The 6 Steps out of Burnout

Here’s the tldr; on a commonly cited article to burnout recovery:

1. Acknowledgement is the first step out of any problem, but especially burnout. It can be especially difficult, too, if the role or responsibility that’s burning you out is also deeply important to you—like being the primary caregiver for those close to you… or being the founder of docbotic 🙈
2. Setting boundaries, ie putting distance between yourself and those stressors, to make room for your own needs. And obviously the amount of distance you can take depends on the situation; you can’t quit parenthood like you might be able to quit a job, but you can allocate some child-free time every day for self-care.
3. Prioritizing your health—because you’ve been running on fumes for god knows how long! To refill that tank, make the necessary changes to sleep and eat better (there’s a reason why we started with a sleep improvement program!), and make time for other things that nourish you—like those friendships or hobbies that may have ended up in the backseat.
4. Renewing your vows—to your values 🙃. Once you’re feeling better, it’s important to start cementing these steps in your life to protect yourself from future burnout—and the best way to start is to recommit to your values. Ask yourself: what weren’t you getting that you needed to be happy and healthy? How can your priorities be aligned with your values? A great exercise—recommended to me by the illustrious Dr. Brittany Linton—to return to regularly is the values sort. You can find several versions online, or feel free to duplicate the Padlet I personally use for sorting.
5. Exploring alternative paths forward that align better with your newfound values. Do you need to end or change a relationship with a person, profession, or role that is no longer working for you? Or do you simply need to block off time for that new hobby? It might be a bit of both.
6. Committing to the better future you’ve forged for yourself, because falling back into the same patterns the minute you feel better is about the worst possible—yet most likely—thing you can do. It’s normal to relapse, but what’s important is your resiliency. Don’t be afraid to try again.