Hey!
And I’m back after a short break from writing (read it as lack of motivation)… It sounds pretty bad, I agree. But here’s the thing, you ought to blame the Pandemic.
I mean the kind of uncertainty and prolonged doom that this has caused and is continuing to; that’s taxing.

While I was away liking my sorrows and venting away I realised that I’m constantly exhausted. The physical exhaustion has been pretty easy. If I feel tired, I plan my day in such a way that I can get away with a power nap or a stress relieving soak.
What’s been difficult is when you’ve to adequate sleep and nutrition with not a very intense day and yet you feel worn out by the end of each day.
I mean, c’mon!
How does that even make sense??

Post a whole lot of speculation, agitated evenings, grumpy mornings and un-willing days I realised it was nothing but my emotions that were tired of keeping up with the surroundings.
Then came the BIG QUESTION: As a psychologist how could i have missed the signs myself??

Just knowing the cause of my discomfort seemed to have eased most of my nerves and filled me with an excitement to find a checklist that would help me avoid all the helplessness that had enveloped me these last few weeks.

17 SIGNS OF EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION :

• You find yourself focusing on the negatives
• You put people away (isolate)
• Your every action feels like a sacrifice
• You feel driven by obligations not values
• You don’t feel fulfilled
• You don’t feel connected with who you are
• You have a hard time controlling your behaviour
• You feel overwhelmed and anxious
• You have a hard time maintaining or setting boundaries
• You often feel irritated and irrationally angry
• You feel hopeless
• You feel numb or apathetic
• You lack motivation or purpose
• Your self-identify as a failure
• You often feel tired
• You find it difficult to concentrate or pay attention
• You find yourself forgetting things

This list was given by Sara Kuburic (MA, CCC).

Once I found this list I decided to make a list of ways in which I could recover from this exhaustion. While I’m sharing mine, I request you to make your own on a sunny day so that rainy days aren’t as grey!

• Sit down with myself and acknowledge how I’m feeling (you don’t have to justify your feelings; just acknowledge them)
• Make a quick list of 5 things that you are grateful for and feel lucky about
• Have a list of people who always lift you up and connect with them
• Reconnect with yourself- the things that you value and the principles that you hold closest
• Make a list of activities that you could practice for yourself and enjoy it (cook, garden, paint, practice yoga, dance, listen to music, read a book, etc)
• Focus on your physical well-being; adequate amount of sleep, having your meals at appropriate times, consuming unto 3 litres of water
• Distance yourself from social media for minimum 3 days
• Consider a massage or long bath or a session of meditation