I'm All Burnt Out

​By Camille

Picture this: You come home from a long day at work, and you are exhausted. All you want to do is crawl under your blankets and sleep until you are no longer exhausted. This feeling is normal, we all get tired from time to time. Now picture this: You are constantly exhausted, and no amount of sleep or caffeine will shake you out of this daze. This feeling is what being burnt out feels like.

It is too easy for others to label their physical exhaustion as burnouts, however, it is more than that. Being burnt out means that you are mentally exhausted as well. You find even the simplest tasks difficult to complete. You feel empty and struggle to find motivation for anything in your life.

After some self-reflection, I have come to realize that I am burnt out, and I have been for a while. It took me so long to realize this because I just assumed I was lazy - all I wanted to do was lay in bed and sleep the day away. This may sound silly, but I found out I was burnt out because of a BuzzFeed quiz. Now, I am not saying that the quiz results led to this discovery. However, when I found that I was feeling most of the symptoms, I decided to do research on my own. 

Some people might not even realize that they are burnt out, they might just write it off as stress. However, stress buildup eventually leads to burnout. Below is a list of common symptoms of burnout. 

• Feeling tired most of the time (Physical)
• Frequent headaches and muscle pains (Physical)
• Loss of motivation (Emotional)
• Detachment, feeling alone (Emotional)
• Not performing responsibilities (Behavioral)
• Taking frustrations out on others (Behavioral)

If you are feeling at least two of these symptoms, I encourage you to research and see if you find more symptoms that relate to you.

Reflecting on my past, I understand why I was behaving the way I was. I did not realize I was burnt out, I just wrote it off as being stressed or unmotivated. Now that I know that I am struggling with burnout, I will attempt to replenish myself. 

After doing plentiful research, below are ways to help us deal with being burnt out.

• Reach out to those closest to you. Even if you are unable to discuss how you feel, a pleasant conversation with those you love might help.
• Take time off. I know this might not seem easy to some, but whenever you can, be sure to take time off solely for yourself.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is essential, and the appropriate amount can do wonders for the mind, body, and soul. 
• Limit stress. It may seem like the damage has already been done, but managing stress will help you feel better. Some ways you can limit stress include:
  • Exercise regularly. Exercising causes your body to release endorphins, which are feel-good hormones. 
  • Organize any assignment, task, project, etc. By organizing your time, you can already feel one step ahead in taking control. 
  • Meditating is another proven tactic to reduce stress. 

Life moves at a fast pace, it does not wait for anyone. It is easy to feel overwhelmed with life and fall into the vicious cycle of mental exhaustion. It is essential not to allow mental exhaustion to control our life as it can lead to burnout. However, by practicing good self-care routines, you can limit these feelings of burnout, and live a physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy life.