sarakingdom Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 So, like, guess what word has been turning up in challenge after challenge this time around? Yeah. That's the one. Herbal tea to the right, beanbag chairs to the left. In theory, there are ways to deal with burnout, but who can remember them when burnt out? (I mean, apart from "sleep, exercise, healthy diet", which kind of applies to everything.) So here's a place to post some stuff and recap some stuff for the benefit of your frazzled neighbors. And if nothing else, there's tea. 11 1 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 I'm not sure what I make of this one. On the plus side: Lately I'm on a big rest and recovery kick. We kind of accept the need to do it with workouts, but we're deeply trained out of it in life. And this does touch on that. That's a plus. The need for strength awareness. The basic synopsis of her recommendation: Navigate the negativity. Expect it. Compensate for it. Look for the good that can come from the situation. Get "courageously curious". I presume this is "be okay with the uncomfortable questions". Be your own disruptor. That's a lot of buzzword to say "set your own boundaries". 3 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 Rest, rest, some buzzwords, rest. I actually liked this one, although, damn, he burned out harder than anyone I've ever heard of. His triggers to recognize: Nervous system is overstimulated, sleep becomes poor Mind doesn't accept overexertion Emotional regulation starts to fail Management tips: Time to do nothing and recover is essential and often the first thing we get rid of Escaping burnout requires social bonds, because you are one of the sources of pressure (Okay, I like this one in part because my recent strategy has been giving myself regular breaks through the day to do nothing but rest my brain, preferably with minimal sensory input, and this supports all my current suppositions, and thus is excellent.) 3 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 (French press works nicely, too.) 4 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Yasha92 Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 *sets up in a cozy beanbag with a biiiiiig chamomile/vanilla tea * Ive previously burnt out (real bad), and recently caught myself spiralling towards that again. Am in therapy, working on accepting “good enough”, and have found some memes that really struck a chord. Sharing these pics in case someone else can benefit from them. 18 Quote Mini | | Jan 16 || Feb 16 || Mar 16 || April 16 || July-Aug 16 || Aug-Sep 16 . || Sep-Oct 16 || Oct-Nov 16 || Dec 16 || Jan 17 || March 17 || April 17 || May 17 || August 17 || Sep 17 || Oct 17 || Grind it out || Jan 18 || Feb 18 || April 18 || May June 18 || Nov 18 || Oct 19 || Early 2020 || Halfway thru 2020 || Yasha High-5s herself || Jan 2023 || Current Challenge: Yasha holds steady (Feb-Mar 2023) Link to comment
Grizzy Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 One thing I've found is not only do I need to rest, but I need to work on not feeling guilty about the rest. The rest is less restful when I feel bad about it, as it's interrupted with thoughts of what I should be doing, background planning for those things. I've had to repeat to myself that I deserve this rest, and sometimes I believe it? 3 Quote Challenge Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 12 hours ago, Grizzy said: One thing I've found is not only do I need to rest, but I need to work on not feeling guilty about the rest. The rest is less restful when I feel bad about it, as it's interrupted with thoughts of what I should be doing, background planning for those things. I've had to repeat to myself that I deserve this rest, and sometimes I believe it? I think it does take some mindset change, yeah. First to do it at all, second to do it usefully without just spending the time stressing, and third to keep doing it in maintenance amounts. 1 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 By the way, we're on an herbal tea standard around here because my instinct has always corresponded to that second dude: nervous system overstimulation doesn't help, so caffeine gets dropped (or used very rarely) in a focused burnout recovery effort. There are many forms of stress it's hard to control, but the artificial stress caused by stimulant ingestion is (sadly, I know) one that can be. Fortunately, herbal tea is fantastic. 