"Does the term 'burnout' trigger a response?"

UNDERSTANDING Burnout and reframing that concept: what it might be and what might we do.

The endless cycle of work, family, social and personal growth, leads to our balancing on a thin wedge of control, or at least the semblance of control. To others you may appear 'in control', but inside, your hamsters are whizzing around their wheel, others are bringing their monkeys to you, with their opening line "have you got a minute?", "got 30 seconds?".... and your internal hamster wheel is careering off with your mental wellbeing dragging along behind.

So, what does that feeling consist of? The slight churning of the stomach, the dread of answering the phone, the avoidance of the emails or conversations you should have, and the sense of no time for me, no space for others, a decreased sense of control; let's explore.

THE PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

Overwhelm is a state of total exhaustion. Too often, the term “burnout” is used in place of what is really our neurobiological warning system. It's set up to 'warn' us about perceived or real stress, fatigue, overwhelm, running on empty. Burnout has become the go to term for this generation of entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and professionals.

If you think you are experiencing burnout, then let's work on a reframe and acknowledge what this feels like. We're reframing from burnout to, 'our inner warning system' and then driving our conscious brain towards acknowledging that we have some control.

Your body | fatigued, short of breath, raised blood pressure, unable to attain great sleep, getting fat/ter, getting skinny/ier, hot, cold, poor appetite, eating everything in sight, cold fingers, hot flushes, racing pulse, no interest in sex, would shag a tortoise....... it could be any or all, different for each. These are all a result of cortisol, our fight, flight hormonal response to 'perceived danger'.

Your soul | grouchy, lacking motivation, uninspired/ing, lacking vision, overwhelmed, can't make decisions, low creativity, feelings of angst, feelings of hopelessness, anxious thoughts, life-ending thoughts, what's the point thoughts.

Being around you | horrible, sad, uninspiring, confusing, worrying, frustrating, concerning, helplessness, walking on eggshells, we feel unattractive to you.... we don't know how to help you.

So, if you are experiencing some or all of these 'feelings' or 'experiences', or your doctor has implied that you are 'burned out', it’s time to reframe, reassess, replan, and take action.

The journey to this point is quite often insidious. It is an accumulation of days, of subtle signs that, if ignored, escalate.

"These aren’t just physical manifestations of what’s going on inside; they are profound invitations, beckoning us to embark on the journey of healing. These symptoms gently prompt you to take notice, encouraging a reassessment and alignment with a state of emotional and mental well-being." Pauline Nugyen.

SYMPTOMS 

As overwhelm creeps in there are a range of feelings that manifest.

A sense of doubt, the 'what if' appears; 'what if I'm not good enough, what if I'm too fat, too skinny, too old, too new, too.........................' fill that in yourself. This may be named as Imposter Syndrome, or self-doubt. And it's often illogical, in that you 'know', you have the experience, the skills, but the brain is plagued by small questions, that continuously arise. These feelings are a result of the cortisol and nor-epinephrine release. Nor-ep with Sallyd & Cortisol with Sallyd

You might feel trapped and defeated. It gets harder to make decisions, to maintain your facade of leadership, of confidence, and there appears to be less and less reasons to get up each day and chase dreams. In fact, dreams may be entirely outside of your scope to consider.

EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION

Taking from Pauline Nugyen's latest newsletter, "Our emotions also shoulder the weight of burnout’s impact. When you experience detachment, a sense of isolation, and a lack of motivation, you may find yourself navigating a state of negativity. 

It’s crucial to acknowledge these emotions as messengers, signaling a need for introspection and guiding you back to the path of emotional fulfillment and authenticity. Embracing these signals can be the first step towards rejuvenation and a renewed sense of well-being."

RECOGNITION, CURIOSITY AND ACTION

If you are able to step back, just a little, and observe with curiosity, (reframe), you will be able to 'see' yourself, as a research subject. I use the practice of daily journalling. Each (good) day, I tick off a list of actions for the day. (I have a bad day strategy!)

• hydration
• exercise
• sleep
• nutrition
• supplements
• phone off 9.30 pm
• no blue light after 9.30 pm
• overhead lights turned off Sally's perfect sleep video
• rituals and routines

1. journal 2. clean my teeth 3. wash my face 4. meditate. Etc. etc.

and then I ask myself and journal; "who did I serve today?"; "what would I repeat today?" (what worked really well for me) and what am I so very grateful for?

I can follow my data and see an absolute decrease in my mental wellbeing when I miss the basics! When I don't hydrate enough, eat well, take my supplements, there is an absolute correlation to the way I feel and think.

This is where the need for action comes in. You cannot work on something you haven't recognized. Who are the people in your life that you trust? and have you given them permission to hold you accountable for your behavior? And have you set up your evening to support, your routine.

By understanding the relationship between mental wellbeing and habits, and our actions, then we can walk the pathway to prevent overwhelm, and gain control of our stressors. 

PREVENTION 

"Preventing burnout is an act of conscious living, in the daily cultivation of a life aligned with purpose and joy. Set boundaries, say no when needed, and prioritize inner peace and wellbeing.

Reframe your perspective on work, finding joy in the small things. Embrace creativity and conversation, neutralize the harmful effects of artificial EMF’s by connecting with nature, and engage in activities that nourish your spirit." Pauline Nugyen.

CONTROLLING THE CONTROLABLES

Three simple questions |

What's within my control?

What's outside of my control?

What can I influence?

#1 Walk away from those things outside of your control. When you focus on things outside of your direct control, you become overwhelmed, you feel powerless, and you become a negative person to be around. This is a purposeful action. It's not mine, I don't own it, I can't control it, I will not obsess of it.

#2 Drive your focus to what you have direct control over. What goes in your mouth (food), what comes out of your mouth (words), what you wear, how and when you exercise. Self-care. Set yourself up for success. Fill your water bottles every night, make your lunch, set out your walking clothes, ring a friend and arrange to walk.... there are immeasurable ways to ensure your success, but you are the only one in control of those. Baby steps. Just start with the water bottles.

#3 Write your rituals. Have a 'no-shit' worst day in the world routine that you can deliver on despite the despicable nature of the day. i.e., clean my teeth, fill my water bottle, listen to 10 minutes of NSDR per night (Non-sleep Deep Rest). That's it, don't have a list of 11 things, don't have a routine that takes 1.5 hours to complete; don't make it difficult. Have a 'great day' routine if you wish, the one where you stretch, mediate for 45 mins, hum, etc., but which I can absolutely assure you will last all of a nano-second when you come home tired and burned out. So do that right now | a 3-thing routine, that you can deliver on, on a crappy day, every day, starting tonight.

START THE JOURNEY OF CONTROL

Recognize the signs, reframe the messages from your body, mind, and soul, and plan the actions for you to start this journey. Remember the curiosity required to gain control of overwhelm. The way you are feeling both physically and mentally is your magical neurobiology and primal brain, keeping you safe from perceived danger. It's just that, a warning signal for you to say, 'hey', that's interesting, let me explore the 'why' I'm feeling that way, and lean into gaining the skills and coaching to 'stand-down' your inner warrior who is working to keep you safe.

My unicorn dream, is that we all have the resilience and ability to 'see' the feeling of stress and overwhelm, for what it is. Our very clever body telling us we're a cluster and that it's Time for Control. IMPACT4Q - Time for Control by Sally Duxfield

If you'd like to learn more about 'how to', then reach out and explore some free resources For You - SallyDuxfield

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