Mai Bahaa
“I just don’t feel like it anymore , I feel so drained I don’t understand what’s happening.”
Let’s imagine this scenario: you’re up doing the usual and on your phone, a notification pops up ‘10%’ and you ignore it. A few moments later, the brightness starts dimming, apps go slower and a 5 % warning. Ignoring the phone’s cry for help would logically lead to it shutting down completely demanding some time to recharge before it can operate again. It makes total sense, right?
That’s exactly what’s happening here; the fatigue, confusion and feeling emotionally drained are all little notifications from your body that you’re outdoing yourself and not in a good way.
These are striking signs of a burnout, ignoring them and taking no action would only lead to a complete meltdown to a point that the time to recharge wouldn’t be optional anymore.
So, the best thing to do is to TREAT yourself right.
T – Take a step back and unplug.
Sometimes it’s necessary to just stop and take a well-deserved break, even if it’s just for a day. Plan nothing, switch off your phone, do whatever you feel like doing; watch an episode of a t.v series, listen to music or just relax in bed doing absolutely nothing. Just do what feels right at the moment.
R- Rearrange your priorities, put yourself first.
More often than not, the burnout is a result of putting people’s interests before yours or doing things that don’t fulfill you & forgetting to take care of yourself. But just as Penny Reid said, “you don’t have to set yourself on fire to keep others warm.” So, during the recovery period you need to be aware of every action and monitor its benefits for you. This is not being selfish, it’s simply prioritizing yourself.
E- Explore and Embrace change.
You’re feeling demotivated and losing interest in what normally excites you & that’s okay. Don’t try to force it. Consider it an opportunity to explore different fields and finding new interests. Try visiting new places as a change of scenery, believe me sometimes, it can make all the difference in your mood.
A – Arrange little routines & keep your to do list minimal.
At times like this you just need to do the least effort possible. Ranging from a morning workout to self-care routines, choose something that you can perform passively without having to think it through. Don’t go overboard though, only necessary things. Remember you’re trying to recharge not overwork yourself even more.
T – Terminate draining factors.
It’s a simple rule “You can’t be healed in the environment that made you sick”. So, take a moment, have a bird’s view look upon your life & analyze it. Identify the most draining factors and be completely honest with yourself, however hard they are to admit. Then take the appropriate approach by either terminating them altogether if possible or by seeking help.
At the end, it’s important to remember to be patient & grateful for your body and mind for all it went through by showing yourself some love and not being so hard on yourself during such times especially when you’re drained and overwhelmed.
And remember that your battery isn’t damaged, you just need time to recharge and then start up again with full power .
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