We’ve all been there: burnout. That feeling of being stuck in a rut; feeling overwhelmed and demotivated to do anything. It’s no fun and can be downright debilitating. You might be asking yourself questions like “what’s wrong with me?” or “Why can’t I just snap out of it?” Oftentimes, the “snap out of it” mindset isn’t helpful because it adds feelings of guilt and shame around an already stuck place. The good news is that burnout doesn’t have to be the end of your productivity!
Here are five tips on how to holistically snap yourself out of burnout.
1. Take an honest assessment of why you’re burnt out in the first place.
Often the reason you’re feeling burnt out is that you’ve been doing too much–burning the proverbial candle at both ends–for too long.
Ask yourself if these burnout triggers are external or internal. Are they coming from stressors like too much work or family obligations, or are they stemming from unhealthy relationships with yourself, such as perfectionism and negative self-talk? Often, burnout triggers are a combination of both, and identifying them can help us to see what’s within our control to change, and what’s not. Once you’ve identified the source(s), you can begin to make a plan for how to address them.
2. Second, practice self-care.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the things that need doing, and burnout can be our body and mind’s way of telling us that we need to take a break and prioritize self-care. Self-care doesn’t have to be a big, elaborate ordeal like an expensive spa day or trip–sometimes it looks more like saying “no” more often and allotting yourself more time between daily activities instead of cramming or multitasking.
Downtime and days off are self-care too. Take some time off from your responsibilities and permit yourself to relax. Treat yourself with kindness and compassion. Put away any electronics or distractions and focus on nourishing activities such as reading, taking a walk, meditating, or jotting down ideas in a journal.
3. Level up your mindset by challenging negative thinking patterns with positive ones.
Journaling is an effective tool in overcoming burnout because it can help you gain clarity on what thoughts are not serving you and reframe them into ones that support your success. For example, if you’re telling yourself, “I’m not good enough,” rewrite it to “I have the potential to be successful.” This will help you break through those mental barriers that are holding you back from achieving burnout recovery.
If you’re someone who finds traditional journaling a challenge, there are many simplified and guided writing exercises that can help, such as the Bullet Journal, Morning Pages, or Silk and Sonder.
4. Establish personal and professional boundaries so burnout does not become a chronic issue.
Set limits on how much work or obligations you can take on and learn to say no when necessary. Make sure you schedule enough time in between clients to allow yourself to clear and reset yourself, and not feel rushed.
Take notice of how you feel after spending time with certain people, whether in your personal life or at work. Do you find yourself feeling happy, engaged, and inspired? Or do you feel stressed, emotionally drained, or like you need a nap or comfort snack after being with that person? While we can’t avoid all the stressful people and situations in our lives, we can prepare for them and limit our exposure to them when we know how they affect us.
Also, practice delegating tasks to other people, so you don’t get overwhelmed with too many commitments and responsibilities. Start with the ones you don’t like to do yourself, or that seem to take too long to complete, and add more from there.
5. Find an accountability partner.
A friend, colleague, or coach who is also burnout-aware can help to hold you accountable for your actions, provide a listening ear, and motivate you to stick with your plan. Knowing that someone has your back in this situation can be incredibly helpful in getting through burnout.
By the way, being an accountability partner for clients is one crucial way Certified Nutritional Aesthetics Practitioners® help their clients achieve and sustain fantastic skin results.
Burnout doesn’t have to control our lives.
If we choose to take an honest assessment of why burnout is happening, practice self-care and level up our mindset, establish boundaries, and have an accountability partner, it’s possible to snap ourselves out of burnout and enjoy the success we desire! So don’t give up on yourself – use these steps as a roadmap to burnout recovery. Good luck!
Do you want to learn how to help your clients overcome lifestyle hindrances like burnout, which might prevent them from achieving the skin results they’ve been struggling with?
Check out our professionally accredited Certified Nutritional Aesthetics Practitioner® Training Program. Learn more and start on your path toward CNAP certification here!
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