I don't know about you, but I have been feeling really burned out lately. I took this weekend off and did not make commitments to do A N Y T H I N G. I can't remember the last time I had a free weekend, because I always have a fear of missing out on fun things. I’m also an extrovert (most of the time, anyway) and I just really love hanging out with people and making connections. This weekend was nice though. I didn't have to get dressed up. I could wear PJs all day and just hang with my fam. It was great, but I am still not exactly feeling recharged starting out my week. Even though I didn't really have any places to be, I still had my everyday commitments to my family, which I absolutely love, but can also be just as exhausting in its own right. Raising a toddler is tiring sometimes. ;)
I am struggling with this balance of finding ways to recharge myself while also keeping the commitments I have made, in addition to making new creative content when I can. I love this blog and my Instagram. I love going out to do photoshoots. I am so excited with all the collabs I have done and will be doing in the near future. I get really pumped about those things, but if I overcommit myself and do too much, no one wins. A lot of times my 9-5 week day job drains me, and as soon as I walk out the office I don’t want to do anything.
The society that we live in today is constantly pushing us to do more. Get more followers, do more activities, make more money, get more likes, gain more status, buy more stuff. More, more, MORE. This fast-paced lifestyle is draining me. Nothing is ever satisfying, and all the happiness in achieving a goal only lasts for a moment before I am onto the next thing. It’s this keeping up with the Joneses lifestyle that makes me so tired. All that stupid stuff doesn't even matter at the end of the day. Fulfillment is found in the people I love and want to spend my time with. Connections with others make me happy, not more money or another promotion at work. Of course, those things are nice, but I always end up wanting more. How often do we stop and appreciate what is going on around us? For me, I really don't do that very often.
So the time I spent this weekend didn't really recharge me because I wasn't intentional with my time. A break is great, but if I don't change my habits, I still have these looming responsibilities and expectations weighing on my mind. These are the five things I will try to do this month to help combat my burnout.
1.) Make a list of what I am thankful for and keep it at my desk/phone/car. That way I can look at it everyday to remind myself I have so much more to appreciate than I often realize. It is a way of re-evaluating my priorities.
2.) Spend my time making real life connections. I want to be intentional in hanging out with people. Even if it’s with my family, I am often not as intentional with my time as I want to be. Confession. I do spend a lot of time on my phone. I feel like I have gotten a little better than I have been in the past, but it is still so easy to just pull out my phone when I should be present in the moment.
3.) Unplug. This ties into the previous one. I can't remember the last time I truly unplugged from social media. I plan to when I take a trip to California next month. I want to really unplug for a couple of days and enjoy life 100%. I want to soak up all the new experiences instead of being on my phone wanting to Instagram and Snapchat it all (this will be a tough challenge for me, and we will see if I actually stick to it. haha).
4.) Be mindful/meditate. I have gotten out of the habit of praying and reading my Bible, and I miss it. I have such a better day when I start it out being mindful and mediating. I recently downloaded the app Headspace because my therapist recommended it. I try to encourage myself to dedicate some time, usually about 10 minutes every day, to opening the app and practicing mindfulness. I have only done it a few times since I downloaded it (eeeek!), but I am wanting to do it more in hopes that it can help me slow down.
5.) Stay better organized. I have been wanting to be better organized with my life, so I plan on starting a bullet journal. Shocker, I have not done that yet either even though I bought this super cute cat journal and I just bought washi tape at Target this weekend. My current burnout has caused me to avoid anything that might be "extra" work. In the long run, I know a bullet journal will help me stay on top of my life. I usually jot notes down in my phone or write some appointments down in our family calendar, but I do not actually keep track of all of my stuff in one place. I keep it all in my head, and having to mentally remind myself of what is coming up is just draining. It will be a lot easier to see it all laid out in one place.
Disclaimer - none of this should be used in place of medication/therapy etc. These are just some tips I am using along side therapy.
Any strategies that works for you when feeling stressed/burned out? I'd love to hear from you guys. xoxo
Dress: Forever 21 (thanks Rosemary!) || Bralette: Urban Outfitters || Mini skirt: Thrifted || Chokers: Brightside Boutique
Photos courtesy of the awesome Gordon (@lordgeezuz)
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