I’m really tired of talking about the pandemic, I’m sure you are too. I’ll mention it only this once since it sets the stage for where we are in 2022. As an adult trying to participate in society it feels like we are always inundated with bad news. Illness, racial violence, political upheavals. It’s all the time, all day. When I say “adult trying to participate in society” I mean that you probably have a job, and consume some sort of news, maybe you have social media. You don’t live in a beautiful house in the middle of Tuscany with a vegetable garden you have cultivated for the past 10 years, and the most high tech item you own is a toaster… Too detailed? Ok, now you know my personal utopia of an escape plan.
Sorry, back to my original thought.
Worry burnout is a build up of continuous anxiety that you can’t turn off or get rid of. This is something that has resonated with me lately. It might not be all the time, or everyday but it is consistent, and long term. The main struggle with this is actually that it doesn’t have an end, there seems to always be something we can worry about. For some people, it defeats us. It makes you sit at home alone in your apartment (or house), scared of what the outside world has in store. For others it might just sit in the back of your mind, tapping you on the shoulder daily just to let you know he is still there.
Does this concept really need its’ own name? Maybe not, but if I can relate to this I’m sure some of you reading may relate to it too. There are plenty of things you can do to help alleviate this worry, and you can find lists online of things to try to help. You might not be experiencing this, but I’m pretty sure there is someone in your life who is. Plenty of online self-help sites and apps can give you things to try to help with this stress, but instead I’ll share some things that help me.
- Have something you care about that you can focus on: maybe you want to have your own version of a Julie and Julia adventure, or maybe you love to paint, whatever it is find time to do it.
- Take some time to yourself: Sometimes I just can’t with the term self-care because I feel like it gets tossed around a lot with no real meaning. Time to yourself can look different to everyone- exercise, get a manicure, take a walk, read a book, sunbathe, eat out with a friend. Prioritize yourself.
- Think about the good: I’ve seen some people create a gratitude journal where they write down things they are grateful for each day, read some good news, ask your friends and family to tell you about the positive things in their life, or spend some time with pets (I don’t have one but I love hanging out with my friends’ pups).
- Limit the time you spend on the internet: I am not telling you to delete Instagram or never look at the news, but endless scrolling never helped anyone. Plus my thumbs get tired, don’t yours?
I hope these things help you as much as they help me.
Career & Goal Setting Coach 