Burned Out? 4 Mental Roadblocks Keeping You From Practicing Self-Care

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Kayla M. Sweet, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard someone struggling with burnout say, “I know what I need to do; I’m just not doing it.” Most of us know that we need certain things to function at our best, including adequate sleep, a nourishing diet, getting enough water, moving our bodies, and spending time doing things we love. I haven’t heard anyone argue that these things are essential for a healthy life – BUT so many people are still not prioritizing these or other self-care strategies that they know would help. If we know what we need to solve our exhaustion – why aren’t we doing it?!

If you are a leader, high-achiever, perfectionist, or heart-centered and generous person, then chances are that self-care might not come naturally to you. It may feel like an arduous process that requires immensely more energy than you have in reserve. Our minds can be incredibly stubborn when it comes to finding the time and the will for self-love and self-care practices, which is due to mental roadblocks getting in our way.

With some understanding of these obstacles, we can better battle them and show ourselves much-deserved kindness and compassion.

Let’s investigate four common mental roadblocks preventing us from taking up necessary self-care routines so that we can break through them and start investing quality time into our well-being!

Mental Roadblock #1

“I don’t have the time”

We’ve all heard it before: the dreaded phrase, “I don’t have the time.” When it comes to self-care, it can be easy to let it fall to the wayside when our schedules get jam-packed with work, family, and other obligations. I’ve been there. When we operate from a sense of time scarcity, we push off what we know we need in favor of what we’ve told ourselves we “should” do. I know because I used to be guilty of this. Anytime someone asked me how I was, my answer was “busy.” If someone asked me if I needed anything for support, I would sarcastically joke, “Can you give me more hours in the day?” I was completely held back by this mental roadblock, which kept me burned out for a while before I learned how to overcome it.

Exit Ramp: You have to make the time.

The truth is – we have time for what we make time for, and making time for ourselves is crucial for our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. You need to permit yourself to take time for yourself.

The key is finding pockets of time throughout the day to focus on self-care activities, whether a 10-minute yoga session in the morning or taking a quick walk during our lunch break. Once you identify these pockets of time, you must commit to them. You have to prioritize these life-giving activities the same way you would prioritize a work deadline that will cost you your job if you don’t meet it. Failing to make time for our health, well-being, and self-care now will lead to physical, mental, social, and emotional consequences in the long run.

No matter how busy you are – you can make some space for your well-being if you choose to. And when you do, something beautiful happens: You are more effective and efficient in your work. We function at our best when we are cared for, so that time you take away from other tasks to care for yourself is actually going to end up giving you time back.

Often the problem isn’t so much that we don’t have time but that we have deprioritized ourselves to the point that we don’t allow ourselves to take time for self-care. If this is the case for you, it’s time to tap into self-love and self-worth and remember that you have the right to prioritize your care.

Say it with me, “I’m worthy of taking time to care for myself.”

Mental Roadblock #2

“I’m too tired” or “I don’t have the energy”

I’ve said it, you’ve said it, and we’ve all been held back by this roadblock at one point or another. It always seems to happen when we find that pocket of time in our schedule to do the thing – we put it in our calendar and commit to some healthy activity that we think will help. BUT when the time rolls around to execute, we are too tired to follow through. Whether it’s taking the time to cook a healthy meal, getting physical activity in, or spending time on a hobby we love – when it comes time to do it, if we don’t have the energy, we are likely to push it off to some future moment where we believe we will have the energy.

Exit Ramp: Manage Your Energy Effectively

You might be too tired. I’m not saying you should push yourself beyond your limits because that will only cause you to feel more burned out in the long run. Instead, I challenge you to come up with an energy management strategy. Integrate habits into your life that will give you energy, commit to them, and be honest with yourself regarding what you can do on a given day. For example, I prioritize exercising 4-6 days a week – but what that looks like varies based on my energy level that day. Sometimes it’s weight lifting, other times cardio, and others gentle yoga – but I’m still moving my body.

There are several effective ways to combat fatigue and manage your energy levels. I’m sure this won’t surprise you, but exercising regularly is the most effective strategy; even a short walk or light stretching will help. It’s also important to maintain a balanced and healthy diet and stay hydrated. I use a water bottle with markers along the side that keep me on track with my water goals for the day. I’m a goal-oriented person, so I like to stay on track, and it helps me manage my energy through hydration. Getting enough sleep is also crucial, so establish a consistent sleep routine and aim for at least 7-8 hours of restful sleep each night. I’ve heard so many people say they can get by on less than this, and that might be true to a point, but science says if you are regularly functioning on less than 7 hours of sleep – you are not performing at your best and you are going to be tired. Find a way to get the sleep you need, and you will see positive impacts across the board.

Additionally, taking breaks throughout the day and engaging in stress-reducing activities such as yoga or meditation can help combat fatigue. Being in touch with your natural energy ebbs and flows is also essential. We all move through energy cycles in our lives. If you know when you will have more energy, you can make the best use of that time and schedule lower-intensity activities or more restorative tasks when energy dips. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to beating fatigue, but if you craft an energy management strategy specific to you, it will help.

