I have read many articles over the years, on how to avoid burnout, how to lower your stress by living a healthier lifestyle. Living a healthier lifestyle is a good thing to do, however, avoiding stress and burnouts, is that really necessary, is it actually healthy to try to avoid stress and burnout?
I don't think so, and here is why.
I don't think it is healthy at all to try to avoid burnout, try to lower our stress in our lives, nor do I think it is necessary to manage our stress. I think it is a waste of energy, to try to avoid burnout, not only a waste of energy, it is actually a waste of our reserve energy.
What is he talking about you might wonder, let me ask you this, have you ever experienced burnouts before? If so, how did you feel, when you finally gave in to the losing battle and caved into the overwhelming feelings? Did you feel exhausted, like I did when I went through a total burnout back in 2007, which lasted till 2010, or did you feel rejuvenated when you finally stopped fighting it and became part of the burnout process?
My guess is no, that you experienced it like me back then, you felt exhausted, you were so tired of trying to fight the losing battle, that you had nothing left to fight with, no energy left even to lift a finger to put your thoughts down on paper or computer, a feeling of emptiness, of feeling numb, or lost in time. No energy left to try to find a way out of the depression, no energy left to pick up the phone and call for help.
Over the years I have come to the understanding that stress and burnout are not something to fear, but are tools of the body to give us a chance to heal, it forces us to look in other directions, to find help from others that are in the know, and to build upon our struggles, celebrate our triumphs and to become a better version of ourselves.
Stop the vicious cycle of exhausting yourself by trying to avoid being burned out, instead learn to read the signs your body is telling your mind, yes, your brain, remember perhaps my article about "mind over matter, matter over mind"? In that, I talked about how the body never lies and tells the brain what is actually happening to ourselves.
Stress and burnouts are indicators for us to listen to, to learn from and to seek help to start the healing process. Stress and burnouts are also healing mechanisms of the body, they help us to heal and to grow, they give us healthy boundaries to work within, to learn new skills and insights, and grow stronger before we can move those boundaries.
Let's hope next time when you try to avoid being burned out, to stop and listen to yourself, listen to what your body is telling you first, and then listen to your mind, if the mind is trying to ignore the signs due to deadlines, or other stressors, take a moment and sit down and reflect on what is more important, your deadline, or your health. because not listening to signs of burnout, can and will bring you into danger, of losing your way of life. We all want a fulfilling balanced life, of family, work, friends, and leisure, don't you?
