From Burnout to Balance
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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.
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Lots of people say they’re overwhelmed. But there’s a difference between feeling stressed out and being burned out.
And it can be hard to tell the difference. And even harder to take care of yourself through it and prevent it from happening again.
I invited nationally recognized registered dietitian nutritionist, healthy cooking expert, and speaker, Patricia Bannan, MS, RDN on my live-streaming show Inside Scoop to learn the difference, how to prevent burnout, and her new book From Burnout to Balance.
Here are four things to know about burnout.
1) Stressed Out vs. Burned Out
We can’t avoid stress. At different points in our lives we’ll face a stressful situation at work, a health scare, or just a harder day. That’s normal.
“Stress is when you might be overly connected, overly committed to every task at play. And burnout is when that stress has taken such a toll that you just start to disconnect,” Patricia said.
If you’re losing sleep consistently, having a hard time focusing, or feeling less emotionally connected to the people or tasks that bring you joy, you’re probably experiencing burnout. “If you’re starting to feel energy exhaustion or depletion, you’re either in burnout or headed towards burnout,” Patricia added.
When left untreated, it can cause more serious responses. Patricia experienced this on a vacation to Sedona, Arizona. “I kind of started to unwind and then I couldn’t rewind,” Patricia explained.
I’ve experienced this myself. (In my book Listful Living, I talk about ignoring my body and having my appendix burst.) So it’s important to check in on how you feel and adjust accordingly. Especially if you’re female…
2) Women and Burnout.
Both men and women can experience burnout. However, it’s more common in women. And that’s partially due to home responsibilities.
While it’s challenging to balance work and a family for men and women. “Women have different challenges,” Patricia explained. “You have to parent like you don’t have work, and you have to work like you’re not a parent. And women in general are much more responsible for home chores, home maintenance,” she added.
And that idea permeates to the workplace as well. “Women are often assumed to, or asked to take on more at every level, no matter where they are. Or the office things. ‘Can you be responsible for this party or for someone’s birthday or for picking something up?’” Patricia said.
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3) Decision Fatigue.
Decision Fatigue is real. “We make 33 decisions in a day,” Patricia said, “and we make about 200 decisions a day just about food.”
I’m exhausted just hearing that. And for many people, those decisions aren’t just about yourself. That includes your partner or child. It can become overwhelming to constantly ask, “What are we going to feed these people? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks – it can become too much,” she explained.
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4) From Burnout to Balance.
One way to help yourself avoid burnout is by figuring out your priorities (there’s an exercise in my book Listful Living to do this) and setting up boundaries to protect your time. And another is to start using lists for your everyday tasks, like meal planning.
Patricia’s book From Burnout to Balance not only has tips about how to prevent and treat burnout, but also great recipes that can help you plan your meals in advance. This can help alleviate stress and decision fatigue.
What you eat also has an impact on feeling burned out. “Probiotics for gut health, helps with mood. And Vitamin C helps immunity,” Patricia said. The recipes in her new book are flavorful, easy to make, and have nutrients that help support the work you’re doing to de-stress your life as much as you can.
For more information about Patricia Bannan and From Burnout to Balance, check out her instagram page (where she regularly posts giveaways). And watch our entire conversation for more tips (and Patricia’s favorite recipe) here.
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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.
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