How burnout led to compassion

Have you ever woken up and had absolutely zero motivation to start your day? You're tired, potentially bored, maybe your cup is running dangerously low and the fuel light is flashing at you, begging you to top up. 

 

I think we've all been there! 

 

But I want to know, how do we recover? Better yet, how do we recover as efficiently and productively as possible?

 

Full caveat here, I do agree with mental health days. We're offered sick days for a reason and burn out is a very real thing especially with the toxic stigma of "busy is always better." However if you're anything like this humble human, the thought of a mental health day can in fact make things worse and the guilt can sometimes be detrimental despite friends and social media suggesting that you "just be kind to yourself."

 

So what can we do instead? 

 

I'm going to suggest taking one small step for man and one giant leap for your mental health here. Pause for a minute and instead of serving your business, your family or yourself (even though, as I mentioned, I am all for self love), take the opportunity to do something for someone else. 

 

In "The Healing Power of Doing Good," Allan Luks and Peggy Payne describe the release of neurochemicals that are released during acts of service as the "helper's high." According to their research, the neural circuits involved in chemical "highs" are the same that are activated by kindness and compassion. 

  

Research shows that the happiness we get from giving to others creates a 'positive feedback loop' meaning that the more we give, the more positive we feel and the kinder, more compassionate we become to ourselves in the long run (back to that self love component!). 

 

Now that I've convinced you that there's at least some research to back my suggestion, here's the practical stuff. You don't need to be going out and buying your Mum a new car or paying for someone's groceries (although both INCREDIBLY generous). You can start small and challenge yourself to do more each time:

 

• Smile. This is a basic one and can really make someone's day especially if they're in the service industry or just need to borrow yours for some of their day.
• Has your friend/colleague been holding off doing something because of lack of time or confidence? Why not "borrow their car" and take it for a car wash over the weekend?
• Offer to babysit or look after the pets so that they can go away for a weekend.
• Compliment someone on a recent achievement. 
• Buy someone a coffee voucher from their local cafe.
• Make an introduction. Someone may need Marketing or IT support in their business and you might know someone who can assist for an hour, a day or even as a full time employee - I don't know anyone who would say no to growing their network
• Compliment someone! A genuine and thoughtful compliment (bonus points for follow up question) can brighten someone's day to no end. Queue warm and fuzzies. 

 

Kindness comes in many shapes and sizes and can suit many budgets