Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi all,
It's over a year now since I suffered a major burnout leading to long term sick, and since I've returned to work I've been taking care of myself by not travelling and really carefully managing my sensory environment & keeping away from hubbub (lots of conversations etc.). My self care has worked really well, and I've feel that I've discovered "normal, healthy" levels of stress for the first time in my working life (healthy levels of stress for *me*, at least).
Now that I'm looking like I've recovered from burnout and I'm starting performing at 95% again, I can feel myself coming under pressure to start attending meetings in person again and travelling again. Before my burnout I was flying into Europe alone maybe every month and just feeling important rather than stressed. Now I'm very wary about returning to what everyone else will see as normal.
I don't know what I'm asking others here for - maybe just sympathy & to tell me that yes, I need to look after myself and not put myself under pressure.
By the way, one of the things I'm *really* mindful of is giving an inch and being expected to do a mile.............
Oh god I so relate to this, "feeling important not stressed" - till I burn out and have to sit with headphones in a darkened room for a few days forgetting to eat or sleep! I'm also experimenting with self-care strategies cos sick of burning out constantly. I partly do it to myself cos I get interested in stuff and take on too much. But most of it is being overwhelmed by the people stuff - and I have really crappy exec planning function which really is stressful. I've cut down to 3 days a week but still struggling to pace myself...