The easiest way out is through.
“We’re burned out.” “We’re overwhelmed.”
This is one of the first things I will usually hear from a team I’m working with.
After everything in the past few years, I get it. But still, it frustrates me.
Why? Because people are obsessed with stuff that is outside of their control – stuff they can’t do anything about.
The truth is, when you’re overwhelmed by it all – you’re stuck. And when you’re stuck, you can’t move to a better place.
This is the baseline for most people.
If you find yourself saying “I’m burned out” a lot, the first thing you should ask yourself is:
Am I burned out? Or am I over it?
A lot of times when you say you’re burned out, you’re actually over it. There’s a big difference.
When you’re burned out, you need to rest.
When you’re over it, no amount of rest is going to change the fact that you’re over it.
You could go on a two week vacation, you will still be over it when you return to work.
Work is like a labor of love – when your heart’s not in it anymore – then it’s time to move on.
One thing is for certain – when you tell yourself that you’re overwhelmed or burned out, you will become overwhelmed and burned out.
Identify what is specifically bothering you, and make a change to work through it.
The second thing you should ask yourself is:
How do I move through stress cycles?
A great book called “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle” by Emily and Amelia Nagoski dives into this issue.
When we don’t confront our stress, we continue the stress cycle – our bodies are in a constant state of activation that significantly impacts our mental and physical health.
To confront your stress, you need to rest.
And most people don’t know how to truly rest.
When you’re at work, you’ve been trained to “hustle” – coming from years of schooling that rewarded high performers for doing exactly that.
To get the most efficient and sustainable work out of your time, you need to rest so you don’t get stuck in a stress cycle and truly burn out.
Resting means doing literally nothing – doesn’t mean watching TV, or doom scrolling.
Sitting with your thoughts, going on a walk, or exercising allows your body and mind to process everything you’ve consumed so you can reset your stress cycle.
Remember, the easiest way out is through.
Want to learn more about how to combat burnout in your workplace? Drop me a line here.
Actions speak louder than words.