I worked out recently that i had been working close to 7 days a week for 17 months. Aside from the odd occasion of a day off from work my screen time told me otherwise & i could slowly feel the effects taking its toll .... the burn out was real 🔥
I should know really, i've had it before - a few years ago actually. I was a shell of a human in the thick of parenting small people, working 2 (often 3 jobs) at a time, aswell as dealing with horrendous endometriosis & adenomyosis .... my body was literally crying out for help with the tiny amounts of energy i had left.
With the help from a long term friend - Beth, who is a naturopath, i got back in front of the flame & made changes to my life to help move through it all. It took a good 6-9 months i think.
Challenges along the way that i learnt i had to change immediately where mainly my exercise routine. At the time i was deep in the heavy lifting of weights, excessive cardio at F45 & undereating. It was a domino effect really - workout more, eat less .... stuck in diet culture even though i knew it was a terrible time for me and my body especially with my chronic health conditions.
Beth helped educate me that a slower paced movement pattern would be my saviour, i started with yoga - but this spicy brain couldnt think about zen & bendy thoughts ... too busy thinking about the walls i wanted to paint and my click & collect.
Then i found pilates, bendy lengthening movements that felt different and strange but right all at the same time. Its been 4.5 years now of the pilates life and ive never looked back.
The other beast to tackle, my endo & adeno. Im sure alot of you have heard it or seen it in the media and can emapthise with a 'bad period' but let me assure you and for the sake of others, it is SO much more then a bad period. At times my period was the least of my worries .... except for the fact it never ended.
Endo is crippling in so many ways, its your bones, its your nerves, its your fatigue & it's all hidden. Then on top of all that through in Adenomyosis (thickening of the internal uterine wall) and you have that to content with also.
It took 5 years for a gynocologist to listen to me and agree a hysterectomy was my best option .... 5 years of crippling pain. All because i wasnt yet 30, interesting how a dr can make those decisions for you but i digress - A hysterectomy at 29 was my best decision to date and although i still have endo & adeno it isnt the crippling day to day pain as it once was.
Back to the story though - burn out ....
A few weeks back i was burning at both ends, the midnight oil - all those sayings, yep it me 🤦🏼♀️ I could feel it coming on again but like last time, you just keep going. Late nights, early mornings, go go go ... it all came to a holt that was a huge wakeup call to me 🌞.
A reset in another state recently, sunshine everyday, no day to day hassles and also no laptop (aside from an hour or 2) .... it woke me up to the cliff i was just hanging on by a thread to.
Whilst i went to the East Coast for a marketing event, i came back with clarity on what i need to implement into my life instead. So since coming back here have been a few changes I’ve made since,
🔅Movement,
I was always putting myself last especially when it came to moving my body. I now consciously make a point of a pilates class 4 mornings a week at a time that’s achievable coz this gal is not a 5am or 6am club girlie. I try to walk the dog most days but lets be honest, he is a lazy 45kg doggo who also isn't overly enthused by leaving a warm patch of sun .. i dont fight it.
🔅Water,
I’ve always been a big water girl but when im at my desk i do fall into the ‘in a minute’ mindset. Got myself a cute Stanley cup as big as my head and have to get up & stretch to fill it. Thats the rule i made internally anyway - so far so good!
🔅 Aeroplane mode,
This spicy brain loves a distraction 😑 so aero mode has been a saviour for me. I let the important people in my life how they can contact me if needed, aero mode on and bam to do list is done!
🔅 Allocating 1 late night a week,
I’m a working mum so my work days are restricted. I allocate 1 late night a week to work and that’s it (before it was 2-3) …. This one was hard! Especially when i realised no one else close to me was doing it then why should i? The list will still be there tomorrow & all my clients have lives so i assume they know i have one also!
Im no hero, trust me i burn dinner most nights & forget alot of shit - watch my instagram
stories for the play by play 😝 BUT i am trying everyday and that’s all that counts 🥰
Tell me your tips - im curious (likely won’t implement but always curious!)
Meg x
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