Burnout Nuggets: Connection to Self

Last week, we started a series of discussions about the seriousness of burnout and exhaustion.

In that post, called Burnout and YOU, we discussed that burnout is, in many ways, a response to depletion that has very real physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences. Learning how to identify burnout and take care of yourself is critical to living with energy, success, and satisfaction.

What we’ve seen in the research, and in work with our clients, is that connection can be a powerful tool in avoiding burnout and managing it when it hits – connection with self and connection with others. The key is to know when you need one versus the other.

This means that it can be important to get into the habit of regularly pausing and asking yourself something like:

“What do I need today to refuel myself?”

Depending on how you answer, you may need time to connect with yourself, or with others, or perhaps some combination of both.

Today, we’re sharing some details and examples to help you think about simple ways to connect to self, and next week we’ll talk about connection with others.

Take a look at some of the suggestions below (or print them out here) and see what one small step you can add into your day.

• Reflect on your life priorities.
• Practice setting healthy boundaries.
• Spend time in nature.
• Speak to yourself with respect and kindness.
• Find ways to move (even a little!) throughout the day.
• Look for the potential to automate your life (food, clothes, time for YOU, etc).
• Write down your gratitudes.
• Listen to your favorite song.
• Spend a few moments savoring an experience.
• Embrace downtime.
• Practice 1 minute of mindful breathing.
• Laugh.
• Read for enjoyment.
• Recognize your unique gifts and skills.
• Celebrate your accomplishments – big and small!
• Craft your own version of what success means to you.

It’s important to start small, so we suggest trying one new thing at a time. Don’t try to tackle this entire list or you’ll get burned out addressing your burnout! Remember, small consistent steps on your behalf will take you far.

Taking care of yourself is not selfish! It’s key to a strong, successful you, and it helps you build resilience for those times when life and work are particularly stressful.

If you’d like to download this post, click here for the PDF version.

You’ve got this!