I called a friend yesterday afternoon because I needed to “verbal vomit” the myriad of stressors at play in my life these days. The good news is that I really am okay, just a little overwhelmed.

My friend listened. And encouraged me. One of the encouragements she shared with me that I want to share with you is that February is just hard. It is a tough time of year for so many reasons even when there isn’t a global pandemic entering its second year.

But, February is also short! And Spring is right around the corner!

I texted my friend this morning to tell her that even though life is just as nutty today as it was yesterday, it still feels a bit more manageable. I can feel excitement and gratitude for the sunshine today. My hope has returned.

This story highlights the difference between burnout and stress.

Stress is temporary. When we are stressed, we can still imagine that if we knock some things off of our list, we will feel better. A good night’s sleep and a little sunshine can make a world of difference.

Burnout, on the other hand, lingers. Instead of feeling like we are drowning in responsibilities, we feel all dried up. And it is hard to imagine ever feeling restored and re-energized again.

This time of year can feel overwhelming. Feelings of anxiety and dread when you’re prepping for a new workweek on Sunday evening and mentally “checking out” around friends and family can be early signs of burnout. The question to consider is whether these signs and symptoms are occasional or chronic.

Not sure if you are experiencing burnout symptoms? Check out my latest resource “Surprising Symptoms of Burnout Checklist” to find out.

One of the things I didn’t realize about burnout–until after I crashed and burned–was that my body had been sending me warning signals for more than a decade; symptoms I didn’t recognize for what they were . . . an SOS from my body. This resource will help you identify symptoms of burnout sooner rather than later.

I also want to ask a favor. Will you share this resource “Surprising Symptoms of Burnout Checklist” with your network through whatever medium works for you (e.g., social networks, email, human resources intranet sites, etc.)? The more people who understand that burnout is a real but also preventable and recoverable process, the healthier we all (individually and collectively) can become.

Love,
Booth

p.s. Want to know three things I wish I had known about burnout decades ago? Check out Episode 59 of the Freedom from Empty podcast.

p.s. The Six Steps to Stress Recovery and Burnout Prevention are available for purchase. Not surprisingly, stress and burnout rates are on the rise. If you’re feeling stress and burnout following you into 2021, walk with me through a step by step process for staying connected and calibrated.