Understanding and Overcoming Burnout

You have a deadline approaching. You need to finish a draft of your manuscript, but you can’t get it right. You’ve been at it for weeks, working endlessly. You have to drag yourself to your desk, but once you’re there the words just don’t come to you. You’re running out of time and things are only getting worse.

Does that sound familiar?

That’s just one example of how burnout can creep up on you. It happened to me at the beginning of the summer, and I tried to white-knuckle my way through it. Spoiler alert: that doesn’t work.

Put it in perspective:
A cheetah can top out at ~ 75mph for 30 second bursts. But, a cheetah can maintain a slower speed of 30 – 40mph for 30 minutes.
A cheetah can give a hunt 100% of their effort for 30 seconds, or they can put in 50% for 60-times longer.

Burnout occurs when you exceed your emotional and mental limitations for too long. A cheetah’s heart and lungs would give out if she tried to sprint 75 mph constantly. The same goes for you and me. We can’t maintain a mental or emotional sprint indefinitely.
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Let’s take a minute to talk more about burnout—what it is, what causes it, and how you can cope with it. I’ll focus on burnout from a writer’s perspective, but this can happen to anyone in any profession. 

What causes burnout?

1. Overloading. This happens when you try to do too much at once. For example, this spring, I was trying to submit a short story for publication, write a new short story, draft a full-length novel, and query a completed manuscript
2. Long hours. The amount of time you spend working can contribute to burnout, too, especially if it interferes with your sleep schedule or leisure time
3. Lack of control. You consistently feel like you have no control over your workload, your life, or the outcomes

Recognizing the signs of a burnout:

1. Fatigue. This is more than just being tired. Some symptoms may be the inability to concentrate, lack of motivation, muscle weakness, or persistent low energy
2. Cynicism. Cynical people are often distrustful and believe that things won't work out well
3. Lack of accomplishment. This is often blindness to the things you do well and hyper-fixation on your failures 

In mid-July, I found myself rattling off long lists of things I was doing wrong or even just not improving at fast enough. I felt like I didn't have control over anything and didn’t have the energy to fix it.

How do you cope with burnout?
If that sounds like you, too, don’t worry. There are ways to address burnout.

1. Cut back. Burnout can be caused by too much work pulling you in too many directions. Take a step back, reprioritize your tasks, and cut out the things that aren’t necessary. For example, I put two of my projects on hold until I finished the other two
2. Take care of yourself. Prayer or meditation can help you manage your mental and emotional health. Even just 5 or 10 minutes a day can help. Your physical health is important, too. Remember to exercise, eat well, and get enough sleep. This shouldn’t add extra stress to your life. Making small changes to your routine can have big impacts over time
3. Build a community. Surround yourself with people who care and who understand your situation. If you’re a writer, try to find a writing community—even a virtual one

Takeaways:

• Burnout occurs when you exceed your emotional and mental limits for too long
• Recognize your limits and respect them. It’s not a sign of failure—it’s just a part of being human
• Remember to take care of yourself. Prioritize your health, limit your workload, and surround yourself in a support community