Have you ever felt so tired that no matter how much you rest and drink multiple cups of coffee a day, you can’t regain your energy, and even exercise doesn’t lift your spirits?
If your answer was “Yes!” you’ve probably experienced burnout. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. It took me two years to recover from an extreme burnout, which is why I want to share three techniques I rely on to stay balanced and avoid falling into burnout again.
Walk instead of intense workouts: When the body is in a state of chronic stress, intense exercise can exacerbate the stress, alter your hormones, and release more cortisol. I recommend walking for 20-30 minutes to clear your mind, sweat a bit, and keep it less intense for your body.
Limit coffee intake: Coffee activates our nervous system and can become a trigger for burnout. I recommend reducing caffeine consumption to give your body time to rest and relax.
Practice breathwork: It may seem intimidating, but breathwork is simply breathing, and you do it all the time, so you’re already an expert. I recommend the following exercise: inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth as if using a straw. The longer you prolong the exhalation, the more relaxed you’ll feel. Practice it for 2-3 minutes or until you feel relaxed.
To avoid burnout, we need to be aware of the symptoms our bodies present. I encourage you to practice breathwork every morning (recommended in step #3) to start building that awareness and communication with your mind and body, so you can take the necessary steps to relax before burnout strikes.
Paula Landrón
For more tips on physical and emotional health, follow me on my social media @paulalandron!
