Between the pandemic, a national reckoning with racial injustice, the strain of working from home, the challenge of being with your family 24/7, a certain level of burnout is normal right now.
The mental state that can arise with this type of sustained intensity: emotional exhaustion.
Emotional exhaustion is feeling emotionally worn out and drained as a result of accumulated stress from your life.
There is a lot going on for many. We may have technically started working from home, but in reality we started living at work and fortunately for many of us we have kept working. The kids are with us in the house doing summer school on line, virtual camp or trying to figure out if they are actually going to get to go away to college.
By definition people experiencing emotional exhaustion often feel like they have no power or control over what happens in life. Sound familiar?
Thriving in our life is our most natural state and not just surviving. Simple recommendations if your struggling. (1) Begin by setting boundaries with work time and space. A start and end time for the time you work. No exceptions. (2) Don’t work where you relax. (no couch or bed working). And shut off the computer before dinner and don’t turn it back on until the next day. (3) Take a lunch break away from your computer, grab a smoothie, and go for a walk outside. (4) Find at least a few minutes each day to engage in an activity that’s just for you. I recommend a physical activity but it can be directly focused on your mindset if that is easier; think, journaling, or meditating. Maybe you prefer something less structured, such as playing music, reading, or painting. Finally, helping others in some way (donating resources to less fortunate, the elderly, or your neighbors) will take you out of your own life and create gratitude for all you have. Be well and let’s thrive!