Time spent in nature is the most cost-effective and powerful way to counteract the burnout and sort of depression that we feel when we sit in front of a computer all day.
~ Richard Louv
Many of us feel like we’re drifting through our lives going through the motions. Overeating is often the main source of emotional nourishment and pleasure in our lives. We may give everything we have to our work and others, then, in our depleted state, we turn to food to fill ourselves back up. Yet, eating this way never gives us what we’re truly looking for. It only adds to our burnout and creates other burdens. Overeating can leave us in a numbed out state where nothing seems real. It’s hard to feel energetic and alive when we’re bogged down with excess food.
If we want to recover from burnout and our overeating, we need to make ourselves and our recovery a top priority. Putting ourselves last will not work. Many of us feel guilty doing this, but the truth is giving to others when we’re on empty leads to resentment, anger, burnout, depression, and overeating. When we give to others from a place of fullness, we have more to give and we give it joyfully.
Here are 5 ways to help prevent and recover from burnout:
- Learn to say no. Don’t take on any more projects or responsibilities.
- Learn to delegate tasks and work to others.
- Let go of things that aren’t that important. This may also mean letting go of friendships and acquaintances that aren’t nurturing, or at least limiting your time around them.
- Develop a daily self-care routine that helps to ground and nourish you. Pray and/or meditate in the morning, do some daily exercise, and take short nature breaks during the day to breathe, stretch, and walk. When you come home from work, take some time for yourself, even if it’s only for 10-15 minutes. Get plenty of sleep.
- Avoid or cut back on artificial stimulants. Caffeine may give you a temporary adrenaline rush but eventually it burns out your adrenals and leads to exhaustion.
These small actions will pay big dividends in the form of greater energy, less emotional eating, and feelings of happiness and contentment.
You deserve your own love, care and attention. Your health, happiness, and very life depends upon it.
Taking time for myself is a form of self-love.
