I stood in my boss’s office and for the first time, said ‘No’ to him directly. As someone who always wanted to become a dedicated employee, I felt incredibly guilty for refusing to take on another project.
The exhaustion was real. I felt I didn’t have the mental, emotional, or physical capacity to do more. What’s worse is that I felt ashamed and thought I was a failure. My brain ignored my achievements.
Should I turn off the laptop? I held back my tears, as I knew my commitment to my work went way beyond what was healthy. This was the first time I, a highly driven “career girl” was having a serious problem. I wanted to stay in bed and cry from despair and helplessness. I hated work updates as I couldn’t muster the conversation, and honestly, I was utterly burnt out. Because I didn’t care about my self at that stage of exhaustion, my stress levels skyrocketed, and my health was slowly destroyed.
To turn this burnout around, nourishment is non-negotiable. This includes getting quality rest, eating right, exercising gently, and getting fresh air. But you also have to nourish your heart and brain by doing things that make you feel like you.
Remember, coming back from burnout is more than putting gas back in the tank. You must step up and accept responsibility to make sure you’re okay through all the pressures and priorities in your life. It doesn’t matter what it is or how you do it—what matters is making your own self a priority.
thinkingthirty 