Restore, Repair, Reframe, Redefine - Success After Burnout

Author: Candyce Hunt (Co-Founder 5 Minute Career Hack)

Nearly 3 in 5 employees reported negative impacts of work-related stress, including lack of interest, motivation, or energy (26%) and lack of effort at work (19%). Meanwhile, 36% reported cognitive weariness, 32% reported emotional exhaustion, and an astounding 44% reported physical fatigue—a 38% increase since 2019 (Association Psychological Association 2021 Work and Well-being Survey).

Many like to refer to burnout in the occupational text, but the job is not the source of your burnout. We have ownership of our well-being and our lifestyle. Healing from or preventing burnout is not one single action, but a series of lifestyle hacks.

I call this lifestyle change the “Journey of RE".

RESTORE, REPAIR, REFRAME, REDEFINE

Success After Burnout

Depending on your state of being, you can decide where to start.

RESTORE - Close the stress cycle.

• Taking time for yourself to get rest and relaxation, even if it’s a staycation. Cry freely, laugh loudly, and leave time to DO NOTHING at least once per day.
• Do Something that you Like or love every day for at least 5-10 minutes. Reading, hobbies, music, creative expression, or enjoying nature.
• ASK FOR HELP. Be willing to receive what you have given. Reach out to a professional or loved one when you feel lost.

REPAIR - Own your healthy lifestyle routines.

• Prioritize your sleep. You need 7-9 hours to live a full and healthy life. Your body is in full recovery and repair mode when you sleep.

• Speak your body's language. Exercise is key to closing the stress cycle and you need at least 30 minutes per day.

• Eat to live. Keep your cortisol out of overdrive with an anti-inflammatory diet.

• Practice self-care with gratitude, meditation, journaling, affirmations & daily breathing.

REFRAME - Face your internal dialogue, with integrity and love.

• Check your well-being account balance. Self-reflect daily and notice how you REALLY feel, without judgment. Take your problem-solving hat off and just acknowledge that feeling and FEEL IT.
• What are you thinking about? Are your thoughts helpful or harmful?  Find your negative thought patterns, challenge it, then decide to keep or replace them.
• Love yourself through it. Even when you don’t feel ok, remember that you're normal and reserve the right to return to restore and repair.

REDEFINE - Make it personal.

• Ask yourself:
• What does success mean to me today? Do I own that definition or is it shaped by family, culture, and society?
• What matters to me? What brings me joy? Take time to think about these questions and write down your answers.
• OWN IT. What do you want and who do you want to be? Redefine success in terms of what fuels your belief in yourself, your personal business, and your bank account.
• Define your goals:
• Make a list of goals that help you BE the person you listed above.
• Spend some time daily visualizing your achievement, take in the feeling, and start early appreciation.
• Take action:
• Is it a Dual Career? Leap into building a 6-figure business? Selling color paper clips at your local farmers market? Or maybe a complete career transition. Create your timeline and take small steps each day to bring it to life.
• Cleanse your circle: Surround yourself with mentors, friends, and family who have been there or are growing with you. Like-minded individuals will love, challenge, and support you along this journey of RE.
• Celebrate yourself:
• Recognize your wins, no matter how big or small. It's healthy to "like" your own life posts before others do. Your approval matters first.

Again, it is not a one-and-done. Life is constantly changing, and failure is always an option. Stay flexible, and be willing to adjust as needed, without self-doubt or judgment. You will face obstacles or setbacks as long as you live, and if you are living in your RE, you will still experience stress, so be realistic.

This RE journey is about you taking 100% ownership of everything that stress and burnout can or have taken from you: energy, peace, boundaries, belief in yourself, and healthy living years.  Regain ownership of your well-being, time, and success starting today.