Dealing with Overwhelm and Burnout

Overwhelm and burnout are the number one reasons people share with me as to why they don't take care of themselves. "I just have so much going on right now, I don't have time to make myself healthy food." "I've got a lot going on at work right now and with my family, I just can't workout right now." "There is absolutely no way, with my schedule, that I can sit down for a 10 minute meditation." "I'm just feeling so burnt out with life and everything, I have no motivation to do anything."

Trust me, I get it. I'm in a place right now with school starting, trying to run my blog and start my own lifestyle company, pioneering my school's first drama, music, and after school thespian club, and working as a costume supervisor for another local high school. I feel completely overwhelmed and even burnt out after just 3 weeks of being back to work. One of my colleague in the staff room had said the other day, "I was telling my husband I needed to take the weekend to work on school because I'm so far behind and he said, 'How can you be behind already, it's only week three.' "

Sometimes, that's just how the cookie crumbles, we are in a season of our life that feels chaotic and stressful, how on earth will we also make time to take care of ourselves?! The truth is, we won't always. We will have to make compromises and sacrifices to make life work. However, that doesn't mean we should just throw our physical and mental health to the wayside and hope we make it out the other end okay. In fact, it means even more that we need to make that time to care for ourselves. Otherwise, your body will force you to stop or slow down by you getting sick.

Instead of watching TV at night, get in you 30 minute workout. Instead of spending 10 minutes to drive to fast food, then 10 minutes sitting in line waiting for it, then another 10 driving back home, take the 30 minutes to make yourself something nutritious. Instead of laying in bed for hours going over the list of things you didn't get done today and will have to do tomorrow, turn on a meditation app and learn to quiet your brain. It can wait till tomorrow, I promise. And instead of dreading work, your life, and your routine every single day, do something new. Do something that brings you joy. Start that blog. Paint that picture. Write that novel. Let the bliss of your passion carry you through times of burnout, and know, you will never be "burnt out" by your passion, so maybe it's time to shake things up and do something new.

The important thing is to just be kind to yourself. So you skipped some workouts, that's okay, today you're going to get one in. So you ate some foods that don't serve or bless your body, that's okay, today's a new day. So you had an outrageous panic attack that has you feeling like your body is full of sand today, that's okay, take time today to quiet your mind by listing in to a meditation. The app Simple Habit is my go-to for days where I feel out of control of my mental health.

Be kind to yourself. This is simply a season in your life. It won't change though, if you don't.