It’s no secret that the many troubles and worries of the world these days can sometimes be just too overwhelming. In combination with the many stresses that we often deal with in our personal lives, it can all become just too much to bear.
If you’ve recently found yourself feeling uninspired, burnt out or emotionally drained because of all that you’re dealing with, then you may be struggling with figuring out how to properly pull yourself out of that rut.
Here’s what you should do if you’re feeling emotionally drained.
Set boundaries in all areas of your life.
The number one thing that can leave us feeling empty is overextending ourselves too much for the people and priorities in our lives. Take a close look at the relationships in your family and friend circle and really examine which ones take the most time and energy out of your day. It’s not bad to nurture your relationships, but you always want to make sure that you’re getting back what you’re putting in. If you find that people are taking more than they’re giving back to you, or you just don’t feel support from them in the way that you need to, make the necessary effort to distance yourself a bit more from that frequent interaction.
Don’t overexert yourself in your work.
It’s one thing to put your best foot forward, but it’s another thing to overexert yourself and leave feeling depleted and uninspired. Because we spend so much of our days working, make sure that you’re doing your best but don’t allow yourself to consistently deplete your energy day after day. Doing that becomes unsustainable, and only makes it more challenging to recover from the effects.
Take the necessary time to rest.
When you’re feeling emotionally drained and burnt out, the best way to start on your path to recovery is to take the necessary time to rest. It’s great to be productive, but once you’ve pushed yourself past your limits, it’s crucial that you allow your body and mind the time to settle down and rejuvenate themselves. If that means you need to take a series of days to binge-watch Netflix shows, or even if you need take a half a day off to just sleep, then that’s valid. Do exactly what it is that you need to do and take exactly however much time you need to do it.
Don’t feel bad if you need to isolate yourself to replenish your energy.
If you’ve done your fair share of overextending yourself for your loved ones, workplace or other priorities, then don’t feel bad if you need to take some time to yourself. Shut off your phone (or place it on “Do No Disturb”), log off of your social media and take time to truly sit with yourself. By doing this, you can become more focused on determining your own needs and really take the time to cater to them. During this time of isolation, you can begin to understand and reinforce the notion that you truly are your first priority.
Do an activity — big or small — that brings you joy.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the everyday hustle and bustle that we forget to do things that we actually enjoy. Use this time to yourself to discover a new hobby or tap back into one that you truly enjoy. It can be anything as small as sitting in the corner and reading a book or going out and trying something new, like hiking.
After you take the time to try these steps, you’ll definitely be on your way to feeling reenergized, reinspired and overall, in a better mental and emotional state.