You’re Running To Fit Into Those Size 6 Jeans
You’re running to squeeze into those size 6 (okay size 8 or really any fucking size) jeans
Making the bed so you don’t go crazy
And eat the smoothie because you don’t have time for anything else (maybe it will help you fit into those jeans too.)
It’s a lot. It’s exhausting. And honestly it’s all bullshit.
Your boobs could suddenly be perfect and your tush could be ideal but you know it secretly wouldn’t be enough.
You know it’s not your body. It’s not your work. It’s not your kids or your partner.
It’s all of it… and it’s the fact that suddenly you’re battling the the patriarchy… but you also need to do the dishes and laundry. WTF.
All of this 👆🏼👆🏼 (and more) is why women burnout differently than men.
Solitude is for women.
Solitude is for the woman who is tired.
Who doesn’t have time.
Or who doesn’t make the time.
Because the day to day takes over.
How do you even start healing your burnout??
Burnout most simply is chronic stress. Stress is not only an emotional, mental experience. It is also a physiological, neurological experience. What this means is that EVEN IF you think you are “done” with whatever trigger is stressing you out- your body may not be “done”. This is why we have to complete our stress cycle- we have to cue to our bodies that we are safe again.
Get outside- ideally for 60 minutes in nature. Take a walk for lunch, do your journaling outside, do your workout on the porch. If you can’t do 60 minutes, try walking 5 minutes out the door after each meal. When we are burnt out we struggle to be efficient, creative, inspired, etc. Getting outside, into nature is one of the most effective ways to heal our brains from all of the strain we put on it.
Complete your stress cycle. The most effective & efficient way to do this is 30-60 minutes of physical exercise/ movement. It doesn’t have to be crazy strenuous. It can be a walk, a swim, a run, dancing, yoga, whatever helps you feel like you moved your body. *If that feels like too long, try a 10 minute run or walk. Truly it's just starting to get your body moving and allowing it to fully move through the neurological, physiological process.
Spend time alone- Intentionally, without your technology dinging at you. Make time everyday to take some quality 1:1 time with yourself. This is HARD for a lot of folks. We struggle to put ourselves first, often there is shame and guilt associated with it. DO IT ANYWAYS. Make this accessible for yourself. Maybe you have kids- who can hang out with them for 30 minutes while you do something for you? Maybe you live alone and it feels like you’re always alone anyways, MAKE IT INTENTIONAL. Turn the phone off, create space to truly be. The more time we spend alone without distractions we can then reflect on what needs to change in our lives. When we are burnt out we are failing to give ourselves any time at all to slow down and take inventory of what is going on.
Ask for support. Women especially get sucked into this life. We think we can/have to do it all. Your partner sucks at noticing that the dishes or laundry needs to be done? BE EXPLICIT with them. Make them a list and ask for the list to be completed by a certain time. If you don’t talk about the time frame, then you might end up anxiously waiting for them to get the job done, get fed up and end up doing it anyway. Let others help you.