Burnout - tips for recovery?

[ErinAndTonic]

I've come to realise I'm suffering with severe burnout at the moment, and looking for some tips from anyone who's had it and recovered. What worked for you to help you get back on track?

I don't have children but struggle just with full time work in a demanding field and managing a home, let alone trying to stick to my gym schedule. I feel like a failure, knowing friends who have similar demands as me with a small child on top.

I suffer from high functioning anxiety and do have an inability to relax so I tend to stress quite easily. I had covid recently and it wiped me straight out for two weeks, I assume because I was so run down. That might be part of the reason I'm still struggling now, straight back to work with after effects of covid and severe exhaustion etc.

I'm trying to take a natural approach to my recovery, but struggling to get the energy to focus on cleaning up my diet, exercise etc. Any tips or advice from anyone would be much appreciated.. or any positive vibes to help me feel like less of a failure and waste of space

Following as I feel equally burnout. Just finishing job with boss from hell. I will have 3 weeks to find another job since I’m the main breadwinner. I should be working PT since I do 95% of the housework and kids and 100% of the mental load but due to covid our finances are fucked so we have loan payments to pay off.

I had covid two week ago and I remember lying in bed all afternoon with no one coming near me or banging on the door asking for mummy. It was best rest I had since 2016 (before pregnancy and DC)

Am no expert, but have definitely suffered myself. I was lucky enough to be able to have some time out of work, which definitely helped. But i did make a concerted effort to focus on calming myself and trying to 'get better' as i was a bit of a mess from years of stress, and totally mentally exhausted. Some practical things that helped me:

1. Accepting that itd be a slow process and would need months of effort before id feel much better.
2. I love exercise. But when you are burnt out, forcing yourself into extreme exercise is no good. Swap the gym for walks outside (long or short, doesnt matter). Being outside is very good for you. Maybe listen to music while you walk?
3. Cut down on alcohol - its the worst for anxiety. I still drink, but less.
4. Try to read. If im super tired or stressed i cant concentrate on a book. But when i can manage to read even a bit, rather than stare at screens, it helps.
5. If there are things that you know make you feel better, try to do them. Even if you dont fancy a hot shower and fresh bedding, if you know itll help loads with your sleep then try to do it, itll only take a few minutes and you know itll help. Same goes for cooking a simple healthy meal if you know stodge makes you feel worse. You have to nurture and care for yourself, as you would a poorly loved one.

Good luck, hope something in the above helps!

I’ve got a mountain of stuff to do in the house and I urgently need to find another job. Since I’m always super busy I’m resisting the urge to crack on with the mountains of jobs to be done on the house (instead of the mountains of work to be done at work) Since next week is a 4 day week I’m going to try to take things easy

So far I’ve got -
Walk DC to nursery every day and pick up (10 min walk each way).
Go to gym and use sauna and jacuzzi. My body aches from all the stress
Consider booking a massage

I left my job in January feeling this way and still waiting to start a new job in a couple of weeks. The break has done me good ( first break from working in 35 years ) but it has also been stressful looking for other jobs and waiting ages for the recruitment process. Also know that I wasn't functioning at my best for interviews whilst so burnt-out. I have spent a lot of the 2.5 months sleeping and walking my dogs. I had loads of stuff in the house I wanted to sort but it hasn't got done.

As I’m the main breadwinner we can’t afford for me not to work. So I will get 2/3 week rest at best, but it won’t really be rest as I will still be dealing 90% of the childcare outside of working hours and 90% of the housework plus 100% mental load plus applying for jobs.

I’ve got a glamping trip booked for a couple of weekends time so at least then that will give me a two day break without the kids.

In the medium term something does need to change. Once I get a new job and get the last bit of the house renovation done then we should be able to remortgage and put the loans onto the mortgage which will reduce our outgoings each month. This would then allow me to work part time and/or afford a cleaner.

treat yourself to some really nice stuff. you have to make yourself feel loved again - that could mean a weekend away, a visit to the local hot tub / sauna etc. Give yourself the space to do nothing for a few days.

Decluttering (massively) and moving some things around in your living room or bedroom can give you an amazing sense of freedom (I strongly believe we are heavily weighed down by the things around us) and renewed energy. If it's too overwhelming focus on one small area first, a bookshelf or a drawer or under the sofa. Rinse and repeat.

Treat yourself to a nice fluffy dressing gown or something, one night a week have a special meal with your favourite fancy foods etc.