“I’m Just So Freakin’ Exhausted!”
“Sometimes the Best Way to Fix a Computer is to Turn It On and Off”
As much as modern technology can be fantastic, sometimes our computers, phones, and internet modems experience problems and errors. When this occurs, we might search online for a solution, or we may even call for professional I.T. support. If you’re anything like me, you most likely also become very frustrated. Sometimes though, all we need to do to fix the problem is to simply switch it off just for a short while and reboot.
Just like a computer, the human brain sometimes also experiences problems or ‘errors’. We may feel constantly stressed with negative thoughts, or we may experience regular headaches or some other type of physical pain due to stress … and yet, we simply do not know what is going on! This experience is often referred to as ‘burnout’, which results due to long-term stress exposure. Burnout makes us feel exhausted and cynical (e.g., often questioning “what’s the point?!”), and can also cause us to question our ability to be successful (whether that is in our jobs, studies, or personal endeavours).
To combat burnout, people often say that we just need to “unplug” for a while, or to “recharge our batteries”. There is certainly some truth to this common wisdom – however, it is unfortunately not always quite as easy as that. The problem is, the human brain is by far the most complex ‘machine’ known to man – it is certainly not quite as ‘simple’ as your standard phone or laptop. Unlike with a computer, it is not always easy for humans to just “switch off” their brain – it’s not just a ‘quick flick’ of a button and “voila – all fixed!”.
“Sitting on Your Shoulders is the Most Complicated Object in the Known Universe”
In other words, sometimes, our brain doesn’t let us ‘switch off’ and reboot – maybe because it’s worried about what will happen if we do take some time off for ourselves, or maybe because it believes that we don’t deserve to ‘switch off’. For some of us, we have been told throughout our lives that it is “NOT OK!” to disconnect and to recharge – and we may believe that taking time out from our busy schedules is lazy, or inefficient, or just plain ‘naughty’. We might have received and subsequently internalised this message from our parents, or from our schools and universities, or from our workplaces, or from our friends, or from social media, or from reality TV shows, or from … well, really, so many different places. At the same time, because we haven’t previously taken the time to regularly ‘switch off’, we may not even know how we would do that, leaving us with questions like “what would I do with my time?” or “would things REALLY be OK?”.
Fortunately, at The Healing Dock, we can help you explore these very questions as they relate to your life, and ultimately support you in the process of ’switching-off’ and then ‘rebooting’. For instance, at The Healing Dock, we can help you to identify and challenge some of the mindsets that have previously stopped you from ’switching off’. In fact, one of our favourite types of therapy is Schema Therapy. This therapy technique is useful to help individuals recognise the various self-beliefs that they may have developed from a young age which cause them to struggle to be self-compassionate and to take some much needed self-care time. In fact, for many clients, we find that even just the very process of attending a therapy session provides them with a committed time for 50 minutes of self-care or ‘switch-off’ time, helping them to feel rejuvenated or re-energised. At The Healing Dock, we also recognise that sometimes life truly can be a 24/7 hustle, and that even finding a few minutes for yourself is nearly impossible. To support you with this, our principal psychologist can provide you with various evidence-based strategies that only take a matter of minutes and yet are known to effectively support wellbeing.
“But … What Happens When Switch Off Isn’t Enough?”
Although ‘switching off’ can be a useful technique to tackle burnout, sometimes this simply just doesn’t fix the core problem (as is also frequently the case with computers and internet modems). Think of it this way - when we ‘shut down and restart’ a computer, it may fix the problem for a while - but behind the scenes, somewhere in the hardware, or the electrical wiring, or even in the software, there is likely an underlying problem that needs to be detected and resolved. This is similar with burnout and, in fact, the World Health Organisation states that burnout occurs in response to long-term or chronic stress which “has not been successfully managed”. Therefore, instead of only taking some time out to rest and rejuvenate, it is often absolutely crucial to tackle the ‘core root’ of the problem. Maybe this core problem is a toxic workplace that you feel trapped in; or maybe it is a difficult relationship with a partner or a family member. Maybe it is that you are feeling overwhelmed from a challenging or traumatic event that you have experienced; or maybe it is that your mind continues to torment you with negative thoughts. Maybe it is ‘X’ or maybe it is ‘Y’ – the reality is, this underlying issue will be something different for each and every client, but it still holds the power to do some serious damage and cause some real pain. Essentially, whatever the underlying concern is, it is quite likely that it is contributing to your feelings of burnout and distress. At The Healing Dock, our principal psychologist finds it incredibly rewarding to help clients identify these ‘root causes’, and to then empower his clients to overcome these difficulties and to achieve their goals through a wide variety of techniques.
“I’m Feeling Stressed, But It’s Not THAT Bad!”
Maybe you have read this far into the blog (and, if so, thank you for allowing yourself this self-care time!), and are thinking “some of this sounds familiar, but I’m just a little stressed – I’ll be OK!”. If this is you, I would direct you to one final piece of I.T. advice that is commonly shared. That is, “take steps to prevent your computer from damage, before the damage is done” – whether that be by downloading an anti-virus program, or regularly putting the computer into ‘sleep mode’, or even occasionally doing a full shut-down and reboot of the system. The exact same applies to the human body and brain – as noted by Marina Khidekel – “What we need is a commitment to recharging our internal batteries on a daily basis, because being proactive about preventing burnout in the first place is much better than trying unsuccessfully to make up for it”. Just as it is much more efficient and cost-effective to proactively care for a computer before major problems develop, so too is the proactive management of burnout the most ideal approach. In fact, research has consistently found that taking steps to proactively care for your wellbeing can enhance so many different areas of your life – whether that be with your relationships and family life; work and studies; or your physical health. While our brains may try to trick us into thinking that we don’t have time for self-care, the opposite is in fact very true – wellbeing management or ‘self-care’ is a priority, not a luxury.
So, lets end on one key question - do you feel ready to take the next step to proactively support your mental health? If so, please feel free to contact The Healing Dock. Our principal psychologist would be honoured to speak with you about the various ways in which he may be able to help you rest, rejuvenate, and enrich your life.
