#Burnout Recovery

[bitchesgetriches]

I was in your inbox years ago, freaking out because of job stress. Consider me a cautionary tale.

a) you were right, mental health is so important. I didn't quit because I was worried about letting my colleagues down. I shouldn't have been.

b) I found out that I was doing the work of three people and quit a week later (these facts are related)

It took nearly 3 years and medical intervention to recover from the burnout, and that workplace now has an 80% staff turnover.

Sometimes the bigger, fancy jobs aren't worth it. Sometimes you've just gotta go back to customer service for a bit.

Sunk cost fallacy is a real thing. Don't let it get you.

Oh honey!!!

We're so sorry you had to endure this bullshit. And we're GRATEFUL you lived to tell the tale so that the rest of the baby bitchlings could learn from what you went through. We're proud of you for quitting and getting the help you needed, and we know you're going to be ok. Keep checking in.

For anyone dealing with similar bullshit: YOU CAN GET HELP. We made a whole-ass workshop on surviving, preventing, and recovering from burnout. Check it out here:

The Bitches Get Riches Burnout Workshop

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

[katsy-kitty]

Me to myself at work:

Be like Hannibal. No shame.

You didn't know something? Not your problem. You know it now -- okay, whatever.

You missed someone's e-mail? Apologize and move on. No big deal.

You didn't do something you were supposed to because no-one had trained you? No shame. The company's fault.

NO SHAME AT WORK

You don't have to give your 100% because it's gonna kill you.

Take breaks, take care of yourself and remember: fuck grind culture.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

5 Things That Can Help With Autistic Burnout

Emergent Divergence: The neurodivergent ramblings of David Gray-Hammond

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

How do I recover from severe burnout with an overwhelmingly messy recovery space

How do I clean my overwhelmingly messy recovery space properly if I am severely burnt out

How do I recover from severe burnout if I’m constantly using all of my energy doing the bare minimum

How do I recover from severe burnout

How do I recover

[thisisnot-yourgrave]

What I learned about my brain and routines as a person with ADHD and autism:

The number one strategy that I've been implementing is

Eliminate any and all decisions to avoid being burnt out by 10 am

My partner turns on the radio as soon as he leaves for work, so I'm not met with the decision of putting on a podcast or music as soon as I wake up

I have the same breakfast every day and this might change, the basic concept here is, that it doesn't require any fresh ingredients so that I always have breakfast available even if I forgot to get groceries because I take my meds in the morning

Moving to the bathroom is a little tricky sometimes but when I'm there, I can do everything I need to do to get ready in one room and in sight so I remember to actually do them (including my clothes because I undress anyways to shower)

I simplified my wardrobe so every shirt goes with every pair of pants so it doesn't really matter what I pick, it will always look (somewhat) put together

Also, dressing to be comfortable instead of dressing to look nice was a huge thing for me. That simple mindset shift truly eliminated so many decisions I was making and that were truly tiring me out

What also really helped, is, that I stopped tying my routine to a certain time. Now, I realize that this is a privilege because I don't work at the moment but this truly changed things for me because it became a lot less daunting once I eliminated a lot of decisions. I don't have to mentally prepare myself to get ready anymore and I consider that a huge win because I have a lot more energy throughout the day.

I realize that these things are not new in any ways, shape or form but I have a very hard time unlearning things I was thought as a child. Maybe seeing that other people do things "differently" helps someone else.

[girltalkcollectives]

Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist: What I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Academic Burnout

Currently writing this from my favorite corner of the library at 1 AM, surrounded by empty coffee cups and half-finished to-do lists. If you're also here – physically or metaphorically – this post is for you.

The Breaking Point

Last week, I:

Pulled three all-nighters

Cried in the bathroom between classes

Forgot to eat actual meals for two days

Drank enough coffee to fuel a small country

Had a breakdown over a B+

Ignored approximately 47 texts from friends

Convinced myself I was failing at life

And then I realized: this isn't normal. This isn't okay. And I'm definitely not alone.

The Pressure We're Under

Let's be real about what we're juggling:

5+ classes with endless assignments

Internship applications

Club responsibilities

Part-time jobs

Social life maintenance

Basic human needs (allegedly)

Family expectations

Our own impossible standards

Signs of Burnout I Ignored

Looking back, the red flags were screaming:

Constant exhaustion (but unable to sleep)

Sunday night panic attacks

Zero motivation for things I used to love

Living on caffeine and protein bars

Emotional breakdowns over minor setbacks

Feeling disconnected from friends

That weird eye twitch that wouldn't go away

The Toxic Academic Culture No One Talks About

We normalize:

"I'll sleep when I'm dead"