2 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Dusk Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 I love this thread! I don't love that so many of us are experiencing burnout right now though. Hopefully we can all help each other along With guidance from my therapist, I've had to do a lot of trial and error and adjusting how much I expect of myself. Because, unfortunately, I don't have that much brain power lately; so I have to be strategic about how I use it. That has shaped up lately to "only plan one major task per day". This works for several reasons: - If it's a low energy day, I can still usually do just one thing; - If I only have one thing on my to-do list, it's much less overwhelming to my subconscious; - If I get done with the one thing and still have energy left, I often end up doing other tasks anyway. Double dopamine: getting things done AND it feels like a bonus because it wasn't on my list Also: I try to alternate days between "school tasks" and "home tasks", so I get a longer mental/emotional break between each thing. This may not work for everybody; admittedly it only works for me right now because my only "job", other than house chores, is writing my master's report, so I have a lot of flexibility with my schedule. This will look far different once I'm graduated and in the regular workforce. But I thought I'd throw it out there anyway; maybe it will spark an idea for someone, or they can adjust it to fit their own life better. 5 1 Quote Link to comment
KeysMcGee Posted May 9, 2021 Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 Love the videos. Now I'mma go trim my peppermint plant and make some peppermint tea. 3 2 Quote "When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." -Henry Ford "The older I get, the more I understand that the only way to say valuable things is to lose your fear of being correct." -Malcolm Gladwell "If you know the way broadly, you will see it in all things." -Miyamoto Musashi Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 1 hour ago, theflyingaccountant said: Love the videos. Now I'mma go trim my peppermint plant and make some peppermint tea. I've got a lot of dried to get through, but, honestly, nothing is like fresh. Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2021 5 hours ago, Dusk said: That has shaped up lately to "only plan one major task per day". This works for several reasons: - If it's a low energy day, I can still usually do just one thing; - If I only have one thing on my to-do list, it's much less overwhelming to my subconscious; - If I get done with the one thing and still have energy left, I often end up doing other tasks anyway. Double dopamine: getting things done AND it feels like a bonus because it wasn't on my list Also: I try to alternate days between "school tasks" and "home tasks", so I get a longer mental/emotional break between each thing. My biggest dilemma is how to juggle work things and home things. I do have a fair amount of flexibility right now, but also a ton of backlog to get through. Still, this might be a useful approach. Kind of a daunting juggling act as things start going back to normal, though. 2 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Asha Phoenix Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 6 hours ago, sarakingdom said: This made me think of a video meme thing I saw the other day. lol Spoiler 1 Quote Sunrunner | LVL 4* 153/195 (78%) “It was difficult to think about worshiping God when so many things were going wrong. Or maybe, she thought, this is the most important time to pray.” ― Trisha White Priebe, The Glass Castle Books in Progress: Just as I am (8%), Circles of Seven (2%) Inktober52 | 2023 Books completed: Spoiler Roadmaps: 2023 | Previous Challenges: 17,16,15,14,13,12,11,10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 Link to comment
DarK_RaideR Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Never had any burnout issues, but I did recently perform some pruning, like quitting a part time job and dropping out of a bunch of gaming activities, so I can relate, especially as far as those memes go. Following for good advibes (this is now a word) 4 Quote Lvl 52 Ranger Current Challenge Tracker Link to comment
Jean Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Thanks for the topic and the positivity! On 5/9/2021 at 7:37 AM, Grizzy said: One thing I've found is not only do I need to rest, but I need to work on not feeling guilty about the rest. I find that's a very hard thing to do. Rest is easy when I get down real bad but as I start to recover? Well, "how can you rest when you should be tackling things? They're falling down as you recover! You can handle it!" Accepting that I should rest even when I'm not broken is usally pretty hard. Hard to understand whether it's only me putting that pressure on myself or if my surroundings objectively hold some of it too. Sending a thought to all of y'all. 2 Quote Legally bound to hug people in need. Living life as a Druid is about walking with the beasts. It's about being scared, looking your fears in the eyes and going on anyway. Dread doesn't go away, you just learn to know it. It's still a beast, it still has fangs, but you walk among it. Link to comment
