Starting to feel a little Burnt out?

When you feel yourself heading towards burnout, focus on increasing joy rather than just reducing stress.

We’re not always in control of the stress, but we are in control of our boundaries and making sure we keep our tank full

I experienced my own journey of burnout a few years ago. As someone who could endlessly push through challenges, I suddenly found it difficult to even get out of bed; it felt as if something inside me had broken. I was completely drained—mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and relationally.

The road to recovery was long, often resembling two steps forward and one step back. At times, I questioned whether I could continue in a leadership role or if the shadow of depression would ever lift.

In the past few years, I have spent time reading about and studying burnout and human flourishing. One of the most valuable insights I gained was the importance of increasing joy in our lives. Increasing joy in our lives increases our resilience and capacity to deal with stress.

When we feel burnout creeping in, we often concentrate too much on reducing the negatives—many of which are outside our control. This can lead to feelings of helplessness, making us believe the only options are to grit our teeth and push through or to flee.

While it's important to address our stressors, the immediate action we can take is to create a plan to enhance positivity and boost joy.

Consider these questions:

• What revitalizes you?

• What sparks joy in your life?

• What nourishes your soul?

• What recharges your energy?

• What boundaries do you need to set to ensure that joy is a part of each day and week?

Write a list of 6 things that bring you joy, it can be as simple as reading a chapter, going for a walk, having a quality conversation with your kids, or hitting the gym. Write them down and make sure you do one a day.

If you are feeling burnt out, either early stages or well advanced, please reach out for help.