This newsletter is a little more personal. I struggle with it at times, and I’m sure some of you have too. It’s becoming more and more prevalent in today’s fast-paced society. Which is why I wanted to draw your attention to it. I’m talking about burnout!

What is burnout?

Burnout is described as a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained and unable to meet constant demands. You begin to lose the interest and motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place.

According to Help Guide, burnout “reduces productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.”

Burnout can affect every area of your life, including your personal life, professional life, and social life. It can also cause long-term changes to your body, making you more vulnerable to illnesses like colds and flu, gut issues and hormonal imbalances.

What are the signs and symptoms of burnout?

Burnout is something that occurs gradually. You start to feel tired all of the time, and you begin to lose motivation. But you ignore it. The signs and symptoms are subtle at first, but they slowly become worse as time goes by. If you ignore them for too long, you’ll eventually burn out.

• Physical symptoms: Feeling tired and drained most of the time, frequent illnesses, constant muscle pain and headaches, reduced appetite, poor sleep.

• Emotional symptoms: Sense of failure, self-doubt, helplessness, trapped, defeated, detachment, feeling alone in the world, loss of motivation.

• Behavioural symptoms: Withdrawal from responsibilities, isolation from others, procrastination, using stimulants to cope, taking frustration out on others.

What are the causes of burnout?

Burnout often stems from our jobs or businesses, but it’s not the only cause. From the office worker who hasn’t had a vacation in years, to the frazzled stay-at-home mum looking after young kids, to those looking after an elderly parent, anyone can be at risk of burnout.

• Work-related causes: Feeling like you have little or no control, lack of recognition or reward, unclear or overly demanding expectations, monotonous or unchallenging work, high-pressure environment.

• Lifestyle causes: Working too much, not socialising or relaxing enough, lack of supportive relationships, too many responsibilities, not sleeping enough.

• Personality causes: Perfectionism, pessimism, controlling, high-achieving, Type A personality.

Dealing with burnout

There is no quick fix when it comes to dealing with burnout. But there are certain strategies that you can put in place to help you overcome it before it completely takes over your life.

• Turn to other people: Reach out to those closest to you, be more sociable with coworkers, limit contact with negative people, join a community group that resonates with you, find new friends.

• Reframing the way you look at work: Try to find value in your work, work on creating balance in your life, make friends at work, take time off to rest and reset.

• Re-evaluate your priorities: Set boundaries, take regular breaks from technology, nourish your creative side through projects and hobbies, set aside time to relax and unwind, get enough good quality sleep.

My experience with burnout

I’m sure you have experienced burnout at some point in your life. Maybe you’re experiencing it right now. I know that many of my patients have. And so have I. Most importantly, I want you to know that you’re not alone.

For me, it’s been an incredibly busy few years. In fact, it’s been an incredibly busy decade or more! My personality traits certainly put me at an increased risk of burnout. I struggle to slow down, as I’m sure many of you can relate to. I’m not great taking time to rest, as Hafi will tell you! And I’m constantly striving for more, which is a good thing, but it can also be detrimental at times.

Running my business is great. I’m very proud of what I have achieved. I began my business from scratch and it has grown a lot within two and a half years. But it’s also taken a lot of work. And a hell of a lot of energy. For me, my business is the main thing that leads to burnout. What is it for you?

A lot can happen in life within a short period of time. Getting married, falling pregnant, having children, changing jobs, moving countries, and so on and so on. We often underestimate what we go through in a short space of time. I know that I do. Within the past three years, I have relocated back to Singapore, started my practice, travelled overseas for weddings, got married overseas myself, helped Hafi run his business, and encountered some very stressful, yet uncontrollable situations along the way.

If you look back over the past few years, you might be surprised at how much has happened and how much you have accomplished. Take some time to reflect. And then take a breath! It’s no wonder many of us are burnt out.

My point is this… Be a little kinder to yourself. Take it a little easier if you need to. Don’t be afraid to slow down from time to time, even if it’s for an hour here or an hour there. Look after yourself. For yourself, and for those around you. Reach out to family and friends if you need. Even just for a chat. Sometimes we just need to know that others are experiencing the same thing that we are.

I’m here for you too. Whether that’s through supporting your body nutritionally, calming down your nervous system through adjustments, or simply having a chat, please reach out if you need help. And let’s all take a breath together and slow the pace down a little!