Grizzy Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 4 hours ago, Jean said: Thanks for the topic and the positivity! I find that's a very hard thing to do. Rest is easy when I get down real bad but as I start to recover? Well, "how can you rest when you should be tackling things? They're falling down as you recover! You can handle it!" Accepting that I should rest even when I'm not broken is usally pretty hard. Hard to understand whether it's only me putting that pressure on myself or if my surroundings objectively hold some of it too. Sending a thought to all of y'all. Yes, definitely easier said than done! 1 Quote Challenge Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2021 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2021 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Jarric Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 On 5/10/2021 at 10:04 PM, Jean said: Hard to understand whether it's only me putting that pressure on myself or if my surroundings objectively hold some of it too. That's a really good point - I don't know how you tell one from the other. That would be a good skill to learn though. 1 Quote Level 18 Wood Elf Ranger STR: 14 - CON: 11 - CHA: 3 - SAN: 9 - INT: 13 IAgreeWithTank™ "Shit is going down, but I am not." - iatetheyeti Don't say "I don't have enough time", say instead "that's not a priority right now" and see how that makes you feel. Current Challenge: Jarric's birthday party External: Epic Quest - Instagram - Strava Spoiler Previous Challenges: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Old Stuff: Battle Log - My Introduction - 2017 Road Map - 2018 Road Map - 2019 Road Map - 2021 Road Map - 2022 road map/wrap-up Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted May 13, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 2 minutes ago, Jarric said: That's a really good point - I don't know how you tell one from the other. That would be a good skill to learn though. I think it's an artificial question l in some ways. There's almost no environment without some source of pressure. We're never going to find the ideal situation where we realize we've been putting it all on ourselves for no reason. The hard part is the mindset that we need to rest despite - or because of - the pressure of the environment. I don't think we get the luxury of a situation that neatly resolves itself without us confronting the mindset of powering through everything the hard way. 3 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Jean Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 54 minutes ago, sarakingdom said: There's almost no environment without some source of pressure. I'd say some still qualify as abuse and that we may personally resonate more with some than with others. Sometimes, switching environment is part of the solution. Most times, that too requires a change in our mindset. I find it important and part of my mindset switch to identify which parts of my environment have a more decisive impact on my reactions and to change them too. 2 Quote Legally bound to hug people in need. Living life as a Druid is about walking with the beasts. It's about being scared, looking your fears in the eyes and going on anyway. Dread doesn't go away, you just learn to know it. It's still a beast, it still has fangs, but you walk among it. Link to comment
Jarric Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 2 hours ago, sarakingdom said: I think it's an artificial question l in some ways. There's almost no environment without some source of pressure. We're never going to find the ideal situation where we realize we've been putting it all on ourselves for no reason. The hard part is the mindset that we need to rest despite - or because of - the pressure of the environment. I don't think we get the luxury of a situation that neatly resolves itself without us confronting the mindset of powering through everything the hard way. No, I think there is valid action to be taken arising out of that question, because I don't believe that one needs an environment free from pressure. We all have a tolerance for pressure, and as long as the stressors in our environment are within that tolerance then that isn't a problem. It's when the cup overflows that issues arise. So if we accept that some stressors are legitimate parts of our environment that we have no power to change, but that others are self-imposed by our own views and standards, then removing just those stressors within our control may be enough to bring us below tolerance level and allow us to deal with environmental stressors comfortably. To give an easy example, at work I have projects with deadlines. Some of those deadlines are non-negotiable and are beyond my control. Others stem from what I believe to be best practice. I can't do anything about the former, but for the latter I can analyse the situation and try to make a decision on whether those deadlines are necessary, based on the perceived consequences of missing them. The skill I would like to learn is identifying whether a deadline (or task, or working practice etc.) is immutable or mutable. 3 Quote Level 18 Wood Elf Ranger STR: 14 - CON: 11 - CHA: 3 - SAN: 9 - INT: 13 IAgreeWithTank™ "Shit is going down, but I am not." - iatetheyeti Don't say "I don't have enough time", say instead "that's not a priority right now" and see how that makes you feel. Current Challenge: Jarric's birthday party External: Epic Quest - Instagram - Strava Spoiler Previous Challenges: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Old Stuff: Battle Log - My Introduction - 2017 Road Map - 2018 Road Map - 2019 Road Map - 2021 Road Map - 2022 road map/wrap-up Link to comment
