How to deal with burnout

I share my tips for dealing with burnout.

Hello friends! I hope you have a wonderful morning. We have a few appointments today and after a wonderful winter break we’re going back to school and the *real world*. We slept in almost every day, watched a ton of movies, played Tucson tourist, ate takeout, caught up with friends and family, and just enjoyed our time together. I’ve barely touched my laptop, but I’m happy to be back today!

In today’s post I wanted to talk a little about burnout, which is a bit of a triggering topic. So many of us know exactly what burnout feels like, and it’s terrible. I imagine myself in complete burnout mode, how drained and completely drained I felt, and I just want to embrace my former self.

I was a very anxious Type A child who spent my childhood into my 20s in flight or fight. Then I got married and started doing it wild adventure of a military life (we’re almost done!!) and became a mother. It was such a beautiful time, but it was also a hard time – I feel like I missed out on a lot of the girls’ baby years because I was struggling with postpartum depression/anxiety and was completely burnt out.

I know that’s what led me down this path mysterious health problems and autoimmune symptoms.

Even though I haven’t fully recovered from burnout yet, I am now symptom free and feel a million times better. I’m always working on it and learning as much as I can, but wanted to share some of the things that have helped me in today’s post. As always, this is not medical advice! I’m just sharing my experiences. If you are experiencing burnout, please reach out to someone who can help you on the path to wellness and peace. You deserve to feel amazing <3

How to deal with burnout

Treat yourself to some more Type B

That was a big challenge for me, but at the same time the most difficult. I just learned that I can’t always be everything to everyone. I can’t do everything, I can’t be perfect, I can’t have a perfectly clean house 24/7, wear makeup all the time and look cute and say “yes” to the million social activities and children’s events.

Now sometimes I leave the dishes in the sink until morning, I leave the laundry on the chair for an extra day, I go out in public looking like a hot mess, and I say “no” to events and invitations. I also used to work around the clock, but after work I stopped answering emails and try to shut down my computer at a reasonable time.

The messy house is a stressor for me, so I still try to clean every day, but I will set a timer. When it starts, that’s it. Plus, the kids are older now and can help more!

Incorporate things into your day that you enjoy and that are just for you

This is SO important. It’s so easy to feel burnt out when you’re busy doing tasks for other people all day. You *need* to set aside a little time every day to do something you enjoy, be it a walk outside, a bath, time in the sauna blanket, reading a book, a phone call with a friend, a juice from your favorite place, something that gives you a little bit of joy. Even if it’s only 5-10 minutes, it’s worth it.

Prepare your future self for success

Try to do small things to care for your future self, such as taking the time to save leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day, booking something to look forward to (e.g . such as a facial or a massage), or ordering something you use regularly before you run out, refilling your water bottle for the next morning, etc. Sometimes YOU are the only person looking out for you, so pay attention you up. <3

Outsource where you can

I’m a big advocate of outsourcing anything that’s worthwhile to you and makes life easier than your budget and life allows. We have a house cleaner who comes every two weeks and saves my life. I would get rid of a lot of things in the budget before I would get rid of this lol. Maybe order some healthy meals like Sakara, get grocery delivery, laundry service, car cleaning, mobile pet care, anything that makes your life easier.

Make a list of the things you love doing and a list of the things you hate and try outsourcing some of them!

One of the biggest causes of burnout is the feeling of drowning. So find people who can help you feel engaged.

Focus on what’s important

The basics are fresh air, exercise, nutritious food, clean air/water and stress reduction. Try to do a little of these things every day. I didn’t run nearly as much during the break and I can feel it. I feel more balanced and energized when I do these things every day.

Functional test

Functional testing was a game changer for me. If you’re burned out, you’re also likely suffering from nutrient deficiencies (stress burns nutrients!) and struggling with toxins that can impact gut health (impairs neurotransmitter function, which affects mood!) and manner how we absorb nutrients.

When I did functional testing in the lab, I was able to see how much the stress was affecting my body and work on recovery at a fundamental level. If you are interested in testing, email me at gina@fitnessista.com with the subject TEST. My new program starts in February, which also includes functional tests! To get first access, make sure you’re signed up to my newsletter.

So tell me, friends: What helped you with burnout? Are there any books or resources you love?

xoxo

Gina

More: How to Recover from Mom Burnout