The professional’s kiss a death — maybe a blessing in disguise?
The Creep
Very few things strike fear in the heart of professionals like “burnout.”
It’s a feeling we all have denied. “I just need a vacation” is usually the knee-jerk reaction. The vacation comes and you’re feeling good.
But in the peace of a moment, a flash of anxiety washes over you. So quick, you could pretend it didn’t happen. As the days count down, that anxiety comes creeping, creeping, creeping.
Congrats, that’s the kiss of death. Or as the kids say, “you’re burnt out, girl/dude.”
Don’t Panic
Burnout actually isn’t scary. Burning out in the current society we live in, though, is absolutely terrifying.
At the root of it, burning out is simply your body telling you “I don’t want to do this anymore.”
It doesn’t want to do this. Pay attention! Your body is not saying “I don’t want to do ANYTHING anymore,” it simply doesn’t want to do this anymore.
Now, what this is isn’t particularly relevant. Maybe you’re sick of responding to e-mails all day. Maybe you will literally kill yourself if another customer comes in 2 minutes before you close the store. Maybe you’re just sick of having to travel the world for work.
I’m not going to get on my soap-box about universal income or housing or food or anything like that because that’s also not relevant. You are where you are and that is the most pressing thing to work through.
The Blessing of Burnout
What I would like to suggest is that burnout is not here to hurt you. It is simply your body’s response to the situation. It wants the best for you, and it needs you to pay attention to it. We have so many distractions around us and we are constantly being pulled in a million directions. The only effective way for your body to get you to actually stay the fuck still and listen is to literally shut down!
When you are too tired, too unfocused, too sick to indulge in the outside world, you are forced to actually sit with yourself and take care of your body.
This is a good thing!! Don’t be scared of it!!
I’m not saying to work yourself to the bone and ignore your health. I’m saying do not be afraid to push yourself and work hard just because you’re afraid of burnout. Burnout is a message that your body really needs you to read and respond to ASAP.
The Contract is Over
Burnout is your body saving you from yourself. You’ve lost track of what matters. You don’t know why you are doing what you’re doing. You’re sacrificing things that you no longer need to satisfy.
Don’t you ever wonder why when starting a new project, you have the energy of the sun? You can function well despite sleeping less, eating less/worse, your thinking is sharper, etc…
Your body has made a deal with you. It will grant you extra juice in order to meet your goals. It’ll divert important stuff, it’ll quiet certain chatter, and it will make you “super.” But just like any deal, neither party carries obligation once the agreement is executed.
That’s right. If you’re burning out, you most likely achieved your goal to a strong extent. Your body has recognized that the deal has been executed and is now returning to its original state.
Except, you’ve forgotten that you made the deal! You forgot that the boost was only a temporary thing to achieve a goal. You’ve gone outside the agreement and unfairly are expecting your body to just go with it. And that’s why it’s shutting down on you!
It’s Time to Renew the Contract
First, you need to do some honest reflection about how much you’ve achieved. You most likely have come a long way from where you’ve started and you must acknowledge that. It is no longer appropriate to exert the same resources at this stage as you did to first get the machine going.
Recalibrate your goals. Progress is addicting, but be careful of your ego. Once you get things going, there is no rush to get to the finish line. Be realistic about deadlines and be very honest about what is self-imposed arbitrarily and what is actually real.
On the surface, it may seem like slowing down. And really, it is. But that’s literally a good thing! The “startup” energy is incredibly unsustainable and eventually you do need to shift gears.
Think Bigger
Burnout ironically can be a sign for you to become more ambitious. Burning out isn’t necessarily caused by overwork and not taking care of your body. It’s also emotional.
Very realistically, you’re bored with what you’re doing to some degree. This is common once you are in a position/role for a while, but boredom can also happen relatively quickly. It really just depends on how quickly you become proficient in your role.
It’s also why people who are the most competent feel the most guilt about leaving a position/role/career. For them, there really isn’t a “big” thing pushing them away. A lot of people don’t realize that they are just bored where they are and crave something more. Whether it’s more physical work, more mental work, a different pace or environment.
This is especially challenging for women and minorities as we are conditioned to be grateful for all opportunities and remain humble. The reality is that you can be grateful for what you’ve got, have respect for those around you, and still want to pursue more. None of those things are related to each other!
Conclusion
Don’t be afraid of trying. Don’t be afraid of embracing your energy and being on GO GO GO mode! Of course, take care of yourself and listen to your body.
Your body has made a deal with you to help achieve your goals. It wants the best for you and is happy to stay in business with you.
All you need to do is trust yourself and listen to it when it’s ready to renegotiate 🙂
– Virg
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