If you are feeling sluggish, tired, and lacking energy, you are not alone. A 2024 survey of 2,000 adults, conducted by Talker Research for MD Live, found 31% feel more tired than average and that 58% reported that feeling tired keeps them from enjoying life. And that tired feeling may linger despite eating healthy, getting eight hours of sleep, exercising, and drinking more water. If that is the case, chances are you are burned out.
In his book, “The Paradox of Choice,” Barry Schwartz, notes that the more choices we have to make, the more taxing it is on our brain. He begins with small ways to minimize choices, from deciding the night before what you will wear in the morning to planning the week’s menu on Sunday so it is less taxing than deciding at 5 p.m. what you are going to eat for dinner. Schwartz says these good-enough decision-makers, “satisficers,” are more optimistic and less depressed than those “maximizers” who feel every choice has to be perfect. Save your energy for the bigger decisions you have to make all day long.
There are higher stake issues like deciding whether to stay or leave your job. Thinking about these bigger decisions earlier in the day minimizes the brain-drain. Taking 15 minutes of solitude early in the morning without interruptions or distractions can prove valuable in weighing your options and making a plan.
Identifying Burnout
While everyone goes through periods of less energy, these episodes are different from true burnout. Burnout means feeling habitually exhausted, often feeling cynical and negative. These emotions can lead to less efficiency at work, making more mistakes, and taking longer to complete tasks. This sense of burnout often emanates from how we feel about ourselves and how we are treated in our workplace. For men, this often feels like depersonalization, where you feel emotionally separate from your work. With women, there is often emotional exhaustion. In general, there is a decreased sense of accomplishment and a feeling that you are working harder for less meaning.
Aside from feeling depleted yourself, your attitude also affects people around you. No matter how much the people in your life care about you and want the best for you, they can’t change your situation or attitude. You are the only one who can do that.
Career coach Rachel Montañez recommends asking yourself, “What is the most meaningful thing or things I’ve done in my career?” Focus on just the last two or three years. Thinking of your strengths and value can give you an idea of the kind of work you need for more job satisfaction. Talking to your boss or taking a much-needed break may help to come up with some fresh ideas.
Tips for Fighting Fatigue
In the meantime, try some of these stressbusters to help your fatigue:
- • Pay attention to your posture. Stay upright and aligned, sit with both feet flat on the floor, support your lower back with a firm pillow
- and have your calves an inch or two away from the chair. This is especially important when working long hours on the computer.
- • Social media fatigue is a state of mental and emotional exhaustion. It is easy to go down that deep, dark hole. Set a timer to save hours of your life, and energy
as well. - • Be cognizant of the daily “breaking news” on war and politics. These issues impact your well-being and energy level.
- • Rather than listening to the news, scan printed headlines and choose which brain-draining news cycles you want
to read. - • Set a time to get outside for at least 15 to 30 minutes every day and notice
the difference. - • Look over your daily routine. What decisions could you make ahead of time?
- • Create harmony at home to provide the best protective factor.
Recognize that burnout can overlap with depression, anger, anxiety, rage, or grief. If your concerns persist for more than a few weeks, you might want to talk to your HR department or a professional who has the training, expertise, and objectivity to help you make a plan. A career counselor can also be beneficial in guiding you in your career path. Remember, action cures fear.
Susan McKeown, APRN (ret), CPS, MFA, is an author and speaker. She is a certified prevention specialist, educating and advocating on issues of mental health and substance misuse. She can be reached at Beyondthefirstdance.com
