And, just like that, it’s Fall. The leaves are turning vibrant colors, the weather is becoming crisper, and the flip flops and shorts are going back into storage. Usually this is the time to talk about back to school, football, and pumpkin spice everything. Although these traditional fall topics are still present in our lives, there is no denying that we still have to make compromises to live a different life than we did in all of our previous Falls. There is a sense of “when will this pandemic ever end” and “will this pandemic EVER end?” We want to know when we can “just go back to normal, the way things used to be”. Many of us are feeling emotionally fatigued. Motivation has dropped, and sitting on the couch in PJ’s sounds much better than getting out to be active, let alone logging into yet another Zoom meeting.
Do you find yourself waking up in the morning and feeling just tired of everything? Is the news getting you down or making you feel anxious to the point where you aren’t sure you can cope with your day? Do you feel a sense of hopelessness that all of the things that used to bring you enjoyment like music concerts, trips to see loved ones, and theatre shows are going to be off limits for longer than we think?
There is a real phenomenon happening today which some call “Pandemic Burnout”. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. What we thought back in March would be largely short term clearly is turning out to be a long haul, and the prolonged stress of dealing with these life changes is having an effect on many of us. Physical symptoms may include headaches, loss of appetite, and disrupted sleep patterns. Emotional symptoms may show up as reclusiveness (even while social distancing), loss of motivation or interest in things that one used to enjoy.
There is no denying that we are in for the long haul. So how can we care for ourselves during Pandemic Burnout?
Make sure that you still are connecting with family and friends. Working from home and socially distancing does not mean being alone. Even if you’re not feeling motivated to make plans, a phone call or a walk outside with a faithful friend who makes you laugh might be the mood booster you need. Just make sure that you aren’t isolating yourself, or are keeping feelings inside with no outlet to express them.
Exercise is also important to boost energy and mood. Doing some cardio, walking, weight training or other exercise activities can boost endorphins which in turn will help to boost your mood. Not feeling motivated? Start with a walk around the block. Put your earbuds in and listen to your favorite music, a podcast you love, or an engrossing audio book. Chances are you'll want to keep going.
Eating a balanced diet of whole foods that are good for you is also an important way to stay healthy, mentally and physically. Minimizing refined and processed foods, and foods that can negatively affect your mood (such as alcohol and caffeine), can help minimize the effects of burnout.
Keep structure. Try to set a daily or weekly schedule and stick to it within reason. When so many things in life feel uncertain, having a routine for many serves as a comfort. The more structure and routine, the less likely you are to spend all day on the couch with a bag of chips. (However, remember self care: If you have a day where you really just need to break the routine, by all means break the routine).
When you’re feeling stressed, engage in some self care. Schedule a massage with Autumn at RT+ or a private yoga session with Lisa.
Finally: spend some time *away* from your phone, the news, and your social media accounts. It is shocking how these things affect our mood. When the news is getting you down, try to remove or at least reduce that from your life. Switch from listening to the news in the car to audio books or music. Turn the TV off at home and tell Alexa to shut down the news show and play some feel good songs.
Pandemic burnout is real and we have all felt it to some degree. We have a long winter ahead of us so start using these tips now to become aware of these feelings of burnout and how to tackle them. At the risk of using this overused phrase: “we are all in this together,” let’s be aware of Pandemic Burnout and support each other together.