10 Tips to Get Rid of Burnout
Tags: productivity, devjournal, burnout
Published: 2022-03-18 02:24:06

Burnout: It's a form of exhaustion caused by...life. As a result of excess amount of physical, emotional, and/or mental stress, one ends up overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and finds themselves not able to keep up with life's demands. It happens to everyone.

Of course, just as I was starting to change my routine and add some healthier habits into my life, I get burnout - `mentally and emotionally exhausted, lacking motivation, consistently tired, etc.`

I went from waking up at 3:30 am - 4:30 am everyday and almost immediately getting out of bed to waking up at 5:30 am and staying in bed until 7:00 am simply reading other's posts on dev.to - wow. I miss the overly productive days. These days, I am increasingly forgetful and simply "going through the motions". Days are passing by so much faster as I start them later. I look back at my younger days in elementary school and wonder how I ever slept until noon thinking I was getting the "most out of the day".

Either way, I still have to get all my tasks done for the day. I committed to using my bullet journal every day. I made a promise to myself to meditate, to listen to my audio-books, and eat properly each meal (dinner, lunch, **and** breakfast). I also recently added the 100 days of code onto my to-do list, but I also know I have a slighter less chance of succeeding the challenge if I am still in this state. *I need to get out of it...*

## How do I get out of burnout?!
**1. Identify the stressors**
Knowing what your stress triggers are will allow you to avoid or reduce interactions with them.

**2. Get or use your support network**
Don’t be afraid to lean on others for support, whether those relationships are personal or professional.

**3. Get your exercise in**
Moving your body will release the tension it holds while producing feel-good hormones like endorphins. This could be as simple as going for a walk each day.

**4. Stress management techniques**
Stress management techniques such as mindful breathing, intuitive eating, or cardio can only help if you give them a try.

**5. Get enough sleep**
Not getting enough sleep due to stress poses threats to physical strength, mental focus, and emotional stamina.

**6. Say "No", Politely**
Try not to take on any new responsibilities or commitments while you're recovering from burnout.

**7. Reassess Your Goals**
Burnout can occur when your work is out of alignment with your values, or when it's not contributing to your long-term goals. 

**8. Take some time off**
One of the only ways to properly recover is to detach yourself from your work environment for a while. Taking a vacation could in fact be the thing that saves your career to bring you back to rock-star mode.

**9. Know your limits**
When you are burnt out, it may feel difficult to make decisions, largely due to what is happening in your brain. Ask yourself, Am I over-exerting myself at work? with school? Get really honest and curious about where you’re saying “yes,” tipping yourself over the edge of your capacity.

**10. Practice self-compassion**
Reminding yourself that healing from burnout is a process and won’t happen from lighting just one candle or taking one bubble bath.