If you’ve been feeling burnout creeping up on you, it’s time for some self-reflection. Burnout is sneaky, because sometimes you don’t even realize it’s happening until it’s too late. There are a lot of different culprits of burnout, but most of those are often fostered by the fact that we didn’t check in with ourselves enough before we ran out of fuel. Call it denial, call it blissful ignorance, but we all do it. Whether you’re just starting to feel it peeking in from around the corner or you’re in a full-fledged burnout meltdown, here are some hard questions you need to ask yourself if you want to make it through.
When is the last time I said “no”?
If you want to protect yourself from burnout, learning how to say “no” is a crucial part of the process. Are you saying “yes” to too many things in life or in your career that you don’t necessarily want to? If you’re feeling burned out, do a quick check-in with yourself to make sure your activities or commitments are in alignment with your priorities and capacity. Because if they don’t check both of those boxes, you’re on a straight path to burnout.
Am I focusing on quality, or quantity?
When we’re burned out, we have a tendency to sort of half-ass our tasks. Not because we lack the work ethic, but because we are so depleted that we don’t have any steam left to push us forward. Take a look at the last five tasks you marked off your to-do list. Did you perform them with care? Or were you in a rush to mark them off and did the bare minimum? Lack of interest and care in your daily tasks is a textbook sign of burnout, so you want to reflect on your most recent completed tasks to see how you subconsciously performed.
Am I lacking in the conditions I need to flourish?
Granted, we’re all lacking a bit in ideal conditions at the moment, but think bigger. What is missing from your day-to-day conditions that would help you perform better? And not just in your career. What about your home life? Your wellness? What could you do to make your surroundings a healthier, happier environment? Make an “ideal scenario” list and then tackle it step-by-step to see what you can reasonably change.
Do I have any limiting beliefs that are causing me to feel burned out?
What limiting beliefs impact my life in undesirable ways? What is the origin of each belief? Is each belief still true for me today? What positive beliefs would counterbalance each one? If you are guided by certain principles, that’s great. Having values is crucial to your happiness and living a fulfilled life. But if you’re stuck in an “all-or-nothing” style of thinking, you could be subconsciously letting your limiting beliefs hold you back from learning and growing. It’s important to have an open mind if you want to avoid burnout.
Main + featured image via Rookie Mag.
