Burnout

BURNOUT: fatigue, frustration, or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overwork, or intense activity.

Yeah this doesn't describe my life at all (Note: a LOT of sarcasm might be used in the following entry). I am a professional at suppressing my stress and frustrations until they explode and come out in the strangest places. Well I finally clued in that I am not handling things as well as I thought After multiple people pointed out I didn't seem happy I took a look and realized maybe I wasn't. This summer was nothing short of horror in all the stress and problems I took on. Well apparently I still haven't dealt with that. And I haven't been taking care of myself in the process. I am such a Type A personality. I am passionate about a lot of things and care sometimes too much about a lot of them. I am my own worst critic. Plus work isn't a walk in the park. I am still learning my new role and figuring out which battles to pick. Well its time to change that.

Actually its time for me to find a better balance of things. I know all the adults in my life are laughing. Somehow they have figured out how to do this already. Here is my plan to help me recover from my burnout:

1. Take more time everyday to Exercise at least 30min. I have really gotten into Zumba & Kickboxing lately. I can tell when I haven't kicked something. Plus who knew I had some sort of coordination after all.
2. Make Sleep a priority--GOOD SLEEP! Nights are hard enough without my making excuses to stay up and wake up early. I slept 18 hours the other day. Apparently my body is trying to tell me something--I am not super woman.
3. Learn to say no. I need to take one day a week to just do what I want to. No worry about my house being clean, working extra shifts, or doing everything with everybody.
   
4. Actually sit down and plan my trip to Maui to remind myself I have a week on the beach to do nothing but sleep read and get some much needed sun.
   
5. Every shift--even my charge ones take care of at least one patient. More often than not I need reminder I am a nurse because I care about people and what to make their lives better.
6. Laugh more. Did you know that laughing is hilarious?! Sheldon Helps a lot
7. Spend more time without my phone or on my computer or watching TV. At least 30minutes a day. Did you know your brain needs time to to sit and not be stimulated? Being Still is a good and healthy thing.
   
8. Draw more from my support network. I like to prove myself a lot. Prove I can do it all, Prove that nothing bothers me, Prove that I can do anything and everything. Well turns out I can't. Shocking. Luckily, I have amazing family and friends who are there to listen to me and help me. Or point out that something is wrong with me. I need to learn to ask for their help and realize I am not alone.
   
9. Not put so much pressure on myself to get EVERYTHING done. My hobbies are projects are for fun. While I set deadlines and goals, I should do them because I enjoy doing them not because I feel like I have to.
10. Get back to my musical roots. I love to play, turns out it relaxes me.
    
11. Cut back on my sugar intake. Turns out all those nutrition classes were right fruits and veggies are the best for you.
    
12. Create a routine for myself. I have given up on it thinking it was possible. But I think I can have a more consistent existence if I put in the effort.
13. Remind myself its okay to spoil myself.
14. Create a life outside of work and cling to it.
    

Life is too short to always be taken seriously. I am only 24 and still need to be a kid every once in a while. My first step is to acknowledge but yeah I am a little fried.