Hello Summer! Hello all of the friends who are still trying to study/work from home. Depending on your university or high school, you might be done with your exams or still studying on them. Or you are a graduate student like me who needs to work and study full-time. Welcome to my page, my friend. There is no one that can understand what we are going through rather than me.
When we work/study for a long period of time without really taking breaks, there is that feeling that arises when you feel like things fizzle out, you are losing focus, quickly finding yourself depressed, completely exhausted, not feeling like you want to do something. Let me tell you my friend, you are approaching a burnout. Burnout is a state of exhaustion you experience mentally and physically due to a prolonged stress. The stress can be due to your work and overall lifestyle. If left ignored, burnout could make your life difficult even to function well in your daily life. The negative effect can start spilling over your life; work, home, social life. It can also be accompanied by a physical illness such as cold and flu. So, how will you know if you are approaching to a burnout or you are already there? Well, check out the symptoms of burnout first;
This image was taken IEEE-USA Insight [1]
The signs and symptoms:
feeling tired and drained most of the time
change in the sleep habits
lowered immunity
frequent headaches and muscle pain
loss of motivation
decreased satisfaction and feeling alone
withdrawing from responsibilities
The list goes longer with difference in physical, emotional, and behavioral signs and symptoms. You can understand whether you are approaching to burnout by being aware of your status. Check in with yourself and see if you feel like everyday is a bad day, you are exhausted most of the times, you feel like nothing you do is appreciated. Burnout is a gradual process that happens in a period of time. You might not realize the signs at first since they are subtle but they can go worse by time if left untreated. If you pay attention to yourself and reduce the stress frequently, then you might prevent the breakdown.
What if you are just stressed and it is not a burnout? What is the difference?
Burnout and stress are completely different concepts. Burnout occurs due to a relentless stress and it feels like there is nothing positive in your situation, you are physically and mentally exhausted, feeling empty. On the other hand, stress means there is too many responsibilities and pressures that requires you physically and mentally. While you are in stress, you can be aware of being under pressure and you might also imagine that things will get better. However, burnout is a state of all drying up and cannot acknowledge the situation most of the time.
How to deal with it?
Reach out to people close to you. Talking to someone you love and trust can be so much helpful to overcome the situation. It is better to focus on the enjoyment moments rather than thinking about what took you to burnout state.
Reframe your perspective to work. Changing the perspective towards your work/study can help you regain the sense of purpose. Try to find some value in your work. Or if you hate your job and feel stucked there, look for satifaction elsewhere re like your hobbies, family, and friends.
Set aside self-care time. Take a break from social media, try relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation. Choose a different activity than work. Start a new hobby or anything that does not bring your stress.
Prioritize exercise and healthy diet. I know this sounds like the last thing you'd do when you are burnout but believe me it works more than you can imagine. Exercise and healthy diet are powerful fighters together. It is effective on boosting your energy and increasing mood and focus. To maximize the benefits, regular exercise and follow 80/20 diet with nutritious food. Focus on your body not your thoughts to release the stress.
I hope this helps you to stay in balance.
Take care my friends.
References
[1] Lessons on Leadership: Fighting Burnout and COVID-19 at the Same Time. (2021). Retrieved 21 June 2021, from https://insight.ieeeusa.org/articles/fighting-burnout-and-covid-19-at-the-same-time/