Burnout & the Nervous System
- Liza Heidelberger
- Feb 4, 2022
- 3 min read
Feeling maxed out and on edge? Could an overwhelmed nervous system be causing burnout? Here are some things to consider...
1) Burnout happens when you run too hard, too fast, for too long.
This was my story. I loved what I did, and did a LOT of it.
But I wasn't aware of the signs of burnout or the toll that pushing too hard, too fast, too long can take on your body.
Over time, after functioning in fight/flight for years (possibly decades), my nervous system automatically decided it was time for a "deep rest". I was completely exhausted and had hit a wall. That, coupled with some PTSD that was coming up, and it was time to take a major step back and figure out what was happening with me.
Where are you in your journey? Are you feeling the deep fatigue? The feeling of being wound up tight and unable to truly slow down? Guilt about not being as present with your kids as you know you can because you crash and burn when you get home?
2) Hyper-performance happens when your "go-get'em" becomes your constant lifestyle.
Odds are you're really good at what you do, and when you're in hyper-performance, you get rewarded and praised for that! It's a reality of the culture we live in.
But staying in this mode can lead to functioning in fight/flight for long periods of time... which, in turn, leads to burnout.
Are you a "hyper-performer"? Have you noticed a pattern in your past of pushing or overextending yourself time and time again?
3) A sign of burnout... continually needing to "psych yourself up" to push through slumps.
Do you notice yourself doing this? Maybe it's early afternoon, you start to feel yourself getting sluggish, and you need to find ways to "push your way" through to the end of the day.
Or you wake up in the morning so exhausted that you rely on your intense morning routine to psych yourself up. It's great to have ways you can be encouraged to keep going in life! BUT, if you can't make it through the day and become OVERLY-DEPENDENT on the "psych yourself up" lifestyle... check yourself to see if this is a sign of burnout.
Continually pushing yourself to the next thing without hitting pause can eventually cause a crash and burn.
4) You CAN go from deep burnout to life-giving breakthrough!
A client came in recently on the absolute verge of burnout. Not sleeping well, easily irritated, holding so much tension in his body... and just plain exhausted. After our first session together, it was like something deep broke through. There was hope, life, and a sense of RELIEF that something could be done about what he was experiencing. Doing deep nervous system healing (through Tension and trauma Releasing Exercises/T.R.E.), along with other healing and renewing practices, the course of his life was completely changed. I've been in the place of needing to move out of a position not because I wanted to, but because I HAD to. I don't want to see anyone else need to make that move because of health reasons. Sometimes the move is necessary, but it doesn't have to be so hard!! Where are you at right now? 🔹 Are you feeling burnt out? 🔹 Are you feeling like the stress of life is absolutely taking over? 🔹 Is now your time to take the step and make a change?
If you're feeling the need to dig deeper into the sources of any burnout, anxiety, depression, or physical symptoms you are feeling, book a Discovery Call with me. Let's talk about ways to RELEASE that pain and tension so you can begin to live a life of peace again.
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