Strategies for Burnout Recovery
It can feel really overwhelming when you're stuck in a completely burnt out state. You know you want to do things to get better, but you don't want to push so hard you collapse even further.
Reflecting on how I recently pulled myself out of a few years of pandemic stress, I thought I would share with you my step-by-step process. So, here are some strategies for burnout recovery.
I am assuming you are already doing the basics of eating well, drinking enough water and getting sunlight!
Become aware of your nervous system and how it responds
We are all individual, and you are allowed to have different experiences of the same event, compared to those around you.
Rest serves a purpose
If you’re too tired to move your body in a HIIT calls (even though Tik Tok says HIIT cures burnout) - then it’s simple. Don’t do it
Add something purely for joy
Stop focusing on the things that you should avoid/stop doing.
Start ADDING JOY into your days. The things of lowest priority will being to naturally fall away, and you’ll have more joy!
Slowly push the limits of your capacity
Try a 5 minute walk. Or 5 minutes of Pilates.
Push to the limits of your capacity. BUT it’s okay if it’s only 5 minutes.
It’s okay if you can’t keep up with others. If you feel worse after? Go back a step.
Don’t forget regulating tools
Feeling anxious about whether your current choices will burn you out further? Use regulating tools to ground yourself, and follow your gut. My Vagus Nerve Library can help here.
Follow these steps to gently guide yourself out of burn out
You can do this while honouring your nervous system, and building your resilience back up. Remember - there is no race.
The Vagus Nerve Library
One of the most common questions I get asked is how to stimulate the vagus nerve.
While there is so much work we can do on the vagus nerve, vagus stimulating exercises are a really good starting point - especially if you are not sure if your vagus nerve needs work or if your nervous system is out of balance.
Which is why I created this video series!
These exercises will help you understand your nervous system and give you practical step by step instruction on how to stimulate your vagus nerve.
You can access the videos at any time and learn the techniques at your own pace. The exercises are simple and will only take no more than ten minutes out of your day.
