Just like a computer, sometimes your brain needs a reboot. If you keep adding input without taking something out (making room or some of you might remember GIGO? – I’m aging myself) you can burn out the “machine.” Your body is a delicate symbiotic system that needs a chance to catch up (like the computer’s spinning circle of death). We can’t possibly expect to have our machines working at their best if we don’t give it a little rest, discard the garbage, update it or shut down completely for a while. The same can be said for the body builder. If she never gives her muscles a chance to repair, those muscles will be in jeopardy of falling apart and not grow. Defeating the purpose.
While anyone can be on overload, there are certain people that absorb more energy around them and could find themselves at a higher risk for system breakdowns:
Empaths: this is an integral part of your being, since you absorb all the feelings and situations around you, not finding a balance can lead to your own mental breakdown.
Moms and dads: there’s the yin and yang of a relationship- the short version is that one of you will be the logical one and one the nurturing one. That doesn’t mean you can’t both have a logical and nurturing brain. It just means one of you has more of the nurturing side and that’s usually the person who takes on the bulk of family and children matters. Relax, I’m not insulting anyone. These are facts. Men were made to plant their seed, protect and sustain the family while women were bred to procreate and sustain an infant, so humans didn’t run dry. It makes perfect sense. So, the logical one takes on the stressors of things that don’t usually require feeling (money, work, repairs etc.) and the emotional one is FEELING everything while taking on the other responsibilities (kids, school, health, pets etc.). The balance tips sometimes and each can get a taste of the other side but usually it tips back, and you get that perfect balance once again.
Adrenaline junkies: always looking for the next rush can put anyone at risk for a lot of things but shutting down is integral for your wellbeing. Find a good balance to offset that extra energy.
Some professions you might find this type working in:
Doctors, lawyers: these professionals almost always start out wanting to help fix something or someone. They see the need to take part in healing or saving. Easy to overdo and take this stress home.
Writers, Musicians, Artists: as you may have thought, this group of individuals are the “feeling” type. Refer to empaths.
Teachers, of any type, clergy: always trying to help, teach or save someone can leave you feeling depleted.
Social workers, legal aid, mental health experts, healthcare workers, rehabilitation workers: these superheroes are much like the doctor and lawyer, but they make much less money for the work they do. They can’t take on these jobs without truly feeling what is going on through their client. Even the most conditioned professional will need to find an outlet before his or her own breakdown.
And many more!
How Can We Offset This Burnout?
It’s the little things that count in your everyday ritual. These can literally take a few minutes a few times per day and still give you a renewed feeling.
Start by using any mindfulness approach that works for you. Your welcome to use mine:
- Breathe– No really Breathe!! Slow, deep and controlled with a pause. Concentrate on elongating your exhale. Try it- it’s not that easy.
- Stretch– When was the last time you fully stretched out your body? Or touched your toes (good blood flow to the brain)?
- Notice– Stop right now and look around. Now look again and find something you missed before. Pick something in your area that has beauty or curiosity and really think about it.
- Listen– Close your eyes for a few seconds while you’re practicing that breathing, then relax and listen to everything around you. Isolate the feel-good sounds and enjoy.
- Acknowledge– Have you ever thought about life and where you fit into the universe? Or what role you play in your family-work-school-friends etc.? Take a moment to acknowledge the positive!
Besides the obvious: take a vacation, time off work, babysitter for the kids, friends’ night out, date night etc., these tips can be implemented in your daily routine with a little creative planning!
Steal a few minutes by detaching from your tasks:
Make a quiet drive home in solitude about you; turn up the music-dance (safely) in your seat-pretend no one is watching-listen to a book or podcast you’ve been trying to get to or connect with your bestie on that deeper level you never have time for. Don’t forget to drive slowly.
Take the long way home:
Your family will survive without you. Drive (or walk) to a walking path-coffee shop-ice cream parlor-gym- store-nature overlook-friend’s-house etc. the objective is to decompress before taking on the next responsible task. Relax, it doesn’t have to be long, even 20 minutes can revive you.
Turn up the music in the bathroom and have someone else on duty for kids -preferably, out of the house-, so you can take a bath-ALONE! Bring whatever oils, candles, bath bombs, gadgets and gizmos in and lock the door. Set a timer for at least 30 minutes and clear your head.
Read a book:
When everyone else is on their devices, sit with them reading a book. Whatever rules you have about devices, set a time that you all sit together and share something about your day and then when it’s ok to watch or use a device- you read! No chores!
While this list can go on and on, the biggest take away you need to hear is that you shouldn’t feel guilty about refreshing yourself. After all, when mom and dad are happy everyone is happy!
