Burnout - anyone suffering and any tips for recovery?

[Burn0ut]

I have one month recovery time (starting today!) between me leaving the high stress job which caused me severe burnout and a new, hopefully less stressful job.

Would you please hit me with your burnout happy recovery stories/tips/suggestions?

I have spent most of the weekend sleeping and analysing why my old job gave me so much stress, but I'd like to leave the past in the past and move on, have a better plan to recover.

I have thought of: swimming, walking and giving up caffeine. maybe some form of therapy if available.

At the moment my 'flight or flight' system is fully switched on and I am at the same time lethargic and terribly edgy.

I'd be really grateful to hear about others in similar situation and what helped you. Thank you!

Thank you again to everyone :)

Yesterday I spent the afternoon pottering in the garden, today I am, as everyone suggested earlier on in the thread

'Just sit with the emotion and let it happen.'

Sounds like a great weekend!!

I'm joining this party a little late but I wanted to add something to the great advice you've had. I'm a "high performer" too (doesn't it feel stupid typing that)! But it isn't a good showy label. It's a sign we put too much pressure on ourselves and are more like to end up with burnout.

My manager knows I have been struggling recently after a period of some very long hours and the other day, in a meeting, when he gave an action that would normally naturally come to my role to someone else, my first instinct was to feel like a failure!! How crazy is that!?

I had a catch up with a friend who is an MD and she said that when she has staff who work like me she asks them to give her 70%. That way they finish their day, have a proper evening and come back the next day refreshed.

Those boundaries that we both need to put in place are with ourselves, just as much as with work.

Do nothing. It might turn into something. But the only plan can be nothing. Resetting starts from total rest in my experience.

Massage
Spa day
Yoga
Reading

HRTHT.

I had 6 months off. I got a life coach (can’t recommend more), learned to prioritise me first at home and my family over work, improved my diet, exercised, lost a stone. Had a 6 week long holiday, took up yoga.
Enjoy x

Relax and do nice things.
But then examine. Deep. Why did you allow it to happen and what will you do to make sure it doesn't again?

I'd recommend:

Spending time with those people who remind you who you are

Yoga

Walking - esp. where there are trees

Talking therapy

Discussing with your nearest and dearest how they see you (if you can)...no one is perfect but my family and friends see me in a light which I struggle to accept as it's so lovely

Remembering work is not everything

Writing a list of what "future you" at 80yrs old would want you to spend this time doing

Best of luck xxx

Yoga classes really are wonderful if you can find the right one. Or reflexology. I cried at the end of each class and session. Weird....

Oh, and running! Sign up for a half marathon and do it. Doesn't matter how quick (or slow) but running always helps me.

I’m feeling completely burnt out. I’ve been in a stressful role for three plus years and simply can’t go on. I’m a bit frightened as I’ve never felt this bad in my life I’ve extreme physical tiredness and I’m someone who has always kept fit and exercise daily. I’ve no motivation, I feel disconnected from my life. I’ve known for a while that I needed break but have been unable to stop

@Lurcherloves

I’m feeling completely burnt out. I’ve been in a stressful role for three plus years and simply can’t go on. I’m a bit frightened as I’ve never felt this bad in my life I’ve extreme physical tiredness and I’m someone who has always kept fit and exercise daily. I’ve no motivation, I feel disconnected from my life. I’ve known for a while that I needed break but have been unable to stop

Oh, I've been there. If anyone had told me the following, I would have laughed and carried on, my “high flying” self back then felt so essential and important. I missed the signs of bullying and being pushed out by power and plowed on and on, I gave them far too much.

My burn out was a flick of a switch, I lost all ability to be that person - I lost ability to be anything at all for 5 weeks. I lost my job and finally spent time with my family before taking a very large pay cut, cutting back on supposed luxuries and seeking out a role in something I love, we are all happier now.

Intrusive thoughts about the past do try to come into my head - no one contacted me or stayed in touch, that hurt. I just push them away now, I don't need to give them head space and have much better things to focus on.

I do a lot of the above and I find more time to sleep, including on breaks from work and lie ins on days off help massively.

@PepperPepperMan thank you. I know really that is true and that being happy is far more valuable than hanging on to a career which is making me miserable and unwell.

[quote Lurcherloves]@PepperPepperMan thank you. I know really that is true and that being happy is far more valuable than hanging on to a career which is making me miserable and unwell.[/quote]
It's harder to say than to do and I truly believe hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Until I had that switch flicked, I honestly never knew until it was too late.

No one can tell anyone what to do. If I could offer any guidance I would say, listen to your body and let go before the flick of the switch happens.

Much better to pre empt and walk away than left a shell to rebuild - that said, I re built my shell to a much happier person now and I don't know if I would have done that if I hadn't reached crisis burn out.