Burnout is a phrase that has been floating around for some time now, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
The medical condition has been categorised as extreme exhaustion and fatigue, which can be triggered from being overworked and overwhelmed, whether that is due to work, balancing parenthood with your career, and even social life.
Burnout presents itself in different ways for different people, but it is reversible, when you recognise it.
In most cases some much-needed time out, self-care, switching off from your phone, and emails, is advised, there are other aids to help combat the overwhelming feeling.
What is burnout?
According to CEO of the mental health and addiction treatment centre The Beekeeper House, Robert Common, who hosts retreats in Thailand to combat burnout, has described it as "a form of exhaustion caused by constantly feeling overwhelmed or swamped. It results from prolonged emotional, physical, and mental stress that can take a real toll on your mind and body."
For some, burnout can be the impact of work life, as well as "domestic burdens in terms of household chores", said Robert.
Despite claims of a four-day working week, some may be forced to work long 12-hour shifts, or weekends, and even late nights, all of which can take its toll on the body mentally and physically.
Robert has claimed: "recent research shows that women are more than a third (32%) more likely than men to experience burnout".
Burnout does not necessarily include extreme fatigue, as Robert has described the condition as a "a constant sense of fatigue that no amount of sleep or rest seems to resolve."
It can be a double-edged sword as while it can cause crippling fatigue, burnout can also plaque sufferers with sleep issues, such as chronic exhaustion, insomnia, bad dreams.
Burnout can take its toll on productivity levels, with your mind busy with things to do, combined with extreme tiredness, trying to concentrate can be a battle.
Robert has also stated other symptoms may include personality changes, with people feeling disengaged from work, life, social activities, as well as friendships and relationships.
However, there are ways to combat burnout, as Robert enthused: "Firstly, understanding stress and how you manage it is essential to avoiding and recovering from burnout. Resilience (our capacity for stress) varies from person to person, and today, emerging testing methods can actually give us insight into our individual stress thresholds. Getting tested will help you identify where you might need to employ additional management techniques.
"It’s also key to remember that the mind and body work as one; the stress contributing to burnout can be as much a physical burden as a mental one. More and more evidence shows mindful practices like meditation and yoga are extremely effective for managing and treating burnout."
How to recover from burnout?
Ultimately burnout is subjective to each individual, which means treating it can vary too.
Some may find switching off, going off grid, booking a wellness retreat, or cosy cottage break could be just what the doctor ordered.
Some may find signing up to fitness classes, going for a run, or walk, and just being out in the open air is grounding enough.
When your to-do list feels overwhelmingly long putting pen to paper, and prioritising certain tasks can help, as well as journaling your thoughts to offload those negative feelings in a safe space.
Shop tried and tested burnout recovery aids to help you in your journey
Write in a wellness journal
For those who feel a little burned out, the Joy Wellness Journal may be a step to put pen to paper and address any concerns, thoughts or feelings impacting your mental health.
The book includes a wellness map, as well as dedicated pages to air your intentions, goals and dreams for the future, so you can look forward in a positive direction.
The journal also features 12 weeks of overview pages, so you can log everything from the hours of sleep you enjoyed, water intake, self-care ideas, thoughts, and what you’re thankful for, plus much more, so you can monitor your feelings.
Joy Wellness Journal, £26, Papier
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Take time to self reflect
Mal Paper is one of the leading wellness brands on some people’s radars.
The Mal Paper Questions to Empower Card Deck includes 52 cards emblazoned with different questions to start conversations, provoke new thoughts, inspire journaling sessions, and help you to check in with yourself, and your emotions.
Questions can range from “What does happiness mean to me?”, and encourages you to motivate yourself and see the positives.
Mal Paper Questions To Empower Card Deck, £13.95, Amazon
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Manifest the life you want
Manifest is one self-help book by influencer, and mindfulness expert, Roxie Nafousi, who has been described as the "Queen of Manifesting", in the description section.
This text breaks down seven steps to reach inner peace and confidence, as well as manifest your dreams and goals.
Considering it’s a Sunday Times bestseller, and hailed a "roadmap for a more positive way of life", it’s one to invest in.
Manifest by Roxie Nafousi, £13.25, Amazon
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Pamper yourself
This Works is a firm favourite brand for many who are looking for relaxing home, bath and beauty buys, as well as sleep aides.
While some turn to the brand for a relaxing sleep spray to settle the mind, others are looking for a selection of items to help unwind.
This bundle is the step up as it contains the iconic deep sleep pillow spray, as well as bath soak and sleep balm from the deep sleep range.
Burnout can negatively impact people's sleep, which is why this bundle is a must to help lend a helping hand to beat insomnia and restless nights.
this Works Space to Dream Gift Set, £32 (Was £40), Sephora
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Try a calm balm to boost your mood
We have been relying on Skin and Tonic’s balms and wellness products for a while now, and highly recommend, especially the balms.
From the Calm Balm to the Happy Balm, we love them all. They are super simple to use, all you have to do is rub on your pressure points, to help soothe the mind, calm the noise, and boost your mood.
Hypnotherapists recommend rubbing between your hands to warm up the balm and enhance the scent, which you can breathe in during your next breathwork session.
Skin & Tonic Calm Balm, £13, Holland & Barrett
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Hang up a motivational quote
Motivational quotes and affirmation cards are hugely popular to give that much-needed boost, but why not go one step further and have an uplifting poster as wall art so you can always get that vote of confidence.
Desenio has a whole host of prints to fill your room, home office, lounge, and any wall space you have free.
This poster reads: "Someday everything will make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason. Today will never come again. Be a friend. Encourage someone. Take time to care. Let your words heal and not would. Love, love, love, because love conquers all"- sentiments we love.
