Battling Burnout

I’ve been joking "Whew, this month sure felt like a year!"... for the last two months.

Burnout is defined as "a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress"

Sound like you?

​I've heard from many that staying consistent with working out, eating well, or even managing stress has been taking a back seat to... surviving. Home athletes have it hard enough with resisting the urge to sit down on the couch instead of start their warm up, but it becomes even harder if you’re not recovering well from stress.

Unchecked stress and burnout can lead to depression, anxiety, and increased inflammation. If you read Emily & Amelia Nagoski’s book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Code, you’ll learn that in some cases unchecked burnout can lead to serious physical symptoms like forgetting how to poop!

We so don't need that on top of everything else. I highly recommend everyone read that book to get more evidence-based tips on how to end the stress cycle. Until then, below are three ways to help you battle burnout, in no particular order:
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Reach out- health includes health in your friendships and relationships. Reaching out to the people you care about can help you feel connected to the world and more supported.

If you feel like you don't have anyone to talk to, click here for a link to free resources for counseling, hotlines and more.

Take a break from tech- "Unplugging" an hour before bed can help you get more restful sleep, and sleep is one of the most powerful indicators of health, period. If you need an activity to occupy your mind, try reading or playing a board game before lying down.

Learn to say no- setting boundaries can be hard, but not harder than sacrificing your own health for others’ comfort. Have hard conversations, delegate tasks to other household members so you’re not doing it on your own.

Bonus!

Celebrate the small wins. All of them.- Go on a walk? Mental high five! Drink a glass of water? Internal boo-yah! Do half of your workout? Kool-Aid-Man-esque Ohhhhh yeah! It might seem silly, but being your biggest advocate will only help you feel good about continuing.

If you grapple with giving yourself pats on the back, try imagining if you were someone you care deeply for who was just starting their training journey. What would you tell them to encourage them to keep going?

I will never deny the realness of the struggle. And, you are resilient as hell.