ON THE FEELING OF EXHAUSTION

Recently, when I received an invitation for a photography event with the theme of "weariness," I searched my mind to see if I had a suitable photo for the topic. Even if I didn't have a noteworthy photo, I started thinking about how I could create (or conceptualize) a new one, and I realized I had turned inward. What exactly is this concept, familiar to those living in metropolitan cities? This is a feeling or situation that I, too, sometimes find myself trapped in, and I wanted to write about it. According to my experiences and the information I’ve read and examined, I can say that it is mostly seen in people with intense and stressful work lives, high-paced school life, or those involved in the challenges of life. Well, in a society like ours, where the stress level is high and the fear of the future drops to the age of 12, it seems like a common feeling to me, to be honest.

The concept popularly known as "burnout syndrome" can be described as a period of mental exhaustion, emotional emptiness, and a desire to detach from the outside world. Don't worry, this condition is temporary and can easily be corrected. The term "burnout syndrome" sounds a bit too sensational, doesn't it? It almost seems like something that only happens to celebrities 😊 Anyway, if we were to elaborate on the feeling of weariness, we would say that our mood throughout the day is low, and we feel that our vital energy is depleted. In our routine work and even in our daily life, we often experience impatience, feelings of exhaustion, losing interest in our work, tiredness, unhappiness, hopelessness, a drop in motivation, disrupted sleep patterns, and loss of appetite. More advanced signs could include falling into negative thoughts, a constant lack of desire for anything, not enjoying the work or activities we're involved in, struggling to finish even simple tasks, lack of planning, and even a lack of dreams for the future.

I want to draw attention to these signs, which could be the beginning of a depressive process. We need to address this situation before it becomes a full diagnosis of "depression." We need to identify and analyze the person, relationship, factor, environment, or situation that is draining us and making life difficult, and remove the cause, so we can continue with a healthy and happy social life. Let's assume we identified and analyzed the problem.

So, how can this feeling of burnout be overcome? My suggestions may sound cliché. But, just hear me out once; maybe the problem isn't as big as we make it out to be, or maybe it's not even a problem at all. Sometimes the solution is right next to us, hidden in a very simple sentence. We just need to realize it. And, once again, the topic brings us to "awareness," doesn't it? 😊 Let's increase our self-awareness in everything. To begin with, reducing the stress source that causes the feeling of burnout, eating healthily, getting adequate sleep, strengthening social connections, exercising regularly, and taking time to rest will be beneficial.

And then? I can almost hear you asking. Always eliminate negative and harmful people from your life. The saying “few people, more peace” really applies to our topic. Let's set boundaries, have our own space, and start relationships at a respectful distance. When we talk about few people, boundaries, and space, it should not be perceived as being antisocial or retreating into one's shell. Everything is a matter of processes. Let's give ourselves time to get to know people. What I want to say is to stay away from energy vampires and, in doing so, raise our own energy to the appropriate level. Spend time with people whose sincerity and love you trust. I’ve listed other suggestions below. However, the best thing you can do is eliminate the problem at its source. For example, if it's work-life, we shouldn’t focus solely on work; we need to learn to say no. If we have long working hours, let’s start by sharing the workload; we must establish a work-life balance and increase satisfaction in both our professional and personal lives.

Other suggestions to help you get out of burnout:

• Bring new things into your life. Add exciting things that will be good for your soul and mind; hobbies are really important.

• Engage in activities that will boost your energy throughout the day; raise your life energy, balance it, and keep it stable. Make sure to do an activity every day that will keep you active.

• Even if you can't do sports, make sure to exercise regularly. This will trigger the release of happiness hormones.

• Spend more time with your loved ones.

• Dedicate time to learning something new. This will activate your mind and reduce the feeling of weariness.

• Try nourishing your body and soul through disciplines like Reiki, Yoga, or Meditation.

• You can attend personal development training on stress management techniques; it will be beneficial. Take preventive measures with one or more of the points I mentioned above to avoid burnout; bring movement into your life 😊. Deciding and taking action is the most important start. Let’s recognize our feelings of demoralization, weariness, tension, and lack of motivation, and by increasing our awareness, let’s choose to transform these feelings. Also, let’s show the same kindness and good treatment to ourselves as we do to others. We are valuable, and we shouldn’t forget that. We deserve the best. Despite everything, let’s stay connected to life and love. Everything starts with love. Most importantly, let’s love ourselves.

Seher BAKIM