You're feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Is it stress or burnout?

Stress is our body’s reaction when we feel under pressure or threatened. It’s like our internal alarm system, alerting us to challenges and difficulties. When we encounter stress, our body releases a hormone called adrenaline, often referred to as the “fight or flight” hormone. This surge of adrenaline can motivate us to act quickly and address the situation.

Feeling overwhelmed and exhausted can be indicative of both stress and burnout, but they manifest differently. Stress often stems from specific pressures or demands, causing feelings of tension and anxiety. Burnout, on the other hand, is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion resulting from prolonged stress or frustration. It can lead to a sense of detachment, cynicism, and a decline in job performance. If these feelings persist despite efforts to manage stress, it may indicate burnout, requiring more significant interventions such as seeking professional support and reassessing work-life balance.

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. Though it’s most often caused by problems at work, it can also appear in other areas of life, such as parenting, caretaking, or romantic relationships.

Distress (the negative impact of being in a stressful situation) is situational and goes away once the situation also ends. However, burnout is a constant persistent feeling the prevents us from doing things that we want and enjoy. It's like running on low battery in life

Stress is when your body reacts to pressure and demands with a burst of energy, faster heartbeat, and more alertness. But burnout can happen when stress has gone on for too long, draining your energy and motivation. It's more than just feeling exhausted — it's feeling empty, as if you have nothing left to give.

Get enough sleep (at least seven hours per day). Eat a healthy diet (mostly plant-based). Exercise regularly. Meditate or practice relaxation techniques. Be positive and assertive. Manage your time effectively. Set limits and say no to excessive demands. Make time for hobbies and interests. Seek out social support. Avoid alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviors.

Use your PTO. Don't wait until the end of the year when it's about to expire. If you don't have a long vacation planned, take a random Friday and enjoy a three-day weekend. Take a half-day and go get a massage. Take care of yourself, even if it's just shutting off the alarm and sleeping in.

Good boundaries and work life balance are essential. Having non-productivity focus for a few hours each week helps. This means doing things just because you enjoy them not because there is an outcome or result you want from them. That's essential in today's world where there is so much emphasis on hustling

If you recognise that you're burnt-out it's essential to first make rest and slowness a priority. Like of we have physical illness we put a pause on things, burnout also requires that. And then slowly and steadily re-engaging with different aspects of life while having a focus on sustainability is important!

1.Admitting you’re burned out. You can’t get better if you don’t acknowledge that your current situation needs to change. 2.Focusing on your health. You’ve been running on empty for a while, so it’s time to refill your tank. 3.Re-evaluating your goals and values. As your health starts to improve, it’s time to use those resources to do some thinking about the situation that led you to burnout. 4.Explore alternative paths and opportunities. Once you have a sense of what needs are being unmet in your life, it’s time to do something about it. 5.Take a break and/or make a change. Once you’ve figured out what you need, you have to actually do it. That’s not always easy, but it is vital to the recovery process.

Na minha vis?o existem várias coisas que você pode fazer para reduzir o estresse, como praticar exercícios físicos, dormir o suficiente, ter uma alimenta??o saudável, técnicas de relaxamento e medita??o e se você está sofrendo de burnout, pode ser necessário procurar ajuda profissional de um psicólogo ou psiquiatra.