The Power of Y.O.U. and Strategies for Recovering from Burnout

We’re living in an age of perpetual motion and heightened anxiety—so much so, that we forget to take a moment to press the pause button, collect ourselves, and breathe. Proof is everywhere. While recently purchasing an Apple watch as a gift for my husband, I discovered the Apple health app called BREATHE.  This genius app detects an elevated stress level and heart rate resulting in an alert to your wrist with a reminder – yes, you guessed right, TO BREATHE! 

I have coached countless numbers of clients who end up with burn-out.  Burn-out Syndrome has been classified by the World Health Organization as syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that hasn’t been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions including feelings of energy depletion and exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job. 

In fact, employees who feel unsupported by their managers are 70% more likely to experience burn-out. Employees are also 70% more likely to succumb to burn-out when faced with unreasonable constraints. By the time we discover this in coaching I advise them they have three options:

1. quit their job
2. obtain approval for a sabbatical from work or
3. request a medical leave of absence. 

All three options have worked successfully for restoring balance and wellbeing.

But what if these options simply don’t feel plausible for you?

Try this instead: Give yourself permission to try this modified approach which I have termed as a “mental sabbatical.” I define this concept as a structured “time out” from life—a chance to free your mind—devoid of all the should’s and have to’s rattling around your head. A period to simply feel mentally free to explore without any added pressure of having to do something, make any forced decisions, or take any impulsive fear-based actions.

Here are five tips for inside out healing on your own schedule. A three month block of time is recommended, as it’ll help restore you to your true self.

Think About What’s Not Working

Consider any and all unnecessary clutter in your life, be it physical, mental, or emotional. Unless you spark a change, you’re likely to become burned out at work. Explore all the parts of your life that are draining and no longer serve you. Make a list of all the intolerances and irritants—people, places, and things. Then eliminate each energy drain one by one.

One dramatic example of this simple exploration led one of my clients on a de-cluttering frenzy in her home. The result? She decided after four months that a radical career/life change was in order. She left her corporate career of 25 years and a marriage of 15 years and moved from NYC to upstate New York, forging a whole new professional and personal life.

Examine Your Identity

Evaluate your primary role and how it impacts your identity. Are you a full time caretaker for your children or aging parent, a leader on a mission, or a tireless volunteer? Dig deep and discover the other parts of your identity you may have lost touch with. Identify any losses you’ve endured without overdoing it in this primary role.

In May 2010, I gave myself permission to take a four month full-time sabbatical from my primary roles as Career Coach and working mother.  The clarity I sought came right to me—in the white space I discovered a deeper craving for a greater connection to myself and to my core values. Following my leave, I transformed how I worked and played so I could be more centered and fully present for both of my teenage sons and my husband while at home and my clients while at work. Today, over a decade later, I can say it was the best choice I ever made and is still paying dividends on a daily basis. 

While you might feel out of control and powerless during a burn-out phase, a mental sabbatical can help you find your way once again.

Look At Limitations

Consider your limiting beliefs and write them down. Think about the stories and messages you received from long ago that no longer serve you. By encouraging productive thinking and creating new possibilities, you’ll create excitement that embodies more of who you are. For instance, is your line of work limiting? Or, are you more risk adverse? Be honest: According to research at Pepperdine University School of Management, authenticity and vulnerability are linked, so don’t shy away from acknowledging flaws or limitations.

Explore Your Life Story

Take this time to separate the happy, healthy parts of your “story” from the unhealthy ones that may have led to fatigue and burnout. You can also start your day on a positive note with morning motivational mantras from Now What? Coaching to encourage mental change. At Now What? Coaching, those suffering burn-out or who are desensitized to their dreaming mechanism are also encouraged to engage in “hobby by crisis.” Once you’ve identified negative patterns in your life story, use your intuition to create new ideas.

For instance, engage in a new hobby that can bring joy. View life as an experimental laboratory, rather than a prison where you feel enslaved. Here’s an example: One client realized it was time to reignite his sense of humor. What started out as simply a fun improvisation class turned into a moonlighting side career, performing at comedy clubs around NYC.

Find Your Purpose

Enthusiastically search out the qualities that absolutely no one on this planet has that only you can offer. Ask others for feedback on what they come to you for and how you have enriched their lives. These unique gifts will help you define your purpose. For instance, a study at Florida Atlantic University found that people who lack meaning have higher risk of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse, but by encouraging participants’ creative talents, such as writing and meditation, risk decreased.

These gifts of purpose can also be quite simple, such as making someone laugh easily, being the voice of reason, inspiring wonder in others, or serving as the calm force in a crisis. Find ways to live from your purpose every day during your mental sabbatical.

Put yourself first to nourish the soul and regain clarity. Whatever your path may be, approach it with excitement, openness, and curiosity—and you will see the healing it provides for health and happiness, long-term.

Please feel free to leave any comments or personal stories. Helping others find their way is what inspires me to do my life’s work. 

30 Day Power Challenge

1. Which one of the 5 steps I offered are you willing to act upon? Set a due date to begin and do it.
2. What will be the value to you in making this investment of your time? And the benefits? Invest in yourself.
3. What will be the cost if you don’t take that positive action you chose to pursue? In what ways will you continue to suffer? Choose to own your power or give it away.