We’ve been through so much over the past few years. Life as we knew it was turned on its head, and fear became the headline. Slowly, we’ve been trying to heal the pieces of our trauma, but it hasn’t been easy. Many of my friends frequently discuss the struggle of operating under heightened stress and continual exhaustion. These days we spend a good amount of time battling burnout.
This post is about healing, and what we can do to make sure the trauma doesn’t cancel out our future peace.
Burnout Signs
Personal
Where do we begin? We experienced losses both personal and professional, mask-wearing became standard, and we pivoted from in-person work interactions to Zoom calls. Many of our children learned virtually, and we became locked in fierce debates regarding vaccines.
Although we may not have lost our footing entirely, many of us are still trying to find our balance in this new post-pandemic world. In NYC, we were so used to living in a state of hypervigilance, that the pandemic threw us into overdrive.
After three years of nonstop pivoting, we are weary. For many of us, the weekends are now meant for rest and restoration. This was necessary to push through to another week. Connecting with friends socially on the weekends used to be a no-brainer, now it’s a conscious choice.
Work Life
Due to the fact that we are stretched to the max personally, there has been a definitive impact on our work lives. If your home is no longer a refuge from the stressors of your professional life there is no downtime.
As the world pivoted, so did our workplaces. Guidelines were rewritten and survival became paramount. If you were fortunate, you were able to work from home while things were sorted out globally. Many weren’t so lucky.
Yet we keep moving forward, turning our long weekends into mini vacations. Any respite from the endless merry-go-round of deadlines and performance reviews is now welcomed. We continue to recalibrate and level up in real-time on the job front while we restore our souls.
Physical
The pandemic has also left physical suffering in its wake. Aside from the sheer exhaustion we are grappling with, many are suffering from long-Covid health issues. In my opinion, in order to restore your body you must also be able to restore your mind, and that has been an ongoing process.
Mental
Many have lost loved ones over the past few years, and suffered devastation beyond words. If you couple that with an increased stress level, it’s easy to see why so many people are struggling.
Hitting The Reset Button
- Prioritize: Make time for what’s important in your life. If you don’t know it’s time to find out. Being intentional with your time will allow you to reserve your energies for the important things
- Reboot Your Body: If you can’t make it to the gym all the time it’s understandable. Try doing some exercises at home, and be mindful of the food that you put into your body
- Mental Restoration: Avoid doing errands on the weekends if possible, and leave the weekends for what they are truly meant for. Rest and restoration
Finding Balance
Manage Your Inbox
Take in new input from work or home, but don’t let it upset your work/life balance. Outside of emergencies, everything doesn’t need to be addressed right away. Create a system that will keep your sanity in check
My Solution: I schedule weekly blocks of time to specifically handle either work or personal tasks
Stay Centered
When things get crazy find your peace within. When you operate from a calm center things become much more manageable
My Solution: I try to do something that brings me joy every day
We will find our way back, one day at a time…
If you have a moment check out my previous post “7 Vital Tactics To Build Your Inner Calm” https://herpicketfence.com/7-vital-tactics-to-build-your-inner-calm/.
