That Thin Line Between Balance and Burnout

How are we holding up my friends? Okay, I hope! I started working on a review for The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap, but my brain has decided to strike. It’s been a long week already and so I’m focusing the rest of my energy on walking that thin line between balance and burnout. Last year I took a step back and learned a lot about myself. I learned good coping mechanisms and how to spot when I’m about to descend into a burnout period so that I can reverse it before it starts. Little did I know that I’d be putting those skills to work this year. Oof.

If you too are having a tough go of it this year, let me share some things that help me:

• Journal it out! You don’t have to journal daily, you can jot down your feelings once every other day or once a week. It helps narrow down where you stand, and take you out of flight or fight mode.
• Meal prep when you feel good. Later you will thank you immensely when you don’t feel like making anything and have quick food to reheat. I personally love freezing large batches of soup.
• Spend tech-free time. This one was hard for me to learn, but I’ve started putting my phone in a drawer for a few hours a day so I’m not tempted to pick it up and doom scroll. It helps a lot.
• Schedule things to look forward to. Book club meetings, dinner with friends, or even a movie night featuring your favorite franchise. Having something to look forward to helps keep the week in focus.
• Give yourself grace. This is the most important one for me. Sometimes no matter what you do you’re going to doom scroll, or burnout, or eat takeout 3 days in a row and that’s okay. Give yourself grace. Step back, reassess, and start over. You’ve got this.

Stay safe and well friends! Keep resting and reading.