How to recover from burnout: a healing guide

In today's fast-paced world, experiencing burnout has become a big problem that affects many people, especially those in their early adulthood. The hustle and bustle of life, coupled with the pressure to succeed, can lead to overstimulation and mental exhaustion symptoms. 

Learning how to recover from burnout is a journey that many of us may have to embark on at some point in our lives. The grind, the stress, and the relentless pace can all take their toll...

We often push ourselves beyond limits until we hit a wall. A feeling of utter depletion that influences all parts of life is more than just being worn out.

But here's the good news - understanding how to recover from burnout is achievable and can lead you towards healthier work-life balance.

Recommended reading: 

• Quitting job for mental health: recovery and fresh starts
• Complete guide to slow travel: why and how to practice it

What is burnout and how to recognize it?

Burnout, a big problem that affects many of us, doesn't happen overnight. It's the result of prolonged stress or frustration leading to physical exhaustion and emotional depletion.

Recognizing the symptoms early enough helps reduce their impact on our lives significantly. 

Understanding burnout is the first step towards recovery. These are the main symptoms you should pay attention to: 

Physical symptoms

A key sign? Feeling physically exhausted all the time, making completing daily tasks difficult.

This could include chronic fatigue or feeling completely drained after what should have been a manageable day at work or school.

Other indicators might be headaches, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal problems, or other unexplained ailments that persist despite medical attention.

Emotional exhaustion

This isn't just about being tired; it's feeling emotionally drained too.

A major part of recognizing burnout is acknowledging the feeling of emotional exhaustion - this emotional exhaustion may leave you feeling trapped like there’s no way out from your current situation.

Overstimulation can lead to mental exhaustion symptoms such as irritability and difficulty concentrating, which further compounds the issue.

Low productivity 

Feeling ineffective at work? If you find yourself struggling with more tasks than usual without any clear reason why, then this could be an indicator of burnout affecting your performance levels.

Low productivity isn't just about not getting things done—it's also about the sense that even if you do manage to accomplish something, it won't make much difference anyway because you're feeling ineffective overall.

Self-esteem issues

Burnouts can also take a toll on one’s self-esteem, leading you to believe you are inadequate for your role – whether professional or personal ones alike.

This symptom can make you perceive negatively when compared against others around you who seem perfectly capable of managing similar responsibilities without appearing stressed whatsoever.

The 5 stages of burnout

The five stages of burnout are the "honeymoon phase" (high job satisfaction), onset of stress (difficulty coping), chronic stress (persistent tiredness), actual burnout (chronic mental/physical fatigue), and habitual burnout (stage where symptoms are embedded).

These symptoms are common among people who have experienced severe levels of overstimulation, resulting in mental exhaustion.

To reduce these effects, we need effective stress management techniques that will help us recover from this debilitating condition gradually since recovery doesn’t happen instantly, but requires daily activities tailored specifically towards individual needs based upon severity level, among other factors too.

On our next section we'll discuss strategies on how to best handle these challenges head-on, so keep reading!

10 Tips on how to recover from burnout

Burnout doesn't happen overnight, and recovery doesn't happen instantly either.

But don't fret. Here are ten tried-and-true tips that can help reduce burnout:

1. Seek professional assistance

We can't solve everything by ourselves, and trying to do so is one of the common causes of burnout.

If you're feeling emotionally exhausted or physically drained, it's essential to seek professional assistance. Seeking the aid of a specialist in stress management could be highly beneficial for your mental wellbeing.

2. Evaluate your priorities

Sometimes the big problem burnout affects is our priorities. Take time out of your busy schedule to reflect on what truly matters most in life for you - don’t neglect relationships with your loved ones.

3. Foster strong relationships

Fostering strong relationships provides emotional support during tough times - this reduces feelings of isolation often associated with relatedness burnout.

4. Take care of your physical health

The physical exhaustion definition includes symptoms like chronic fatigue and decreased immunity. Regular exercise, balanced dieting, and sufficient sleep all contribute to maintaining good physical health.

5. Create quiet moments

This helps with reducing mental exhaustion symptoms caused by constant noise or activity around us; consider creating quiet moments throughout the day for reading, meditating, or simply contemplating life.

6. Practice self-care

Make time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation. Allocate a portion of your day for leisurely pursuits that bring you pleasure and tranquility.

7. Set boundaries

Learn to say no and set boundaries to avoid overextending yourself. It's okay to prioritize your well-being and decline additional responsibilities when necessary.

8. Delegate tasks

If you're feeling overwhelmed, don't be afraid to ask for help. Delegate tasks to lighten your workload and prevent burnout from taking over.

9. Practice mindfulness

Stay present and focus on the current moment. Engaging in activities like deep inhalation and meditation can be beneficial for reducing strain and improving overall health.

10. Take breaks 

Regular breaks throughout the day can help prevent burnout. Step away from your work, stretch, and give your mind a chance to recharge.

Taking time off with Worldpackers

As we said throughout the article, burnout is a result of constant overstimulation and mental exhaustion symptoms that can lead to extreme emotional depletion.

Taking some time for yourself is essential in recovering from burnout. Travel can be very healing, giving you the opportunity to explore new cultures, make friends from different countries, try new foods and stimulate your senses.

All these make travel very beneficial for your inner growth, self-development and definitely can make you a more open-minded person.

If you are looking for something more meaningful on your travels than only sightseeing,  consider the volunteering and work exchange programs at Worldpackers.

Worldpackers is an online platform that connects travelers looking for unique experiences with hosts around the world needing a hand in various areas such as farming, teaching languages, running hostels and holistic centers, or helping with animals.

By taking a break with Worldpackers, you:

• Get to spend time doing something meaningful while taking care of yourself - a great stress management technique.
• Learn valuable life lessons outside conventional classrooms - adding mastery against burnout.

How to participate in these programs? Subscribe to the Worldpackers Community for free and start saving your favorite volunteer positions until you are ready to get verified. There are thousands of volunteering opportunities around the world!

Learn more about how Worldpackers works: Traveling with Worldpackers: your top questions answered.

These are some of the very interesting places looking for volunteers that can be very beneficial in recovering from burnout:

• Help in a Buddhist Meditation/Eco Center located in Bowie, United States.
• Would you like to take some time off in Hawaii? You can do so by helping with general tasks like cooking, cleaning and land work at this eco-village located in Pahoa.
  
• Spend some time in a retreat center from Belgium while helping in the vegetarian kitchen.
• Help at Juice Detox and Yoga Retreat Centre in stunning Algarve, Portugal.
  
• Be part of a rural community in Southern Italy: you will be living in an olive garden located in a National Park in front of the Adriatic Coast.
  

So take charge and avoid caregiver syndrome by allowing someone else to handle chores temporarily. Let loose a little bit and explore what the world has to offer.

This could just be the ticket you needed to track feeling completely recharged, rejuvenated, and ready to tackle whatever comes next with your head held high and a renewed sense of purpose and vigor.

With all these tips combined, plus more unlisted ones depending on individual experiences and professional advice, recovery activities become less daunting.

Remember though: recovery doesn't happen instantly, it can range from a few weeks to several months or even longer, depending on the severity and personal circumstances. It requires addressing the underlying issues causing stress and exhaustion. So be patient but persistent.

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