How I learned to rebound from burnout

Everything about this past April felt stormy and difficult. 
 
Sure, my life was good compared to many, but something wasn’t right. Finally swallowing my pride, I admitted I was burned out and decided to do something about it.

​Read on to see how I learned to rebound from burn out.


How I learned to rebound from burnout ~ catmichaelswriter.com Storm clouds over the hood
​Stuff happens
On top of a pandemic and the world’s general craziness, there was a lot going on for me this spring.

Writing-wise … My beachy rom com in progress stalled after its first 20K wordsCreative ideas were drying up, and nothing I wrote felt good The newly installed WIFI network to fix connectivity problems in my home office was plagued with issues requiring hours of brain-numbing calls to tech support​ Personally … Missed my Connecticut family I hadn't seen in five years (beyond tired of you, Covid!)Couldn’t drop the 15 pounds gained during lockdown, which caused my health score numbers to tumble Developed gallstones and a bladder infection Attacked by fire ants hiding in a flowerpot in my garden Needed a dental crown (painful physically and fiscally)​​ How I learned to rebound from burnout ~ catmichaelswriter.com Rebounding from Burn Out

With Hub’s encouragement, I signed off from authoring and socials to re-energize.
 
At first, I felt guilty.

How could I leave the work I labored for nine years to establish? But I had been running on empty too long. Stepping away was the best thing I could’ve done.

I didn't accomplish anything earth-shattering with my two months away, Instead, I filled my soul with little moments that added up to happy ...
​Tackled a two-week, 1.2K-mile drive to Connecticut and Pennsylvania for joyous family reunions Hosted my 91-yo aunt in a 100-yo renovated barn we rented for a week on a wooded Connecticut acreMet in person for the first time four great-nieces and -nephews born during quarantineCelebrated Mother’s Day with Hub’s sweet mama, who lives 400 miles away, for the first time in a decadeTook photography workshopsDesigned a pergola for our back yardMarked our 28th wedding anniversaryAdded early-morning walks and lap swims to my online workout routinePrepped our North Carolina screened porch and garden for summer (cue the fire ants)Made lots of trips to Target!
​See more of how I learned to rebound from burn out
by connecting with people, creativity and nature
​in my 60-second video diary below.

​Back to it

​After 8 weeks, I'm slowly returning to writing refreshed and enthusiastic. I'm moving at a steady pace. No more toiling 7 days a week, posting all over socials. How I learned to rebound from burnout ~ catmichaelswriter.com Cat is back -:D

​I even dropped 6 of those
miserable pandemic pounds
and cannot wait to lose 6 more!

Life feels lighter.

Easier.

And I aim to keep it that way
by remembering
how to care for myself
and avoid burn out.
Your Turn

Feeling overwhelmed and exhausted is the pits. What tips can you offer to avoid burn out?  I’d love to hear your ideas (I may need them some day!). Please share in the comments below.
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Published on July 10, 2022 08:27
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