The Letter Poster, £32.95, Desenio
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Grow your own plants
Being outdoors is said to have a major impact on your mental health, and bringing the outdoors inside, can also work wonders to lift your spirits.
This Herboo Balcony Grow Box is filled with seeds to watch flowers bloom and watch herbs flourish on your window ledge, perfect for those living in a house, cottage or flatshare.
Herboo balcony grow box, £20, Oliver Bonas
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Light a calming candle
Scented candles are a popular choice for shoppers to go to when planning a self care day, so why not stock up on Neom’s Luxury De-Stress candle to help ease the mind.
Light this candle for a long soak in the bath, or have it lit while working away. The candle is made from soothing aromatherapy oils, which work to help you relax.
NEOM Real Luxury De-Stress Travel Scented Candle, £16, Lookfantastic
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Try an acupressure mat
Bed of Nails has created an acupressure mat to help achieve salon-worthy treatments in the comfort of your own home.
The Bed of Nails acupressure mat has been inspired by Indian mystics’ healing and meditation methods, which features small spikes, that work to alleviate aches and pains, combat sleeplessness, as well as cellulite.
Bed of Nails Acupressure Mat, £70, Cult Beauty
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Enjoy a lavender body wrap
Lavender is known to have soothing and calming effect on people, which is why the Zhu Zhu Lavender Body Wrap is a must to soothe aches, pains, rheumatism, migraines, stress, and more.
This body wrap works as a hot pack or heat therapy, as it relieves stress and tension wherever it is placed on the body, while also working to calm the mind, and help customers to relax.
Zhu Zhu Lavendar Body Wrap, £11.99, Amazon
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Sleep with a weighted blanket
A weighted blanket has seen a surge in sales in recent years, as it not only works to keep you warm, but the weighted design provides pressure stimulation to reduce stress.
This design not only helps you to relax, but also encourages users to fall asleep faster, and enjoy a deeper sleep, as it aims to make you feel you are being cradled to sleep.
Emma Hug Weighted Blanket, £49, Robert Dyas
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Run a nice long bath
ESPA is a brand found in many spas and hotels, and now our homes too.
The Positivity range is made from aromatherapy oils and natural products to nourish the skin, calm the mind and lift your mood.
This bundle contains a trio of hero products from ESPA’s positivity range, including the Bath and Body Oil, Positivity Candle, and Positivity Point Oil.
Each product can be used individually, or in one sitting, to give you that needed boost.
ESPA Positivity Massage Bundle, £75, Lookfantastic
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Sleep on a silk pillowcase
For those struggling to sleep, a silk pillowcase could help you get those all important z’s.
A silk pillowcase is soft to the touch, but also gentle on the face, and hair, so you will wake up looking a little more refreshed even if you had a broken slumber.
Slip Silk Pillowcase, £89, Lookfantastic
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Have a good night's sleep
We love a sleep mask, as it cuts out the light, and any distractions, which could cause you to stay awake at night.
What we love about CurrentBody x Dr. Harris Anti Wrinkle Sleep Mask features soft pads, which have been strategically placed around the eye to combat any signs of ageing, while also targetting the pressure points around your forehead, which you can massage to help relieve any tension.
More importantly, this eye mask, which is delicate on the eye area, can help achieve a restful night’s sleep and can have huge benefits on your mood.
Dr. Harris Anti-Wrinkle Sleep Mask, £59.99, CurrentBody
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Eat healthy
For those who feel overwhelmed juggling everything may find setting time aside to cook a full meal a little daunting, or - dare we say it - a waste of precious time.
However, eating a nutritious meal, which is speedy to cook, will not only take a weight off your mind, and not eat into your busy schedule, but will also fuel you through your busy schedule.
Eating a healthy meal, packed with protein and nutrients, without refined sugars or carbs to trigger energy crashes, is important, and could make a drastic improvement to those feelings of burnout.
Mindful Chef boxes, from £20, Mindful Chef
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Get a Health Assessment
Those suffering with burnout could be battling food intolerance, deficiencies, or other health issues, and The Organic Pharmacy has a range of health assessments, supplements and skincare essentials, to help you be your best self and address any health issues.
The Health Assessment with Quantum/EIS in particular assesses your vitamin and mineral levels, possible organ function, hormones, viruses, bacteria, digestive disorders, stress and food intolerances, plus much more, so you can find any possible factors contributing to your low mood.
Health Assessment with Quantum/EIS, £160, The Organic Pharmacy
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Try light therapy
A Lumie lamp is one of our personal favourites to boost our mood, and get our sleep pattern back on track.
It acts as light therapy to combat SAD, as the light simulates sunrise and sunsets to help you wake up naturally and unwind after a long day. You can also double it up as a desk lamp too, which is perfect for all times of year.
Lumie Sunrise Alarm Wake up to Daylight Table Lamp, £42.49, John Lewis and Partners
Invest in the right vitamins and supplements
JS Health Vitamins is a brand many celebrities love, including Rochelle Humes.
There are a variety of supplements to shop to suit all health needs, including menopause, hair loss, collagen, as well as anxiety and stress, plus much more.
The Anxiety and Stress kit contains herbal tinctures to combat anxiety and ease stress levels. You can purchase the kit as a one off or subscription so you are never left without.
Anxiety + Stress Kit, £63.99 (Was £69.99), JS Health
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Write in a Do List list
If you are feeling overwhelmed, sometimes writing a to-do list is a way to manage those plates you are juggling.
The planner features 52-pages, which can be ripped out when complete to make for a super satisfying checklist.
It also features daily segments to write your tasks, as well as a habit tracker to help you navigate a healthier lifestyle and make time for positive routines to lift your mood.
To Do List Notebook, £6.99, Amazon
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