BURNOUT
After reaching the peaks of our career, boredom, apathy, burnout begins to set in. This never feels good as our light is not shining. But do we want to continue to feed the fire at work when there are so many other sparks waiting to be fed? Maybe you ask yourself:
“How important is money vs time?”
“ What do I value and am I truly living in congruence with my values?”
“Where do I want to be in five years and how do I get there?”
I remember being burned out and wanting to quit. I had an amazing job. I loved my patients. I was one of the more senior seasoned nurses on our unit. But something was missing. My spark was dissipating. So I asked myself what I could do to find that passion again. The answer was that I needed to take a break and step away for a bit. So I took a sabbatical and traveled to Southeast Asia. I also took the time to learn about one of my passions- holistic nursing. I met new people (including my wife) and learned so much about myself. It was what I needed. When I stepped back into nursing, it was the beginning of the pandemic and work was crazy. It soon became apparent that I was no longer fulfilled by what I was doing. Work did not align with my values anymore. I couldn’t connect with patients in the way that I needed to and couldn’t use my holistic skills that I valued. This was the sign that I needed. So after trying another avenue- hospice, I found myself again in a situation of being overworked professionally and unfulfilled personally.
Consequently, I opened the door and stepped into my dream. I stepped into van life and coaching. It has been transformative and so fulfilling.
I realize that it is hard to take the leap. There are many steps to take along the way. So what can you do about burnout if you are not ready to quit?
Here are my 10 Steps to preventing burnout.
Set boundaries. ‘No’ is a complete sentence and we often forget that.
Check in with yourself- how am I feeling physically, emotionally and spiritually? What do I need? Then give yourself what you need.
Talk about it. Ask for help and get support. (at work and home) For example, maybe you need to hire someone to help you clean or have meals delivered to your front door once a week.
Find meaning and purpose at work and try to place more focus there rather than the menial tasks and relationships that are draining. For example, does teaching others provide meaning to you? Does working toward a common goal provide purpose? Find what motivates you and do more of that.
Align your choices with your values. For example, if you value nature, take a walk outside at lunch. If you value community, get co-workers together and do something fun. If you value laughter, play a practical joke on someone.
Practice mini mindful moments of self-care. Stop and take time to feel your breath. Truly taste, smell and feel your food when you eat. Take stretching breaks. Pay attention to your five senses.
Appreciate the little things that provide a spark of joy. Bring more joy into work. Laugh.
Physical self care: Sleep, eat well, drink water, move your body.
Get rid of toxic people in your life. Surround yourself with people who energize, motivate and support you.
Take a break/time off to gain perspective and to learn something new.
Ultimately, trust yourself. Be still and reflect. You will know when and if it is time for a change. Listen to that inner voice that keeps talking to you.