Competing over who's more stressed

Skipping meals to study

Feeling guilty for taking breaks

Measuring our worth by our GPA

Sacrificing mental health for grades

Working ourselves sick

What Actually Helped Me

Real strategies that made a difference:

Setting non-negotiable rest times

No studying after 11 PM

One full day off per week

Actual lunch breaks (revolutionary, I know)

2. Creating study boundaries

50 minutes of work, 10-minute breaks

No studying in bed

Phone on "Do Not Disturb"

Designated study spots

3. Taking care of my body

Keeping snacks in my backpack

Water bottle always with me

Walking between classes instead of rushing

Actually using my gym membership

The Reality Check I Needed

Truth bombs I'm learning:

No grade is worth your mental health

You can't pour from an empty cup

Success isn't measured by exhaustion

Your worth isn't your productivity

Rest is productive

B's get degrees (and that's okay!)

Permission Slips We All Need

It's okay to:

Take a mental health day

Ask for extensions when needed

Say no to extra commitments

Not be the perfect student

Change your major if you're unhappy

Prioritize sleep over studying

Ask for help

What Recovery Looks Like

Small wins I'm celebrating:

Actually eating three meals a day

Sleeping more than 4 hours

Taking weekends off

Setting boundaries with study groups

Deleting social media during finals

Learning to say "no"

Accepting that good enough is enough

Practical Steps I'm Taking

My new non-negotiables:

No all-nighters (they don't work anyway)

Regular meal times

Phone-free study blocks

Weekly planning sessions

Morning routine that isn't just coffee

Therapy appointments

Exercise that feels good

To Anyone Struggling

Remember:

Your grades don't define you

This phase of life is temporary

Everyone's path is different

It's okay to take breaks

You're doing better than you think

Asking for help is strength

You matter more than your GPA

Moving Forward

I'm learning that:

Success looks different for everyone

Balance isn't perfect

Rest is necessary

Breaks make you more productive

Health comes first

Some things can wait

You're not falling behind

The Plot Twist

Maybe the real achievement isn't getting straight A's while running three clubs and maintaining a perfect Instagram feed. Maybe it's learning to take care of yourself while chasing your dreams.

[astrologicalz]

Idk how to do anything other than sit and watch tv and scroll on my phone when in burnout. Any tips on low energy/ex function/motivation things to do?? Pls help x

[starblasterr]

Help your local disabled artist

(the bit about blue sky is for folks leaving instagram due to the AI bullshit)

[okamirayne]

Burnout Recovery

Meaning, something that burnout can ruthlessly steal from you. What returns it?

Thank you to every single blessed individual reviewer, reader and reacher who has ever reached out to me regarding my writing and shared your experience of my storytelling madness. I’m currently rereading every message and review I’ve ever been blessed to receive; to remind me how to answer the vital questions posed here that I have struggled with ever since burnout hit:

What is the gift you carry in your soul? What have you brought with you into the heart of the village?

I love and appreciate those who so kindly remind me of the meaning of what I do, which trumps all drill-sergeant self-talk, and forced modern-culture motivation mantras (the hustle shit) that only leads to further stress and illness. 🙏🏼

Modern Culture is fucked sideways and upside-down right now. Hello Clown World 🤡

Takeaways:

Cultivate your own myths and soul-medicines to find your meaning. If you can’t find joy in your old go-to pleasures right now, please find relief from any of your pressures.

If nothing seems to fill you right now, you may need to Empty Out rather than consume or try to fill what feels like a void. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether we’re truly empty inside, or too full of shit to feel.

It feels strange to share this, but as people have enquired (and are so sadly suffering similarly), I said I would do my best to offer my random and humble findings as I navigate my own way from the hellfire wasteland of burnout back to my writing worlds again.

I hope this helps someone. 🙏🏼 Even if it’s just to acknowledge their sadness.

For any other creatives going through burnout and are in the baby steps of recovery — or even if you’re sitting in the wreckage and not yet on recovery’s road just yet— I get you, I see you, I hear you, I feel for you, and I wish you so much grace in gently cradling and protecting the gifts you hold whilst your mind/body/spirit heals so you can return to your creative projects again and feel what the fires of burnout scorched and then extinguished in you.

Beauty CAN come out of Ashes.

