Issue #31: Are You Burnt-Out or Just Tired?

Knowing the difference so that you can create an effective recovery plan

Mind Body Brand is a free weekly wellness newsletter for women entrepreneurs. If you would like to support my work and get access to our private subscriber chat, monthly self-care toolkits, and a behind-the-scenes look at how I’m building MBB, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

You can also share excerpts of today’s issue on social media or send it to a friend! Thanks for reading!

🎧 Rather listen to the 5-Minute Reset? Listen below or Click here to play this issue in your favorite podcast streaming app!

Hey friend!

Over the past few years, the word “burnout” has become a huge buzzword both in and out of the self-care industry. Everywhere you turn, someone is talking about burnout or sharing their experiences. And it got me thinking…

Are we all constantly in a cycle of flowing in and out of burnout or are we all just tired?

Don’t get me wrong, I am not discounting anyone’s experience. I myself have shared time and time again about my very real struggles with burnout. But I believe many of us may be confusing the need for more rest with being mentally and physically exhausted.

So this week I wanted to chat about what burnout actually is.

According to a survey conducted back in 2022, 42% of small business owners responded stating that they are experiencing burnout. And 53% said that they believe burnout is what’s holding them back from succeeding in their business. So burnout is very real!

So what actually is burnout?

According to Psychology Today, burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress.

From my experience, you know you are experiencing burnout when your entire being feels drained. You lack motivation, the thought of needing to get up and be productive causes frustration. And your normal coping tactics don’t work. You take a nap and still feel the same. You take a break from work and still feel the same. Or you come back from vacation and still feel completely drained. It’s like no matter what you do, you can’t push past the exhaustion.

You may even struggle to think with clarity or even hold engaging conversations.

What’s the difference between burnout and being tired?

Unlike burnout, when you need more rest, it can easily be recovered by taking a break, adjusting your sleep schedule, changing your diet, or doing more physical workouts. With burnout, a simple nap or a couple of extra hours of rest won’t fix the physical exhaustion you’re feeling. And it definitely won’t fix the mental exhaustion either.

You’re burned out, now what?

First, you should know, at least in my experience, that there is no quick fix to “curing” burnout. You can’t sleep for a day and wake up the next day feeling fully recharged and ready to jump back into your business. It takes time.

If you’re currently feeling burned out, here are some ways that you can begin to recover.

Since burnout is often brought on by prolonged stress, begin by getting clear on what is stressing you the hell out and begin devising a plan for how to make changes. Which brings me to my next point.

THERAPY! Talk with a professional who can help you to get to the root of what’s stressing you out and provide you with some tactics on how to make those changes. Venting to your friends and family is great (if they have the capacity) but getting professional, unbiased help is what you need to begin feeling better.

Also, create a daily routine that prioritizes rest and self-care. As entrepreneurs, we often spend the majority of our day going fast and operating at 100%. Before we know it, it’s past midnight and we’ve barely sat down to eat or taken a moment to breathe. When planning out your day, be very intentional about where things like your morning routine or lunch are going to fit in.

Putting boundaries around yourself and your schedule also helps a lot when it comes to preventing and recovering from burnout. It may feel like you’re boxing yourself in, but when you have a strict deadline, you’ll be amazed at what you can complete within that time frame. The boundaries also make sure that you’re not overextending yourself. Which is probably the reason why you’re burnt out.

If you’re experiencing burnout, I hope that this guides you on what steps to take next so that you can get back to feeling like yourself. And if you’re just really tired, I encourage you to make the changes you need to rest and fill your cup back up so that you don’t hit burnout!

Cheers to a restful week!

– Alisha

📖 Don’t forget to pre-order my new book, Living Over Existing!

💰 Money is self-care. Here’s what you need to know about financial wellness.

🔚 Ready to quit? Here’s how to write the perfect resignation letter.

🧘🏽‍♀️ How to set helpful goals for your therapy sessions.

🗣 How to vent to your friends without being a Debbie Downer.

📺 “How To Get Rich” on Netflix is actually a really good show.

BEFORE YOU GO…

Don’t forget to take a deep breath.