COVID-19 Burnout
During the COVID-19 pandemic, you might have been spending less of your time in the office and more of it at home… so why are you feeling so burned out? In this unprecedented time when your couch is your office, the kids after school programs and sports are at a halt, and your schedule isn’t filled with endless social events, it might be confusing to actually feel as though you’re doing more than ever before. So what is happening? COVID-19 burnout and fatigue is a real thing and it likely is affecting you by this point. Here are some ways to recenter yourself and refresh your mind, body and spirit in this quietly loud world.
COVID-19 burnout, can present itself in many different ways.
Identifying what COVID-19 burnout feels like for you will help you recognize which areas need more of your attention and can better help you understand what you need to shift. Sometimes, burnout can be experienced as brain fog, forgetfulness, trouble concentrating or a general feeling of “blah-ness.” Perhaps you’ve been feeling overall less excited about the work you do, or as if you aren’t as good or productive in your job. Maybe you’ve been catching yourself slipping into less than ideal coping strategies, such as over-drinking or using hurtful self-talk. Feeling detached from those around you is another sign of possible burnout and can be significantly impacted by working from home. Burnout can also be sensed through physical cues, such as sleep changes, chest pains, headaches and gastrointestinal issues. Allowing yourself space to sit with your feelings and being in tune with what may feel off can help you to recognize your personal manifestations of burnout.
Now that you can more accurately identify ways COVID-19 burnout has been affecting you, it’s time to develop strategies to recenter yourself and make small, or potentially big, influential changes to your day to day life.
Nine months ago, the idea of working from home might have sounded like an absolute dream! Presently, you might find yourself longing for the days you can enjoy a podcast on your morning commute to work and sit in your office filled with coworkers.
So how can we marry these two ideas? Making yourself a morning routine, even if you don’t necessarily need to get dressed up and pack a full lunch, is still important to help you center yourself and prepare for your day, and can also help to avoid oversleeping or feeling rushed onto the computer as soon as you wake up. Getting up, taking a shower and making sure to eat breakfast can help you have a slow, and relaxing start to your day.
Boundary setting is another way to help decrease symptoms of COVID-19 burnout.
Working from home can often be a slippery slope into overworking, since you don’t need to leave the office at the end of your shift. With this in mind, spend time to create a breathable and refreshing space in your home to go to work from and leave at the end of the work day in order to help deter you, at least most days, from working more than you need to.
Another boundary to consider, is allotting yourself a specific time frame to answer emails. Depending on what you do for work, working from home does not mean you must be available at all times to respond to emails. Ask yourself, can this matter wait until tomorrow? Does this person expect me to answer this right now? Would I usually see this at this time if I were working from the office? These questions can help you to avoid overworking.
With COVID-19 still a major concern, many social events or public places might be off the table for you right now, and a significant component of avoiding or decreasing symptoms of burnout is self-care.
So how do you take care of yourself when you can’t go to your favorite restaurant, bar, café, movie theater or friend’s house to unwind? You have to get creative. In a time of drive-in movie theaters, virtual concerts, family zoom meetings, Netflix and endless how-to videos on YouTube, there are countless ways to refresh yourself and recenter. Not to mention, the beautiful Florida weather is always beckoning you to step outside and enjoy its beauty.
If this burnout feels like something a little too big to handle on your own, therapy is another strategy to help you cope.
Talking to a professional who can validate your feelings and experiences, offer relaxation techniques, help you learn and practice mindfulness, assist you in building a network of support and identify ways to avoid overexerting yourself can help decrease symptoms of burnout and help you feel rejuvenated. Therapy can also be a helpful tool in identifying progress and recognizing personal strengths toward overcoming burnout.
Burnout can happen to anyone at any time, and COVID-19 has become an increasingly large contributor to stress in the lives of most people. If you’re feeling like you could benefit from therapy to help you work through symptoms of burnout, we encourage you to call us and set up a meeting with one of our therapists.
Ready to Start Therapy to Help You Overcome COVID-19 Burnout in Florida?
Beginning the journey to your best self is easier than most of the things we’re all doing right now! Trauma therapy does not have to wait. You can get the mental health support you need with a skilled therapist in St. Pete or with online therapy in Florida. To begin, just follow these simple steps:
- Contact us to request an appointment
- Meet with one of our experienced therapists.
- Get support & begin your journey toward mental wellness & connection today!
Other Mental Health and Wellness Services at ME-Therapy
At ME-Therapy, we believe in the importance of mental, emotional & physical wellbeing. Our therapists want to help your mind but also want to feed your soul. This means we take a holistic approach to mental health. In order to do this, we offer a wide range of mental health services in our St. Petersburg office and online including therapy for women, therapy for men, trauma therapy, therapy for anxiety, art therapy, and holistic, spiritual therapy. For couples and relationships, we want you to know that our relationship therapists are here for you ALL. In addition to marriage counseling, we provide sex therapy, affair recovery counseling, and poly-friendly kink aware therapy.
