuitive, having stressors in your life is actually a good thing. When stress is acute and intermittent, your brain stays alert, allowing you to perform better. Examples of these stressors include waiting in a traffic jam, getting into a disagreement with someone, or preparing for an interview. However, bigger and more serious stressors can be harmful if not identified and dealt with.
Burnout is a state of emotional or mental distress caused by persistent and prolonged stress and can leave you feeling overwhelmed, drained, and unmotivated. If you’re feeling burnout, it’s usually over a longer period of time. Here are a few things I do when I feel this way.
- Identify All Stressors
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Even if you can’t do anything about it, identifying the thing or things causing your burnout and writing them out can be helpful. When I actively think about each thing and confront it, then there’s nowhere for it to hide. I can’t push my problems away if they’re listed out in front of me. It’s important to list out every stressor whether it’s “big” or “small.”
- What Can You Control?
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Based on the list you made, divide these items up into ones that are in your control and ones that aren’t. On the side of things you can control, see if there is anything you can do that will take 10 minutes or less. A small stressor for me is usually clutter. I set a timer on my phone and do small tasks like making my bed or collecting dishes and bringing them into my kitchen. Once the 10 minutes is up, I move on to the next item on my list if it can be done within this time frame.
- For Things You Can’t Control…
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Take a minute to be present. Put your phone down, close your eyes, and take a deep breath in. This sounds cliche, but if you’ve identified that this is out of your control, then there isn’t anything you can do about it. It’s okay to feel anxious. However, I’ve found that there really isn’t a point in worrying and increasing my stress based on something I genuinely can’t do anything about.
- Find Your Support System
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Having a group of people that you can reach out to is very important. We’re social creatures and getting interaction with others outside of school and work settings can help reduce stress. While this support system can be people from school and work, if your stressors come from these areas of your life, it might not be the best idea. Just be thoughtful and do your best to keep work at work and/or school at school.
Make sure these people are willing to listen. It’s also important that you offer your time to listen back. If there are negative people in your life, it’s okay to detach yourself from them. Relationships change, so if a close friend has become toxic, give yourself permission to remove them from your life so you can keep moving forward.
- Reframe Your Mindset
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A majority of my big stressors right now come from school and work. If this is also the case for you, try to reframe the way you look at what you’re doing in order to find value in it. For example, one of my final projects is to create graphic design posters on any topic I want. I chose to raise awareness around AAPI Hate through my work because it’s very meaningful to me. There are always going to be things that are frustrating or difficult, but recognizing and appreciating the things you love and changing your outlook can help you regain a sense of purpose and control.
- Listen to Your Body
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Your body encompasses both mental and physical health, and they definitely feed off of one another. I have a small goal to go outside for at least 30 minutes a day. Sometimes I exercise, but sometimes I just sit in the grass and listen to music or draw. Taking care of yourself and your needs is something that’s important to prioritize when you’re feeling burnout. When you feel good, then you’re able to focus and accomplish a lot more.
I hope you learned a few new things regarding burnout and how to better understand why it happens. These are things that help me when I’m approaching or feeling burnout, and I hope they help you too.
*Please note that I am not an expert, and if you think you have a more serious condition, please see a doctor or someone who can provide you with professional help.