Intuitive Approach to Going From Exhausted and Depleted to Calm, Nourished and Alive
Intuitive ways of dealing with burnout may seem, well intuitive, but what does that actually entail.
Remember, your body always wants to heal.
Your body wants to be in a state of homeostasis.
Symptoms of burnout are your body's way of communicating with you, getting you to pay attention.
Your body may be saying, I need you to pay attention, things are out of balance here or it may be screaming for help!
According to the Oxford Dictionary definition #burnout is 'the reduction of a fuel or substance to nothing through use or combustion, or the failure of an electrical device or component through overheating.
To assess if you've experienced burnout, consider these questions:
Have you ever felt completely exhausted?
Have you felt like you're running on empty?
Have you ever felt like you have nothing left in you?
If you answered YES, you may have experienced Burnout, which is a depletion of the essential nutrients, energy, that vital life force that keeps us alive, due to chronic stress.
Burnout has been given an ICD code and classified as an occupational phenomenon by the World Health Organization.
According to the WHO, #burnout is defined by;
Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job; and
Reduced professional efficacy
The American Psychological Association, in the 2022 Trends Report noted that burnout and stress are at an all-time high across different professions.
Nearly 3 in 5 employees report negative impact of work-related stress.
You likely know someone who's experienced burnout, or you may have experienced it yourself.
What Can You Do If You Feel the Burnout?
Your body holds the answers and it comes back to hormones, the messengers in your body. The stress hormone #cortisol, secreted by the adrenals has helpful effects on short-term, but not on chronic stress.
Effects of cortisol include:
Decreased Inflammation
Increased Blood Sugar
Decreased Muscle and Protein Levels
Decreased Immune Response
Clearly, some cortisol is good, but too much cortisol is not good.
The Intuitive Approach to Going From Exhausted and Depleted to Calm, Nourished and Alive
Honor your current state.
Acknowledge your current state with curiosity.
What and how are you feeling?
Assess, are you feeling exhausted, like you're running on empty?
Recognize and honor your current state vs ignoring and pushing through it.
Your body is sending you signals, pay attention.
2. Check-in with yourself
Assess if these feelings have been ongoing, chronic stress, or if it's a first time you're feeling this way.
Consider any major life changes that may have occurred recently, like moving, having a baby, aging parents, career or relationship change, a new diagnosis, etc. These all play a role in your wellbeing.
3. Activate your Parasympathetic Nervous System.
Parasympathetic Nervous System helps you relax.
This body system supports your vital functions, such as breathing, digestion, sleep, movement, etc.
Intuitive way of accessing your parasympathetic nervous system may involve laughter, gardening or a supportive community.
4. Seek professional support
Ask your medical team to evaluate for hormonal imbalance and factors that affect it, such as sleep apnea.
Get your cortisol levels checked. There are at-home cortisol tests, just make sure to get your results reviewed and interpreted by a professional.
Hire a personal Health and Nutrition Coach or inquire within your organization if you have access to an Executive Wellness Coach.
As an Executive Wellness Coach, I help clients, executives and high-performance professionals prioritize their HEALTH through dietary and lifestyle changes, to create a better life-work harmony.
My signature framework, NourishedAlive, relies on an integrative and holistic approach to wellness, including physical health, mental health, stress management, work-life balance, emotional resilience, and personal growth. The focus is on optimizing performance while still being able to take guilt-free self-care days, and work-free weekends/holidays to be fully present with loved ones.
Curious about learning more? Let’s connect!
Email me: vesna@nourished-alive.comÂ
Connect with me on LinkedIn!
Apply for Executive Coaching, here: www.Nourished-Alive.com/start.
If you’re ready to take the next step in overcoming burnout and enhancing your well-being, connect with me.
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