6 Ways to Help You Recover From Last Year’s Burnout & Achieve Your 2023 Resolutions

As the new year begins, most of us have a set of goals and accomplishments we wish to achieve throughout the year.

However, some of us are still haunted by the stress from the previous year. Due to the need to accomplish a lot before the year ends, pressure can build up, and consequently, we can experience some levels of burnout. 

In an era where overworking and not getting sufficient rest is typically viewed as a success, we are likely to fall into that trap until we reach a breaking point.

Sadly, carrying this burnout into the new year can be detrimental, getting in the way of us achieving the goals we have set for ourselves. Therefore, it is essential to address burnout before it is too late.

But, first things first: 

What is Burnout?

Burnout refers to a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion that can also result in stress.

It is associated with feeling overwhelmed, emotionally and physically drained and having difficulties meeting deadlines and commitments. 

Burnout can be either be from one’s professional or personal life. Work commitments can overtake one’s life resulting in poor work-life balance. Moreover, things like poor time management and procrastination can also enhance burnout. 

Early Signs of Burnout Include: 

• Constantly feeling tired and exhausted
• Feeling unappreciated
• Spending a lot of time on tasks that shouldn’t take long
• Insomnia
• Chronic fatigue
• Lack of productivity
• Self-isolation
• Detachment
• Lack of motivation and enjoyment
• Feeling hopeless
• Increased irritability

6 Ways to Recover From Burnout

1. Limit negative interactions.

The kind of people you interact with plays a huge role towards how you feel in general. 

When you spend time with negative people who are always complaining, it can also become draining and exhausting for you. Also, over time, your ability to look at and appreciate the positive things happening in your life diminishes and you find yourself focusing just on the negative things.. 

2. Find value in what you do.

When you have to do the same job or tasks over and over again you might fail to see your value as a team member or the value of the work you are doing for society or the company at large. You start considering your job just as something you have to do and something that is not part of the bigger picture.

To reduce burnout, you need to take some time off and realize the value of what you are doing. This will help spark the fire of purpose in you. You start realizing that you have a purpose and you are part of a bigger picture. 

3. Find balance in your life.

We are products of various, intersecting spheres of our lives.

When we focus on one, the others might lack, thereby creating an imbalance.

For instance, when you spend time focusing largely on your social life, your professional life or career might start lacking (your bills will not appreciate this) and it can cause strain and stress. 

Setting time aside for all of these interacting spheres of our lives means we will be able to find some sort of balance. When one aspect is overwhelming or not going as we would want it to, we will be able to find comfort and assurance in other aspects.

For instance, when you have reached a point where you are failing to see your contribution to the company you work for, and you go on to volunteer, you might be able to find your purpose in that volunteering role. 

4. Take time off.

With the Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) Movement on the rise, some people view taking a break as a waste of time that could otherwise have been used to improve themselves, progress their career and build more wealth.

Due to this belief, working long hours, multiple jobs and not taking a break from work is normalized. 

While chasing financial independence and the desire to retire early, we might fail to realize that some things we have normalized are more damaging than rewarding.

It is okay to take a break once in a while, when you are sick, use your sick days, there is no need for you to brave through work when you are not physically well. Use your vacation days to recharge so that when you come back, you are at your maximum potential. 

5. Take a break from technology.

I tried this briefly and I was amazed by how much better it made me feel. I was one of those people who were convinced that I could not exist without my social media, but one day I decided to delete all the social media applications on my phone.

That break from technology allowed me to connect both with myself and with the people around me. It allowed me to appreciate where I was and what I had, rather than wasting my time comparing myself to people on the internet.

I felt more accomplished and was able to adequately appreciate what I had achieved. 

6. Get enough sleep.

Again, we need to move away from glamorizing not having sufficient sleep.

For some reason, those who sleep less hours are viewed as hard working people. Sleeping is considered a waste of precious time. A lot of good things happen to our bodies when we are sleeping and having enough sleep is never a bad idea.

Ensure that you create a vibe that allows you to get the sufficient and good quality sleep. Keep the benefits of sleeping naked in mind. 

Can You Fully Recover From Extreme Burnout? 

Yes you can!

When you are in the pit of burnout you might feel like it is impossible to recover and get back to the best version of yourself. However, you can recover.

Depending on the intensity of the burnout and how long you have been pushing yourself for, in some cases it might take longer than others for one to recover. But, when you’re kind to yourself and surrounded by supportive people, you surely can. 

While you can recover, it is not ideal to push yourself until the breaking point. As we start the new year it is important for us to constantly remind ourselves that we are doing great and we do not have to be too hard on ourselves.

If you haven’t started already, consider journaling as a way to keep track of all the things you are grateful for and the things you have accomplished especially when you thought you could not. 

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio