Burnout recovery.Am I still doing too much ?

[whatisforteamum]

My therapist suggested my depression and anxiety is due to burnout from my long hours.
This makes sense as I left on job exhausted to start a new one 5 yrs ago.The schedule is relentless,evenings,weekends Xmas,Easter .
Up at 7 home at 1030,erratic meal times no connection to other people.
It was ok at first as I suffered a bereavement so it gave me focus.In lockdown I gave up alcohol,went more sugar free and lost weight.
Coloured my hair a vibrant colour which I received lots of compliments on.
Now I'm having refresher driving lessons,doing light weight training all while still working looking to leave when I can drive again.
I still feel flat though.As a previously hyper active person I can't feel anything.
I know when I can get away from my toxic work environment I will be re energised.
Am I missing anything to help me recover.
Thanks in advance.

Up at 7 not home until 10.30? No wonder you're exhausted. How much of that is spent commuting?

About half an hour.

So most of that time is actually spent working. What are your actual contractual hours? If the workload is too much can you speak to your manager and explain that it's having an effect on your mental health.

You need to have a good work/home life balance in order to feel mentally and physically healthy. There is a saying that no one on their deathbed ever says they wished they'd spent more time working!

My hours are 10 until 10.the same for everyone.
That is why I intend to find something else.I love my job but it is at the expense of everything else.
I'm not sure if the therapist saying I should forgo my one unit of alcohol is helpful.🤣

Rather than thinking you’re not feeling anything, maybe consider that when you were hyperactive you were feeling too much - your system was constantly on high alert hence the hyperactivity. You may need to adjust to a new, less frantic way of being.

In terms of recovery, really you need proper rest, to allow your system to settle and recalibrate.

Your hours are 10-10? How many days a week?
Is that contracted out of the working time directive?

You are working those hours every day? 5 days a week?

WHY?!?!?

You sound addicted to being busy; I’d spend time job hunting rather than in Therapy. Most people work to live - what will you regret most when you look back at your life if you carry on as you are?

One day a week I get an 8 or6 hour day which is our half day.
We get no breaks though.It is a physically demanding job hence why I'm looking to leave.

Are you on any medication for your mental health. That can make you feel very flat.

There is absolutely no need to be doing those hours. The only reason I can think of why someone might do that is if they have their own business.

Working on your boundaries is obviously something you need to do with your therapist. Why are you putting your health at such risk?!?

No only take Hrt

Not my own business I work for a company.

Are you in the UK OP? They are legally required to give you a break of 20 minutes on any shift 6+ hours. Do you get to eat lunch/dinner? That's no way to live.

10 hours a day ?? Every day ?

Every day? Apart from the one half day?

Is it minimum wage? Why are you working like this? It sounds illegal!

Yes uk.I get a break on the 10,10.

12 hours a day.hour and half lunch. So paid 10 and a half. So around 50 to 55 hour weeks.

Are you working more than your contracted hours? If so, stop that.

Do you need to do those hours? If not I'd find a less intensive job.

www.gov.uk/maximum-weekly-working-hours

The working time directive means you should not work more than 48 hours in a week.

If you’re ‘recovering from burnout’ why are you in a job like this? I assume it’s low-paid and therefore you thought lower stress? But it’s not, is it?

What is this job???

Not an immediate solution but find another job absolutely.

I would only do those hours if it were my own business. Or maybe if I was on about £300k+ a year.

You say you want to recover from burnout, and you will leave the job, so why are you putting yourself through this?

I don't want to quit until I can find something else.
I do have a good savings pot though I just feel it's easier to get a job when you already have one.