Knowing When You are Burned Out

Burned Out! You know the feeling you get when your body is about to shutdown because it has done too much for too long without any rest. Have you felt this way? Do you even realize when you are burned out? I have and it was literally only a few weeks ago. I had been burned out before and I guess I had realized it early because this time, this time it wasn’t just my body wanted to sleep, my health was going down.

I am one of those people who is well aware that I have a lot going on. I a divorced woman, who has decided at the age of forty-eight to go after her dreams to become a full-time author. Mostly fiction, erotic romance to be specific. I also have five grown kids and thirteen grandkids and one on the way! One daughter and her family her in Florida where I leave, one daughter in the Marines stationed in Quantico, VA, one son and his family and two daughters and their families in NC. My parents, sister, nephew, and boyfriend are also in a different part of NC. So, to say that I travel a lot is an understatement. You think that’s all don’t you! Nope! I also work full-time security for the Jacksonville Jaguars, freelance and ghostwrite, do speaking engagements on domestic violence, starting my own publishing house, own a foundation for domestic violence that I am relocating to Florida from NC, and I am a full-time student getting my doctorate degree.

To make a long story short, I hadn’t been sleeping good, got off work after being up since 5 am that morning and drove 6.5 hours to NC for my sons baby shower. Got to the hotel about 10 pm, got to sleep about 12 am. Got up at 6 am because I had my 17 month old grandson with me. The baby shower didn’t really get started to 9 pm that night, another long story that we will skip! Left his house at 11:30 pm and drove another 3.5 hours to my parents house so I could get my granddaughter and bring her back to Florida to my daughter. Ended up having to call out of work on Monday because I was having dizzy spells and black outs. Finally get home Monday and for the next two weeks my heart rate is high, I’m still sleep deprived and now dehydrated.

Can you say a chain reaction from being BURNED OUT??!!

So I wanted to share my story and share some signs of being burned out and some helpful tips to help others. It was not a feeling I ever want to feel again. Not to that extent. Trust me when I say it is not worth it.

Your brain and body can only handle feeling overworked and overwhelmed for so long. Consistent high levels of stress without taking steps to manage or reduce it causes exhaustion that leaves you emotionally and physically burned out. When this happens you begin to feel less motivated to do the things that matter the most to you. Since burnout happens gradually, you probably won’t see the symptoms immediately. However, once it starts it can affect your ability to function. It affects all aspects of life from forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating, diminished pride in your work, losing sight of yourself and your goals, difficulty maintaining, relationships and being present with loved ones, frustration and irritability with co-workers, unexplained muscle tension, pain, fatigue, and insomnia.

Burnout can make you feel powerless. You might feel as if your life is rushing past and you can’t keep up. You have the power to take back control and begin to recharge.

To start, try these tips:

• Prioritize - Some things just have to get done, but others can wait until you have more time and energy.

• Delegate - You can’t do everything yourself, so pass what you can off to someone you trust.

• Leave work at work - Part of burnout recovery is learning to prioritize work-life balance. After leaving work, focus on relaxing and recharging for the next day. This one I know is a hard one for a lot of us. Some of us are still working from home due to Covid, and for me, I do 90% of my writing at home.

• Be firm about your needs - Talk to others involved and let them know what’s happening. Explain that you need some support in order to take care of your health and manage your workload productively.

From one busy person to another, remember to practice good self-care. Make sure you get enough time for restful sleep. Spend time with loved ones, but don’t overdo it, remember alone time is important, too. Try to get some physical activity in each day. Eat nutritious meals and stay hydrated. Try meditation, yoga, or other mindfulness practices for improved relaxation.