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What is Mental Exhaustion and Burnout?

This month we talk a little about Mental Exhaustion and Burnout and How to Recover from these states.



Mental exhaustion happens when we experience cognitive overload due to sustained high-demand tasks without sufficient rest, leading to difficulties in memory, attention, and overall functioning. Mental exhaustion occurs when your brain is trying to process too much information for a prolonged period without rest. It’s a response to a high “cognitive load,” which generally comes from having to respond to an increased volume of demanding or high-focus tasks. Overstimulation can also contribute to mental fatigue. 


As a teen or adult, you’re juggling a lot of new responsibilities and stressors, School, work, extracurricular activities, and home life can all put urgent and focus-heavy tasks on our plate. Trying to perform at a high level (i.e., processing lots of information quickly and responding accurately) can wear down your cognitive performance over time. That’s especially true when you’re not getting enough rest or time to recover. Therefore, it becomes harder to remember important details, pay attention, understand information, and react in a timely or appropriate manner to what’s happening around you.



Signs You May Have Mental Exhaustion Leading to Burnout


  1. Overwhelmed: Basic Tasks feel Overwhelming to Complete

  2. Cognitive Fog: You are Having Trouble Remembering or Focusing

  3. Lacking in Energy or Motivation or dreading your routine

  4. Feeling Detached and or Apathetic

  5. Having Trouble Making Decisions

  6. Feeling Irritable or having Headaches or Muscle Aches

  7. Your Sleep or Appetite is Suffering



How to Combat Mental Exhaustion and Subsequent Burnout


  1. Say “No” to Commitments and Take a Break

  2. Move your Body Physically with Stretching or Exercise

  3. Engage with Friends and Family Socially to change your perspective and get support

  4. Do something Creative like a Craft or Artwork or work on a Puzzle

  5. Take a Screen Break and Read a Book or Listen to Music

  6. Spend time in Nature. Nature is calming for the brain and increases the brains natural processing abilities.

  7. Do some Mindful Meditation to wind down from a busy day

 

Utilizing coping skills when mentally exhausted can help prevent feelings of burnout. Without relief, mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can surface.

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