Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi. I am in a tricky situation at work. There is temporarily a shortage of staff and I am doing 300% of my normal workload and working 200% of my normal hours (this maths = burnout) I'm in week 1 of 5 and I'm burnout already. To be honest, I was already pretty "burnt out" but I feel like now I am "officially burnout", complete with meltdowns and slowed down functioning.
How do you deal with this? I can't remove myself from the situation. I've asked for help and they've given it to me but it's not enough because this just happens to be an unavoidably bad situation and someone has to deal with it (unfortunately that person is me) I don't really have any stims that make me feel better. Stims just help me cope when I feel awful. And I don't really have any special interests that make me feel better. The things I get fixated on often make me feel even more tired and drained.
Every day that I make it through at work feels like I'm betraying myself and my needs. I feel like I need to take care of myself somehow, in some small way, just to prove that I'm still on my side and I still care.
Edit: OK so I get that "I can quit my job" or "I can refuse to do overtime" but for numerous personal and professional reasons which I will not be detailing on the internet, please take my word for it that I personally cannot get out of this situation and please provide any advice for alleviating the burnout or making my burnt out brain feel temporarily better if you are able to. Thank you.
Probably worth getting signed off sick for a week or so, you'd soon recover if you hadn't got the stress of work. But I know that's not Always possible and I'm the worse for never taking time off too as I feel way too guilty.
If you can work from home that helps, set out some time between work/meetings and go hide in a dark room and decompress. That's what I usually do when burnout sets in bad. Get some early nights and watch whatever you find relaxing on TV. Get out in nature and walk, places without people tend to be best!
I've found that rest is really is the only proper cure for mine though and that means quiet, no dramas, no work etc. which is so hard to get in todays crazy world.