Burnout: It's a form of exhaustion caused by...life. As a result of excess amount of physical, emotional, and/or mental stress, one ends up overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and finds themselves not able to keep up with life's demands. It happens to everyone.

Of course, just as I was starting to change my routine and add some healthier habits into my life, I get burnout - mentally and emotionally exhausted, lacking motivation, consistently tired, etc.

I went from waking up at 3:30 am - 4:30 am everyday and almost immediately getting out of bed to waking up at 5:30 am and staying in bed until 7:00 am simply reading other's posts on dev.to - wow. I miss the overly productive days. These days, I am increasingly forgetful and simply "going through the motions". Days are passing by so much faster as I start them later. I look back at my younger days in elementary school and wonder how I ever slept until noon thinking I was getting the "most out of the day".

Either way, I still have to get all my tasks done for the day. I committed to using my bullet journal every day. I made a promise to myself to meditate, to listen to my audio-books, and eat properly each meal (dinner, lunch, and breakfast). I also recently added the 100 days of code onto my to-do list, but I also know I have a slighter less chance of succeeding the challenge if I am still in this state. I need to get out of it...

How do I get out of burnout?!

1. Identify the stressors
Knowing what your stress triggers are will allow you to avoid or reduce interactions with them.

2. Get or use your support network
Don’t be afraid to lean on others for support, whether those relationships are personal or professional.

3. Get your exercise in
Moving your body will release the tension it holds while producing feel-good hormones like endorphins. This could be as simple as going for a walk each day.

4. Stress management techniques
Stress management techniques such as mindful breathing, intuitive eating, or cardio can only help if you give them a try.

5. Get enough sleep
Not getting enough sleep due to stress poses threats to physical strength, mental focus, and emotional stamina.

6. Say "No", Politely
Try not to take on any new responsibilities or commitments while you're recovering from burnout.

7. Reassess Your Goals
Burnout can occur when your work is out of alignment with your values, or when it's not contributing to your long-term goals.

8. Take some time off
One of the only ways to properly recover is to detach yourself from your work environment for a while. Taking a vacation could in fact be the thing that saves your career to bring you back to rock-star mode.

9. Know your limits
When you are burnt out, it may feel difficult to make decisions, largely due to what is happening in your brain. Ask yourself, Am I over-exerting myself at work? with school? Get really honest and curious about where you’re saying “yes,” tipping yourself over the edge of your capacity.

10. Practice self-compassion
Reminding yourself that healing from burnout is a process and won’t happen from lighting just one candle or taking one bubble bath.