How are you?
Dealing with mental and emotional burnout...
Honestly, when people ask how are you doing, I usually say fine but in the actual sense, I am far from fine. Does this happen to you too? These days my mind race in a million directions, so many annoying thoughts, wishful thinking, affirmations, soliloquy, and what’s next.
2020, is just six months old and it feels like it’s been six years, Most of us had serious plans for the year especially with travel, not like some of us have plenty of cash but there’s ginger from our friends. Ginger + Friends = Cruise
So imagine the shock when lockdown started and everything changed, some of us have been home for three months, I can count with my fingers the number of times I have stepped out. Asides from running around my neighborhood when I feel super bloated, I am mostly culled up on my bed snacking on something and pressing my laptop or phone, lowkey forming that am working.
This Quarantine period aka lockdown has altered many things, relationships, social gatherings, and so on, now that our lives are entirely lived inside. Do you feel mentally and emotionally burnt out? Burnout happens when we’ve exceeded our capacity for emotional and mental stress; we feel tired, drained, and exhausted. Our resources are exasperated while dealing with particularly challenging situations, so our sense of well-being diminishes.
As this is happening, you begin to lack motivation; you feel blah about everything from work to hangouts with friends. You suddenly feel lazy and less excited about the things you typically enjoy doing.
To help you ease out from the burnout, consider these steps below. I’ll highlight them without emphasizing on the points
Take a break
Improve social interaction and connection
Set time boundaries to help you achieve balance aka plan your day, week, and month.
Know when enough is enough especially with toxic people and oh a toxic twitter timeline
Be in control - Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D., psychotherapist, and author said, “In the daily tasks and situations of our lives, we become our own bosses, whether we are aware of it or not. You can decide to become a good boss to yourself. This means you treat yourself with kindness and understanding and are generous with praise while being gentle with corrections.”
Meet with a professional - I have to stress this a little, there’s no shame in talking to someone who has been trained to help you get the balance you need. You can reach out to Mentally Aware Nigeria and Joy Incredible
Image by Madison Inouye | Pexels
Here are a few things that help me address my burn-out;
Music and Podcasts help me a whole lot, I curated a playlist that helped me through a funk phase, it’s a fuse of Gospel and Afrobeats music. I enjoy several podcasts and I have started mine, you won’t believe it’s been four years in the waiting. Check it out here
Journaling is therapeutic, this is a part of my become better routine, as I write words down, I feel lighter and on some rare occasions, get inspired. You don’t need to write down a thousand words, start with a few lines.
Running is a big flex, the way it attacks your body with pain after a few kilometers is wild. It helps me a great deal, I have not reached the milestone I set for myself but surely and steadily I will surpass it. The coolest thing is as I run, I get to listen to more music, sermons, pray, and every record voice messages to send to friends.
Family and friends, this set of people are the best. Keep them close, the ones that are good!
I’m so tempted to say eating, but let me pretend to be an actual fitfam.
“The ability to continue moving when you are feeling scared, fearful or lazy is the sign of true mental strength.”
― Matthew Donnelly
Do have an awesome weekend ahead!
With light and chocolate glazed donuts
Toby Donut
PS: Let me know what you think, use hashtag #FillingswithTobyDonut, I look forward to reading from you.
Nice one girl, nailed it to the head