KeysMcGee Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 38 minutes ago, Jarric said: No, I think there is valid action to be taken arising out of that question, because I don't believe that one needs an environment free from pressure. We all have a tolerance for pressure, and as long as the stressors in our environment are within that tolerance then that isn't a problem. It's when the cup overflows that issues arise. So if we accept that some stressors are legitimate parts of our environment that we have no power to change, but that others are self-imposed by our own views and standards, then removing just those stressors within our control may be enough to bring us below tolerance level and allow us to deal with environmental stressors comfortably. This is a really timely conversation (in fact, the entire thread is) since I'm literally dealing with this right now and I learned that lesson just yesterday evening. To add another dimension, yeah, my work is placing demands on me, but for me at least, more often than not, that pressure is coming from within. Sure, So and So may insist that this work item is urgent (sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't), but it won't register as pressure in my mind unless I think it's stressful or urgent (Sometimes I'm asked to do an urgent thing by next week, but typically only takes me an hour or so to knock out so I just do it now and get it off my plate, so it doesn't end up causing much stress). What I get wrapped up in is the stuff that's more amorphous. "Do this thing" that has no boundaries or clear expectations. Or, worse still, "learn about this subject" and "direct your professional learning path." And since I'm a curious person by nature, I find myself filling hours of my non-work time cramming stuff into my brain (history podcasts, udemy courses, so on) until I'm nearly catatonic because I have to learn all the things!!! Since the pressure's ultimately coming from me, it comes in handy every now and then to step back and check the pressure gauges to see which ones are in the red. And then the hard part comes-convincing myself that 1) I can slow down and rest and 2) I should slow down and rest. 3 Quote "When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it." -Henry Ford "The older I get, the more I understand that the only way to say valuable things is to lose your fear of being correct." -Malcolm Gladwell "If you know the way broadly, you will see it in all things." -Miyamoto Musashi Link to comment
Jean Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 Thanks for sharing, there's useful fuel for thoughts here. 1 hour ago, theflyingaccountant said: 1) I can slow down and rest and 2) I should slow down and rest. I tackle this one by putting as my top priority to stay efficient at work. I can't help anybody when I'm broken, afterall, so if the thing I need to do to keep being able to operate is to take an hour off work and go for a walk, this is what I do (I'm lucky to have that freedom). Having seen several people burn past the recovery point helps being more uncompromising on that point. 2 Quote Legally bound to hug people in need. Living life as a Druid is about walking with the beasts. It's about being scared, looking your fears in the eyes and going on anyway. Dread doesn't go away, you just learn to know it. It's still a beast, it still has fangs, but you walk among it. Link to comment
foxinthenorth Posted May 14, 2021 Report Share Posted May 14, 2021 On 5/9/2021 at 10:39 AM, sarakingdom said: By the way, we're on an herbal tea standard around here because my instinct has always corresponded to that second dude: nervous system overstimulation doesn't help, so caffeine gets dropped (or used very rarely) in a focused burnout recovery effort. There are many forms of stress it's hard to control, but the artificial stress caused by stimulant ingestion is (sadly, I know) one that can be. I do not like this, sam I am... I am generally pretty anxious about what I put into my body, which is probably 100% of the reason I didn't develop an energy drink addiction after the first time I drank half of a Red Bull at age 14 and went into the next class session the most focused and alert I'd ever been in my life. But I got into fancy coffee a few years ago and once work from home started I had time to make a cup of coffee every morning and nowwwwwwww...... Is there like a Dry January for caffeine? 😅😅😅😅 ...after I finish this bag of really delicious Ethiopia light roast I just bought... 2 Quote Respawn Story: Fox and the Lost Kit || Current Challenge: Fox vs. Heavy Things Link to comment
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