Hi, I am struggling with severe burnout, stress and anxiety at the moment and I am also very underweight (due to issues with digestion/eating, IBS, ARFID etc). There have been a lot of external stress factors going on meaning I could not even begin to start tackling recovery but I now feel like I am in a place where I might actually have a chance- I am currently off work and I am hoping to start something new in just under 2 months (which is still not certainly happening- but I have done all I can to sort it and need to wait and see), and I am hoping to quit my job (if my new position works) and take those 2 months off. I am really struggling though with anxiety/stress and being unable to relax- I have a constant need to be productive and I do love to read for my work (about science etc.) and I like activities that have a purpose... but at the moment I am not sure it is wise to push myself. I can't even properly focus to read a book. My main hobby in the past was hiking, and also running, and any outdoor exercise. I used to love horse riding too. But I have had injuries/joint issues for 3 years which I have made it impossible to do these activities (even walking is limited to 45-60 min a day) and at the moment I am so weak and underweight anyways that even the smallest exertion like a flight of stairs feels enormous.
I don't really have anything I enjoy doing though that is also relaxing and I feel like I need to somehow fill my time with activities that will help me recover... and I was wondering if you have some ideas for things that I could try? I do listen to audiobooks a lot, though I currently have run out of good ones... - any recommendations? I know how to fold origami, but I am too tired and nervous for that now and don't really enjoy it. I have tried doing sudokos etc in past but at moment I am not in mood/lacking focus and also it never gave me much pleasure... I play boardgames online to distract myself but it leaves me frustrated and numbed and I feel like I just wasted my time. I don't think I am up for any socialising in person at the moment, though I do find phone calls with friends/family nice- but going out to see someone would be too much...I lack energy and am so weak, I need time to myself and I also don't want people to see my in my current state. So I ideally need something I can do on my own... but It's so hard as I am so tired/deenergised that even if I wanted to I think I couldn't do a lot of things... But I am open for any ideas/suggestions!! I need to change how I think about productivity and I really need to recuperate now. My main focus now is to try and eat and recover. But it's so hard and sometimes, I wonder if it is worth the struggle... :(
