Stop and Listen

Most of us that live in a big city tend to have a faster-paced life - that’s no secret! But is it possible to live at this fast pace forever or is it inevitable that you’ll eventually BURNOUT? I think the answer is an obvious one as we all need to slow down from time to time, but the term ‘burnout’ is a new one to me so I thought a rhetorical question might be the quirkiest way to introduce it in this blog!

Recently, the words ‘burn out’ has been following me like an irritating mosquito and I’ve really been struggling to shake it off - well that was before I truly understood what being burnt out meant, so I googled it:

Definition: Burned out - ruin one's health or become completely exhausted through overworking

Although it was initially hard to open up to my team about my poor mental health, it was one of the best things I could’ve done. Suffering in silence often makes the suffering worse and even though it was scary to do, I felt the world’s weight drop from my shoulders afterwards.

Taking a break was one of the biggest things suggested for this relentless mental fatigue and I felt fine during the breaks but the moment that the work started to pile up again I fell back into the same trap, each time falling into burn-out mode quicker than the last. It got to the point where I realised I could no longer tackle this from the surface, I needed to dig down to the roots to find the cause.

So I meditated, I spent more time alone, I invested my time into creativity and I did whatever I could to look within myself - eventually the answer was simple, my place of work was no longer serving as a positive impact in my personal life... so I took this as a sign that it was time to depart. This was an extremely difficult decision to make as I have a deep connection to my place of work and the people that I work with but in the depths of my heart, I knew it was for the best. After confirming my decision to leave, my mental health dramatically improved and a new lust for life was ignited!

Since handing in my notice 2 weeks ago the opportunities have been pouring in! I’m working on myself the hardest I’ve ever worked and the future is looking promising - It’s exciting!

The message here is:

1. Listen to your body and mind. Your instincts are usually correct.

2. Reaching out for help may be terrifying but you’ll quickly realise it’s one of the best things you can do; there will always be someone somewhere who will be able to understand and help.

3. Spend time alone to dig deep within yourself. Figure out what it is you truly need.

4. Take risks.

5. No matter how fast-paced life is, find your moment to stop and breathe - there is clarity to be found this way.

Written by Shanice Sewell