Quiet quitting. The Great Resignation. Burnout. These are all words buzzing both on the internet and in workplaces across America. And they all lead us to the same conclusion: We’re exhausted! Even if you’re retired, you may find yourself overwhelmed with obligations to your church, community or family.
Too often we Black women wait until we’ve reached our breaking point before we take a break. But what if instead of recharging after being burned-out, we precharge so we can avoid burnout altogether?
That’s what actress Keke Palmer does, she revealed in a recent interview with Women’s Health magazine. Before heading out for a promo tour for two of her biggest projects to date — starring with Daniel Kaluuya in Jordan Peele’s Nope and providing the voice of Izzy in Disney/Pixar’s Lightyear — Palmer retreated to a compound in California’s Desert Hot Springs. There she meditated, practiced Reiki and yoga, and sipped wheatgrass juice. “I’ve learned over the years that to keep my sanity, and to physically keep this machine running, I have to pour into myself as often as I can,” Palmer said.
But you don’t have to take a jet-setting trip to a Reiki retreat to practice precharging for yourself.
How to “Precharge” and Beat Burnout
One of the best ways to avoid burnout is to make sure you’re living a life that’s more fulfilling than it is draining. La’Tish Thomas, a New York-based licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist and the owner of Therapy Healing Spaces, says that to do this we must first get clear on our values.
Realign with your values. Thomas says we should frequently check in with ourselves to ask, “Am I aligning with my meaning and my values?” So if you say you value creative expression but you’re not making time to write, draw, sing or dance, things might feel off. If you’re thinking you don’t have time for the things you value most, this could be a sign that you need to learn to ask for help.
“Are you communicating what you need, or are you assuming that other people around you know what you need and how to help and provide support?” Thomas asks. If relinquishing responsibilities at work or home is hard for you, start by delegating small tasks to build more trust in your partner, family members or colleagues, Thomas recommends.
Get comfortable with saying no. The first step to doing so is examining why you’re always so quick to say yes, Thomas says. “Why is it OK for me to say yes to everyone else and not be able to say yes to myself?” she says you should ask yourself. “We’ve learned to not say no, to not set boundaries … and initially, it’s going to be uncomfortable,” Thomas says. “But as you practice and implement more, it’ll become easier.” At work, you may need to say no to taking calls and answering emails after a certain time or on the weekends. At home you may need to say yes to yourself by prioritizing self-care.