The signs of burnout can be physical as well as mental. I don’t know that I showed too many signs, but the burnout was both obvious and overwhelming to me. Even in the throws of my best writing opportunities in years, I was torn between feeling utterly spent and trying to give my all to the stories. The moment the writing ended my creativity lapsed into a coma. Now, as I write this post, I can feel the edges of the coma thawing like fingers slowly finding movement and coming back to life.
I needed a rest. I needed a sense of understanding of how I got here and how to prevent myself from getting here again. My physical analysis shows that I sleep roughly 65% of the 8 hrs I need to sleep in order to effectively refresh my body. I don’t move as much either, usually completing less than 8,000 steps per day on days I don’t coach. I move more when I coach, which is relative to the sport I am coaching and my coaching role (head coach, asst., trainer). There is a clear connection between physical activity and brain function, and that correlation grows stronger when applied to direct learning exercises and neuroplasticity.
Now I’m in a space where I can see a solution. Move, think, and be yourself. That means I have to allow myself to enjoy who I am (faults and all) in order to remove the stress of trying to be someone I’m not. That, and overworking, led to burnout and sucked my creativity dry.
Here’s to getting it back.