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Ideas for activities while recovering from burnout

Ann :)

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... :( 

Parents

  • Have you considered riding for the disabled? Or do you not feel disabled enough? I used to ride, so just sitting on a horse like a sack of spuds never really appealed to me, but I might be making assumptions what it would be like based on very little evidence, just seeing a few clips on TV. Although if they did hacking out rather than just plodding round a manege I might consider it! There are loads of outdoor activities aimed at people with mobility issues, I've done sailing, I wanted to try canoeing but that was a bit far from where I live. Sailing is quite relaxing and doesn't require much strength, if you get tired you can just sit in the boat while the helpers do the actual work! I used to like swimming but it is so tiring getting changed. Is there anywhere near you that teaches horse driving? Maybe less effort that actual riding but still outside with horses.

    As for quiet indoor activities I can second crochet which someone else suggested, I found that very soothing and not too hard to learn when I had my burnout. Plus you can make useful things and even if you don't wear them yourself they can make nice gifts or charity donations, like tiny hats and clothes for premature babies, or blanket squares for refugees which you can send off and someone joins them up into blankets.

    Or maybe cooking might be a good hobby, as you need to eat more and you might find that making your own food from scratch helped you find things you enjoy eating, you get to tweak the flavours to suit your own preferences. And it can be scientific, food science is quite interesting.

    Try looking things up on youtube as well, the algorithm might throw up similar but different things which you hadn't thought of, and seeing people do the hobbies might be inspiring. Don't give up, it is definitely worth the struggle!

Reply

  • Have you considered riding for the disabled? Or do you not feel disabled enough? I used to ride, so just sitting on a horse like a sack of spuds never really appealed to me, but I might be making assumptions what it would be like based on very little evidence, just seeing a few clips on TV. Although if they did hacking out rather than just plodding round a manege I might consider it! There are loads of outdoor activities aimed at people with mobility issues, I've done sailing, I wanted to try canoeing but that was a bit far from where I live. Sailing is quite relaxing and doesn't require much strength, if you get tired you can just sit in the boat while the helpers do the actual work! I used to like swimming but it is so tiring getting changed. Is there anywhere near you that teaches horse driving? Maybe less effort that actual riding but still outside with horses.

    As for quiet indoor activities I can second crochet which someone else suggested, I found that very soothing and not too hard to learn when I had my burnout. Plus you can make useful things and even if you don't wear them yourself they can make nice gifts or charity donations, like tiny hats and clothes for premature babies, or blanket squares for refugees which you can send off and someone joins them up into blankets.

    Or maybe cooking might be a good hobby, as you need to eat more and you might find that making your own food from scratch helped you find things you enjoy eating, you get to tweak the flavours to suit your own preferences. And it can be scientific, food science is quite interesting.

    Try looking things up on youtube as well, the algorithm might throw up similar but different things which you hadn't thought of, and seeing people do the hobbies might be inspiring. Don't give up, it is definitely worth the struggle!

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