The Path To Burnout
I’ve had a few fascinating conversations about burnout recently.
About what it feels like, about how some people get there and how others seem to avoid it.
You know what the common denominator was?
These people actually LOVE their work.
They find purpose and joy and fulfillment in what they do.
The stress and road to burnout came when:
They felt pulled apart by their desire to be a loving parent and also give 100% to clients
The admin side of their role stole the joy of connecting with the people they serve
There were so many ideas to tackle, they were paralyzed by where to start
It got me thinking about my own path down the burnout trail.
About how things I disliked about the news business started to overshadow what I loved. It was a feeling I ignored for a long time, keeping my foot on the gas of a successful career.
When I realized I felt dissatisfied all the time, sometimes both at work and at home, I knew I needed to do SOMETHING.
My first step wasn’t to quit or scale back, which weren’t realistic options anyway.
My first step was to get serious about taking care of myself.
I meal-prepped nutritious foods and was conscientious about hydrating
I exercised after work, even with a 2:15 AM wake up call
I read inspiring personal development books
I actively looked for the good
Slowly, I started to feel like me again. I felt lighter and more energized; more excited about what I was doing and the possibilities ahead.
So my invitation for you is this: think of self-care as tending the light inside that makes you amazing at what you do – both at work AND at home.
Taking that time isn’t selfish. Quite the opposite. It’s the fuel that allows you to care about what you do and protect your well-being at the same time.