And that beauty doesn’t have to be a phoenix. It can be a tiny, tiny spark — and even if the spark doesn’t catch just yet, stay with it, stay with it, please stay with it ✨

~ Rayne ☕️💜

Thank you BtB readers/reviewers for staying with me as I return to HHU to help me find my way back to my sparks once more ✨💖 Love and appreciate you 🙏🏼

[faithfromanewperspective]

been thinking a bit about a burnout recovery diary blog as a concept. there's a lot of people talking about burnout, accommodating themselves to get through autistic burnout, but i'm seeing very little that builds on the science behind our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and while i don't know a lot, i do have more than a high school level of biology education and this is really important to me and i'm a pretty good learner. my only fear is that at present i'm not really recovering, i'm simply letting go of things that are making it worse like i've done all my life. anyway here's a poll so i can gauge where all of us are on this too

and of course, my favourite graphic i've ever edited (credits to the original creator). if i made a burnout recovery blog it would be full of things like this (as well as more serious advice etc)

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Autistic Burnout

Autistic Burnout Can Look Like:

Exhaustion

sensory Overwhelm

confusion

Feeling Numb

Feeling Over/Under whelmed

Reduced Tolerance

Digestion Difficulties

Under whelmed

Loss Of self-care skills

Unable to mask

Mutism

withdrawal

Headaches

Autistic Burnout Recovery:

Set boundaries

No demands

Inner circle interaction only

No talking

Use AAC

Stimming

Time to unmask

Resting

Alone time

Basic needs supported

No Social demands

Engage in special interests

self care

Autistic Burnout Can Cause:

Feelinas of isolation

Negative thoughts

Independence incapacity

Feelinqs of self doubt

Poor self image/concept

Poor mental health

reduced quality of life

Feelings of self loathing

Littlepuddins.ie (Link wouldn’t paste)

[genericpuff]

degenerates.

[thisisnot-yourgrave]

My god, I just did my last presentation at uni before officially dropping out and this is going to sound so stupid but-

It sucks to be told you're super good at the thing that causes burnout.

Don't get me wrong, it's not actually studying art history that caused my burnout, but rather not being accommodated properly and me having insane expectations set for myself.

But it's just so heartbreaking when I get feedback because every time I think I can pull through and just do this because clearly I'm good at it, right? Maybe I am but what's not good is me running on two hours of sleep because my thoughts were racing, me not being able to retain a single thing inside my head so is this really worth it in the end?

Life is not meant to miserable and this hole is not my grave.

[kaladinsspear]

Diary entry featuring thoughts on burnout and burnout recovery. Feel free to read or give your thoughts if you want, but its probably not that interesting to most people. ^_^

I have been very frustrated with myself lately. I have always been a relatively disciplined and internally motivated person, but lately it feels like my willpower just doesn't exist. I have slept past my alarm and been late for work, gotten distracted by my phone and added hours to my work day, missed assignment deadlines and blew off assigned reading at school, let my room become a mess, missed doctor appointments, eaten a stupid amount of sugar, ect. Its honestly embarrassing, and I've been really angry with myself.

I just saw a post talking about how a freelance worker structures their day and enforces breaks for things like yoga, nutritious meals, and walking. They build vacation days into their schedule, and they do not work on weekends. The poster said that when they first started working freelance, the worked so much that they burnt out, and are only just now starting to regain a measure of the productivity that they lost.

Reading that post gave me an epiphany: I'm burnt the fuck out and it makes sense that I'm struggling to be productive. I have spent the last 4 years (at least) in a state of near panic trying to manage the amount of work I had to do. I was getting up at 5:30, going to bed at 10:30/11:00 and pushing pushing pushing every minuite inbetween. I got to sleep in until 9:00 on the weekends, and that was the extent my break.

I guess the post just made me realize that burnout requires recovery, and that recovery takes longer than a few weeks or even a few months. I might be in a much better place, but it it took me years to get here, it is going to take more than a few months to recover.

In light of this epiphany, I'm going to stop stressing about it so much. Its summer, which means that I have from sunrise until sunset to get my work done, and the pools are mostly clean. I'm going to try to get distracted as little as possible, but im not going to be mad at myself for struggling to stay on task. Extra long work days are irritating, but it wont effect my paycheck and it wont effect my reputation in the company. I'm not going to go back to school full time. I have to keep going because if I stop I have to start paying student loans, but I'm going to accept that it will take me an extra couple years to graduate and stick with 2 classes a semester instead of 4.

I'm not going to change what I'm doing all that much, but I'm going to show myself a little more forgivenes and grace and trust that I am a responsible and disciplined person, that that those parts of my personality will reassert themselves when I have recovered enough for them to do so. In the mean time, my job is to find support structures to keep my life together, and cultivate an environment which allows me to grow.

[cynicalcharisma]

no one talks about how lonely is the middle stage of recovery after you've learnt how to sort of survive without dying but you're just there holding on, idk it's all too monotonous. you've no idea what's wrong bec everything seems calmer and finer. but you can't help but feel this undying sadness inside of you which just won't go away?

[astrologicalz]

Ticking every box of autistic burnout but still trying to figure out whether I should go to work