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Physically, burnouts manifest as exhaustion. Mentally, you know the clock has run out when you just can't pep (or trash!) talk yourself into hitting those
ungodly goals of yours any longer. You can only push your body till a certain point after which you need to make intentional effort to bring it back to a resting state - while continuing to deal with the hustle and bustle of daily life. Definitely easier said than done. 'Whimsy' creator Mizz, guides the way on how to come back to yourself, in body, mind and purpose.
Turn Your Room into a Little Cafe
This is nowhere near as complicated as it sounds. It's just a blanket term for doing things you typically pay a lot of money outside to do - listen to a band, attempt to make a drink you know you'd shell out hundreds for or simply sit idle with a beautiful plate of food in front of you; maybe video call a friend and have a virtual date. What little activities like this do is rewire your brain to identify your home environment with more than just stress and rumination. This also turns into an exercise in romanticising your own company, helping you feel more present in the moment.
Make Something Bad on Purpose
A perfectly potent lesson in the beauty of imperfection. Because there could be a million ways to describe life, but 'imperfect' is a term that potentially tops the list of the most successful people as well. The best way to go about this is to indulge in a kind of creation that your body and mind isn't used to. So if you paint, steer clear of the brushes and try to write a short poem instead. If you write, do the opposite. If you're a dancer, try and sing out loud, and if your voice is your gift, flip the script. Letting yourself create imperfectly is essentially a subconscious rejection of performance culture which shoves perfection as the norm.
Read Something that Feels like Medicine
And this is not in reference to that bourgeoning pile of pretentious books you're trying to rush through - because your mind is already acquainted with that stimuli, having attached a purpose to it. This, is purposeless. The silliest but most gratifying way of going about this could be to read a childhood classic and naturally gauge how differently your brain reacts to it now. This kind of nourishment serving your inner child, has a way of eventually nourishing your adult body too.
Make a 'Life is Still Beautiful' List
Because it is. Even on the worst days - read that line again if today is one of those days for you. And interestingly, more often than not, these lists never entail the expensive holidays, big buys or grand coups. It's mostly those little in-between moments that we feel the most stable in, which we end up taking for granted. That first gulp of your morning iced coffee, waking up feeling well-rested, an impromptu off-day in the middle of the week - the point here is to redirect your brain in trying to find joy in the simple flow of life. Expressing gratitude in this way gently redirects your attention toward softness and hope, which we all need in good measure.
Do Something Slowly that You Usually Rush
Ironically, putting every minute of your life on 2x speed to rush yourself to that part of the week when you can perceptively 'relax' is exactly what is accelerating your burnout. As lofty as it may sound, days aren't meant to be mindlessly passed - they're meant to be lived. Asking someone to live out their 24 hours intentionally may be a tall order but you can pick one tiny gap or routine point in the day where in you choose to intentionally slow down. It could be as elaborate as your skincare routine or as simple as you waiting on your toast to crisp up. It's a fool-proof way to snap you out of your autopilot-mode and help you reconnect with the present moment.
Follow One Small Curiosity
And no part of this should in any way be related to your endless 'to-do' lists. The pace of today's world has inadvertently made it so that we keep delaying any and all joy, however little, to a point where we feel we have earned it. But a necessity to earn enjoyment, truly never has any upper limit - and before you know it, you are delaying yourself every little and big pleasure because you only want your illusive 'best self' to receive it. Lose yourself in that random Google rabbit hole you've been meaning to deep dive into, listen to a whole album from start to finish, watch a film you believe you will unexpectedly end up liking. The point here is to intentionally expose your senses to something new. Because listening to tiny sparks of interest is a way of trusting your inner voice again.
Sit on the Floor and Do Absolutely Nothing
And this applies to the mental gymnastics you keep putting your brain through in your attempt to micromanage the future. Get off the bed, don't touch your phone and lay flat on the ground. Maybe pull out a workout mat so that your back is a little extra cushioned. The purpose of this self-imposed spell of nothingness boils down to one very simple purpose - to prevent your brain from engaging with any external stimuli. Sometimes just being, can be the most grounding thing you can do for your body and mind. The stillness creates space to exist without productivity, distraction or pressure which in turn loosen the internal pressure valves.
