My experience with burnout

This is a guest post from Landy Simpson. Enjoy.

Dear new developer,

This year has put everyone’s mental and physical health to the test, including yours truly. There’s the ongoing pandemic, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, the 2020 American elections, the End Sars movement; the list goes on. This year, I’ve dealt with an assortment of health issues, which became incredibly hard to deal with once quarantine reduced the number of available health services. Between trying to manage my mental health, physical health and working from within these four walls formerly known as my bedroom — I’m exhausted.

No, in fact, I am BURNT OUT, and I know I’m not the only one feeling this way.

In the last two months, I noticed it became increasingly difficult to get out of bed. I thought my burnout was terrible in the summer — I had no idea what autumn would bring. On the weekends, I’ve found that I can sleep for over 12 hours and only eat a single meal. I haven’t been fully motivated to write, brainstorm content, or work on personal projects. I’m feeling frustrated because I’m not productive. I’m upset I spend most of my free time sleeping, and I’m a bit worried that my burnout affects the quality of my work at my job. But as I work through these conflicting feelings, I’m starting to realize that I shouldn’t fight them, instead, I should accept them and find ways to maneuver the storm called burnout.

During this time of year, where seasonal depression is upon us, it’s easy to spiral into self-loathing and self-pity. And despite feeling burnout, it’s also easy to force yourself into a rigid routine in the hopes of digging your way out of your slump. In coming to terms with my ongoing burnout, I’ve learned if you treat moments like this with compassion, patience, and a bit of transparency, you can overcome burnout. I started opening up discussions with my mom, my best friends, and even one of my co-workers to see what I can do to improve my situation.

It’s incredibly important to open up discussions with our family and friends about mental health because it’s also essential to recognize signs, like burnout, of declining mental health. Together, we can find ways to help each other take preventative steps, like seeking counseling, incorporating healthy physical activities, and practicing self-care and self-compassion.

I can only provide some essential tips to understand yourself better and take the first step in caring for yourself during burnout. However, if you’re dealing with any form of mental illness, please speak to a professional.

Don’t force yourself to get back into a routine.

Notice you’re going through something and treat yourself like you’d treat a friend going through a tough time. Don’t force your body or mind to adapt to a whole new routine overnight. You’ll burn out faster, and you’ll end up spiraling out of control just as quickly as you adapted the routine. Be patient with your mind and body. Incorporate one piece of your routine a week at a time. Allow yourself to adjust to the changes and don’t be too hard on yourself if you mess up once in a while. You’re only human.

Figure out why you’re feeling drained.

Put context to the feeling so you can understand the draining areas of your life. Ask yourself some questions to help reveal potential causes of your burnout. For example, do you feel reluctant to get up for work or school? Are you dissatisfied or overwhelmed with the progression of a particular goal in your life? When was the last time you spoke to a friend or family member, and do you feel alone as a result? Wherever those draining areas are, it’s important to identify them to know what you need to work on to make yourself feel better. There might not be an immediate or obvious solution, however, knowing the cause of your burnout can at least help you stay sensitive to that problem.

Reinforce your values.

It’s hard to get out of bed or feel like anything you do is worth it at the moment, but don’t lose sight of your dreams. Remind yourself of your goals to help reinforce your values. You aren’t just a couch potato or a lazy little bean. And if you are, that’s fine, but remind yourself you’re a person full of dreams and aspirations. You’re just going through a tough time right now, and that’s okay! You will get back to those dreams soon enough as long as you keep making them a priority.

Even when you adopt a routine, it’s okay to take a break or have a bad day where you can’t get out of bed. Don’t punish yourself for feeling burnt out. You’re doing so much, which is fantastic. But always remember to take care of yourself first, which leads me to my last point.

Take care of your body and mind.

These burnout periods are your body and mind’s way of saying it’s time to take a break. Follow your instincts and indulge a little. Sleep in a little longer, eat your favorite meals, talk a bit longer on the phone, binge a show, take a long bath, exercise. Do something to relieve your body and mind of all the stress that it’s going through.

Taking care of yourself can also be seeking therapy or talking to your boss about time off. Even a small getaway road trip to expose your body and mind to a new environment is a way of taking care of yourself.

We’re living in a difficult time right now, and we must be patient and mindful of our feelings. Look out for your friends and family during this time, and most importantly, stay safe.

— Landy

This was originally published here.

Landy Simpson is an Experienced Software Engineer who is skilled in front-end development. She blogs at https://simplyy.medium.com/