Dealing with mental exhaustion

Mental exhaustion self-help is very similar to stress and burnout self-help because the three go hand in hand and overlap to a large extent. Here are some key points for you

• Meet your basic needs. Proper daily sleep, nutrition, rest, exercise and communication with loved ones are important factors in preventing mental exhaustion. These are your battery chargers so you can feel good and energetic the rest of the time.
• Learn to say “no” and don’t feel guilty about it. Reducing your responsibilities or delegating them to someone else, if possible, will not make you a weaker or worse person.
• If you rest, 100%. Set boundaries for when you rest and when you work. Holidays do not fulfill their purpose if you are still spinning work related thoughts or even working behind the desk.
• Engage in enjoyable activities. In addition to intense responsibilities, we also need to address what gives us pleasure and does not create tension. Examples are hobbies or spending time with loved ones.
• Do mindfulness exercises. Take 5-10 minutes a day to get to the present moment: close your eyes, breathe calmly and stay in the moment.
• Notice the stress. Notice if your stress level is higher and deal with it consciously. Dealing with stress early helps prevent mental exhaustion and burnout.
• Change your current lifestyle. If the current rhythm of life has led you to mental exhaustion, it should be changed so that the same situation does not happen again. To do this, consult your employer, healthcare professional and / or relatives and work together to plan how to proceed.

Seek help. A mental health nurse, family doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist can help you see the situation from a new perspective, it is easier to deal with this problem together. Mental exhaustion may also require treatment from a mental health professional.