How to recover from burnout and find purpose again

If you’re feeling demotivated and keeping up with daily tasks exhausts you, you’re not alone. Burnout is at an all-time high due to the unrelenting stress and anxiety of the pandemic. While it’s normal to feel this way, it’s also important to recover from burnout and get back to enjoying life again.

How can you cope with burnout in the short term?

Give yourself a daily routine

Routines help us get things done even when we lack motivation. Start your day with hydration, a healthy breakfast, and physical and mental exercise to wake up your body and mind. From there, build routines around the tasks you need to live well including preparing balanced meals, exercising regularly, and going to bed and waking up at consistent times.

Learn stress management techniques

Exercise, deep breathing, and mindfulness practices like meditation and being present help curb stress in the moment. Longer-term, try to change the way you think about stress. Viewing stressors as challenges to overcome is more helpful than seeing them as debilitating setbacks. If you struggle with ruminating on negative thoughts, write in a journal to process your thoughts and find a path forward.

Practice self-compassion

Give yourself grace if you’re struggling with a loss of purpose or feelings of failure. Burnout can happen to anyone. Scale back your expectations and make more time for self-care while you recover from burnout. If social media is impacting your mental health, read the guide to taking a digital detox at Rediscover Analog. Remember, rest is necessary before you can re-emerge as your best self.

What does it take to move on from burnout?

Create a vision for the future

Burnout is more than exhaustion. Burnout reduces your sense of direction and personal identity. It’s impossible to move forward when you don’t know where you’re going, which is why goal setting is such an important part of burnout recovery. Dig deep to identify the things that inspire and fulfill you, then ask how you can add more of it to your life. That may be a career change, a new job, traveling, getting involved in your community, or another goal.

Take it step by step

After you have a vision, break it down into attainable short-term goals. Do you want to boost your earnings or start a purpose-driven career in healthcare or education? Look into online colleges that let you earn a degree without putting life on hold. Bachelor’s degrees are the most common online degrees, but the number of online master’s and doctorate degrees is growing. Set timelines for your goal, like taking one class per session, and schedule time to work on your goals. You’re more likely to achieve a goal when you know exactly how and when you’ll get it done.

How can you prevent burnout in the future?

Prioritize work-life balance

Even when you’re passionate about your work, it’s possible to burn out from pushing yourself too hard. Use schedules and routines to set boundaries around your workday and treat self-care activities as equally important as work. A balanced life includes purpose-driven work but also hobbies and leisure time, supportive relationships, and opportunities to reflect and check in with yourself. Start a practice of daily or weekly planning to structure your time in a way that maximizes productivity and minimizes burnout.

Strengthen your support system

A support system is both something to lean on in times of stress and an important tool for achieving your goals. A support system holds you accountable, keeps you motivated, and provides a fresh perspective when you encounter obstacles and difficult situations. Good supporters understand your goals and values and have faith in your ability to achieve your dreams. Keep bonds with friends and family strong through regular communication and establish new connections through professional networking, hobby groups, and other networks.

You may feel stuck in a rut right now, but you don’t have to stay there. With patience, self-compassion, and a plan for the future, you can start taking steps to recover from burnout and be your best self again.