Have you ever felt like you were physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, with no will to move around, or do anything exciting that requires an extra dose of energy? You’re probably suffering from burnout, an extremely common phenomenon in our fast-paced work environments. The belief that the world would collapse if we stepped away is a mental state that only exists in your head, and I am here to tell you why, how to pull yourself out of it, and how to find the light at the end of the tunnel.   

By the time you’re burnt out, you’ve probably already forgotten that you have some days in your leave balance and find yourself too caught up with all the stress and day-to-day workload. You feel like you can’t even get yourself to sit down and just choose which week you want to take off from work.  

Burnout is not just about how it affects you, your health, and your well-being, although it does explain all the headaches and the insomnia you may be going through. Burnout truly does affect your productivity levels at work–no one wants a droopy, miserable colleague who does a lot but with no positive energy.  

How does it happen? It starts when you get addicted to proving that you are able to take on all the workload by yourself and working until late at night starts to become ordinary. The burnout continues to grow the deeper you dig yourself in the work-work-work lifestyle, believing that you’re the only one who can complete all the work and tasks that you have on your plate. 

So how do you pull yourself out of it? The first step in fighting burnout is shifting your mindset and adopting healthier habits for the daily process you go through. If you work from home, once you wake up early in the morning, try to not turn on your phone and check all your social media pages. Get out of bed, have your breakfast slowly, and go for a 15-minute walk outside for some fresh air and scenery.  

Next up, boundary setting. This is one of the most difficult things to learn, so it will, and should, take time to master. Boundary setting isn’t only about saying no; it includes many other applications, like defining your work hours, establishing clear communication routes with your peers, delegating tasks, asking for support so that there is less of a load on you, and even setting limits with technology. Sitting in front of a screen for long hours can be damaging on the brain, eyes, body, and mental well-being, so do not underestimate it. All these are just baby steps to getting yourself used to putting your health and well-being first, and not allowing burnout to get to you. Once your mindset shifts from feeling like you must always be available for work, clients, and your boss and colleagues, to putting yourself first, you will start to understand how valuable it is, not just for yourself, but for everyone else around you, too.  

Now that we got to the point about ‘everyone else around you,’ this is where a very important aspect comes into play: your support system. Take a good look around you and find the people who truly care about you and want to see you succeed, do well, and be in your best state of mind. Look for the ones who genuinely lift you up, give you all the positive energy you need, and are really there for you whenever you need them. Every time you focus on this, you will start to notice your circle becoming smaller and smaller, until you're left with the right support system for you, the one(s) who really do bring out the best in you every time they are around, and give you that pep talk you never knew you needed.  

Once you’ve established a tight circle, this is where the energy and aura cleansing begin. There are multiple ways to stabilise the energy surrounding you and cleanse your aura from all the negativity that you face on a daily basis. Let's be honest, no one is happy 24/7, but you can still be content, grateful, and in a state of bliss. Focus on the state of bliss that you want to achieve. The first and easiest way to start is by connecting with nature; go outside more, take off your shoes, and let your bare feet touch the grass, sand, or water. Sit on the floor, touch it with your hands as well, take in a deep breath and exhale slowly, take it all in and just clear your mind. Focus on the colours around you, how the sea has many shades of blue, how you can hear the sounds of the waves splashing against the rocks.  

Close your eyes.  

The next step is to learn how to meditate. There are lots of sources online that can show you exactly how to do it, but it’s important to actually believe in it so that it can truly separate your mind from all the chaos around you. Focus on your breathing and recognise any negative emotions you want to release during meditation. In addition to meditation, there is a process called smudging, which is burning sage and passing it around you and your space. You can take this extra step by passing it around your home as it releases all the stagnant energy.  

Finally, and most importantly, make time for yourself and practise positive affirmations. Make it a habit to engage in self-care activities that activate the happy hormones in your brain. Whether it’s going out with a person you love, ordering sushi and watching your favourite show on TV, going for a late-night swim, listening to music loudly in your car while driving around the city, or simply even painting, reading or journaling, all of these activities are just examples of how making time for yourself can really keep you miles and miles away from burnout. 

Going hand in hand with making time for yourself, positive affirmations are what help build your confidence levels, which also plays a big role in the workplace. When you have self-confidence, you indirectly boost your self-esteem and perform much better at work. When you perform better at work, you will find that you are also confident enough to push back on those extra tasks (that are not even urgent) lingering on your to-do list, giving yourself more moments to take a breath. Positive affirmations may sound silly to many, but once you believe in the practice, it truly works. Yes, it does take time to believe in talking to yourself in the mirror every time you look into it, but the more you do it, the more your brain believes in it. These simple steps merely strengthen your sense of self-worth, and it all starts with you. You owe it to yourself to feel great and worthy, and you don’t owe it to anyone else. At the end of the day, it all comes back to you and only you.  

These are some ways in which you can manage to avoid burnout. Practice makes perfect, and preventing burnout by achieving a balance between work, life, and self-love is an ongoing journey that requires effort and dedication. Once you learn how to identify the start of your journey to a burnout, it will be easier for you to know where and when to stop and pull yourself out of it. Take it one step at a time and learn to celebrate your own successes, no matter how small they are. When you do that, you will realise how important it is to put yourself first and achieve the state of bliss we all need in our lives.