Finding Motivation to Push Past Burnout

Just breathe, keep working, take a few minutes to do something just for you.

Does any of that sound familiar when you say "I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm just burnt out"? I know people mean well, but that advice doesn't always work, especially when you've went from normal stress to a burnout that's so severe it's essentially a form of depression.

You know the kind I'm talking about. The sheer effort to just get up for the day saps all your energy. And you can just forget about getting any real work done.

You're Not a Failure

I was reading about burnout when I initially ran across this simple, yet comforting advice - "you're not a failure."

At first, I thought it was writer's block. But, it wasn't that the words weren't coming, I just had zero motivation to write. Of course, forcing the words destroyed my normal flow, which was what clients loved. My writing lost any real personality and I also lost a lot of clients.

Needless to say, I felt like everything was my fault. There must be something terrible wrong with me. How could I fail at something that I had succeeded at for so long?

But, I wasn't a failure. I was dealing with burnout, not a sudden lack of talent. That was still there, but locked away behind a zillion locks that I didn't have any keys for.

Honestly, realizing this took some of the weight off my shoulders.

It's Okay to Take a Break

I kept telling myself that I didn't deserve a break. After all, I wasn't accomplishing anything, so I hadn't earned a break. Plus, work kept piling up as I stared at my computer with blank eyes. So, there wasn't exactly time for a vacation.

Still, something had to give. Forcing myself to work definitely wasn't working in my favor. I gave up socializing as even that felt like another burden to add to my increasing stress.

I know it's not feasible in every situation, but taking a break helped more than I realized. But, I did more than just sit around watching TV (though I did that too). I took a break to heal and figure out what needed to change.

Even if you can only take a few days away, do it. No matter what the cause of your burnout, such as work or even relationships, try to step away. I took a week off to make a plan to really tackle my burnout. And no, it wasn't an easy process.

Plan for Your Phoenix Moment

I can't remember where I read it, but someone compared coming back from severe stress as a phoenix moment. It's a chance to shed the past and go from looking like a bird on it's death bed to a stunningly beautiful creature filled with potential, confidence, and courage.

I started with one simple goal - why did something I enjoyed so much make me feel like this? I had to answer that one question. If you hate your job, then the answer is probably more obvious.

For me, it was a combination of several things:

• I was stuck in a tedious rut
• I kept getting clients that couldn't be pleased no matter what
• I became the go-to for projects no one else on the team wanted (I could write on any subject, but that didn't mean I enjoyed it)
• Projects took longer, but the pay didn't increase
• I had more demands on my personal time (some good, some not so much), which made me hate spending the extra time on work I didn't even enjoy
• I also had dealt with multiple losses over the last few years
• Even after years as a writer, people kept telling me I needed a real job

Burnout is rarely just one thing. It's usually a combination that piles up until you can't manage it anymore.

Once I had my list, it was time to make some changes. The first was saying goodbye to the frustrating clients who thought I should work 24/7 for pennies a day. I found some job boards and made a list of places to apply to once my week vacation was over. I also only applied for jobs that were in my area of expertise or interest.

Next, I let go of some toxic relationships. Yes, it's okay to say "no" and stop letting people run all over you. I know you can't always just walk away, but whenever possible, run, don't walk, and definitely don't look back.

Realize you are worth the effort. Put time into yourself. Take a class just for fun or to learn a valuable new skill for a new job. No matter what anyone else says, putting yourself first isn't selfish. Sometimes that means making others angry, but your health, both physical and mental, are worth it.

Rise and Start Again

Part of my phoenix moment was to start writing for fun again. What I used to do as a hobby turned into my career, which I'm grateful for. But, I let go of the fun part. Without writing as a hobby, I actually didn't have a real hobby at all to help me de-stress.

Thanks to taking a step back to admit that I was burnt out, I was able to make real changes in my life. I let go of what was holding me back. I thought about things that excited me, which isn't easy when you're dealing with burnout.

This led to a new passion for writing thanks to carefully picking new projects. It also freed up time for a real hobby. The combination set fire to my burnout and stress, melting it away until I rose from the ashes, feeling refreshed and new.

Does that mean I'll never experience burnout again? No. But, I'll recognize the symptoms earlier and know what to do to combat it. I'll take action before my motivation fades away.

I know it's hard, but if you don't do anything else, grab a journal - a real paper journal. Write down everything that's making you feel stressed and why you're burnt out. There's no judgment. Then, write down what you can change day by day. No, you won't make changes overnight.

It took me several months to get to where I am. You can do it too. Be patient and be kind to yourself. You're not a failure and you didn't do anything wrong. Life just knows how to take a massive dump on you when you least expect it, but rise as a phoenix just as life intended all along.