By incorporating these ideas into your routine, you can reverse fatigue and restore your energy levels, making you more productive and alert throughout the day and giving you the energy to take care of yourself.

Mental Roadblock #3

“It’s selfish”

When you have family pulling you in one direction, work pulling you in another, and household tasks taunting you – it’s easy to get held back by the roadblock of believing that drawing boundaries, saying no, and creating space to care for yourself is “selfish.” But in reality, it’s anything but. Nothing will keep us from self-care quite like the guilt and shame that come from believing that we are being selfish. Many of us, especially women, have been culturally conditioned to believe that we have to self-sacrifice and that caring for ourselves is a luxury that most of us can’t afford. It’s all a lie. You are no good to anyone if you aren’t good to yourself. End of story.

Exit Ramp: Self-Care is Essential

It’s time to shift the narrative and change how we think about self-care. Self-care isn’t a “nice to have” thing that’s only meant for people with an abundance of time, money, and privilege. Self-care is essential for everyone regardless of how busy our lives may be or how many people are depending on us. Practicing self-care allows us to recharge, reset and refocus, ensuring that we can be there for the people we love and the things that matter most.

We can’t give from an empty well, and neglecting our own needs only leads to burnout and exhaustion. When we take care of ourselves, we’re actually doing everyone around us a favor. We’re showing up as the best version of ourselves, with more energy and passion to give to the world. So let’s shift the narrative and embrace self-care as an essential act of love, not selfishness.

Mental Roadblock #4

“It doesn’t work”
Self-care has become a popular buzzword in recent years, and for a good reason. However, it’s not uncommon to hear individuals say, “It doesn’t work for me.” Maybe someone told you about the transformative experience they had with yoga or meditation – so, you tried it for a week, and it felt weird, and you didn’t like it. So, now you are just writing off the whole “self-care” thing as a scam. Or maybe a friend of yours wakes up every morning an hour early to get her workout in, and she says it’s changed her life, but when you tried this, you were even more sleep deprived and felt awful all day. If the types of self-care you’ve tried aren’t working, it’s because it wasn’t the right type of self-care for you or you didn’t do it consistently for long enough to generate the benefit. Practicing self-care is incredibly effective for enhancing our overall well-being and building burnout resilience, but only if done in a way that works for you.

Exit Ramp: Create an Individualized Self-Care Plan that Works for YOU

It’s important first to identify our individual needs and preferences and then intentionally implement self-care practices into our daily routines. If you hate running, for example – don’t try integrating running into your life as a self-care strategy. You are going to be miserable, and of course, you aren’t going to stick with it.

Self-care should be nourishing and align with your needs, preferences, interests, and passions. Self-care will look different for you than it does for your friends, family, and colleagues. It doesn’t have to be extravagant or time-consuming, but rather small and consistent acts of kindness towards ourselves. Self-care isn’t a punishment, and it’s not meant to make you miserable, but it does require discipline and consistency to see results. So, don’t just try your new bedtime routine or meal prepping for only a day or two – give it a real shot before trying something different or giving up entirely. It might take some time to find the balance that’s right for you, and that’s okay!

Remember, it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, and some trial and error may be involved in finding what works best for you. So think of something that would nourish you and create a plan to integrate it into your life. If, after a few weeks, it’s not aligning – back to the drawing board you go!

5 Self-Care Strategies for a Rejuvenated Life

Still not sure where to start on your self-care journey? Here are five self-care strategies to try:

1) Practice mindfulness through meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.

2) Get enough restful sleep by creating a relaxing bedtime routine and limiting screen time before bed.

3) Move your body by engaging in physical activities that you enjoy, like dancing, hiking, or jogging.

4) Adopt healthy eating habits by consuming nutrient-rich foods and staying hydrated.

5) Set boundaries and say ‘no’ to commitments that drain your energy or add unnecessary stress to your life.

Remember, self-care is not selfish but rather an act of self-love that can help you show up as your best self in all areas of your life.

Self-care may be something that many of us think we don’t have time for, or feel too tired or guilty to interject into our lives. However, this essential practice is necessary for self-awareness and personal growth. Rather than feeling guilty about prioritizing yourself, focus on how your life could transform by showing yourself compassion and restorative care.

By taking proactive steps to infuse your life with the care YOU need, you can achieve a balanced, resilient life. Self-care won’t necessarily look the same every day, but if you can learn to check in with your needs and listen to what they tell you, you will be off to a good start. Whether it’s finding time to journal, meditating each morning to center yourself, savoring a delicious meal, or going on a brisk hike – if you prioritize yourself consistently and make it a regular part of your life, then gradually, it will become easier.

Make time for acts of self-care today and every day.

Warmly,

Kayla

If you are burned out or on the verge of burnout and ready to take your life back, schedule a free discovery call with me today. You will leave the call with clarity about what you need to transform your life from Burnout to Balance.