Why you need to listen to your body to avoid burnout

Your body is your wisest tool.

Disclaimer: this is not a guilt-inducing rant about getting healthier. Having grappled with eating disorders, I am allergic to the clichés and consumerism that abound about health and wellness, especially the shame we are caused to feel every day about so many aspects of the human body.

There are so many harmful, nasty, shaming messages out there. This is where my burnout prevention tip about being careful with your attention is super important.

Anything that makes you feel lesser about your body? Ditch it.

But this is not about body image or what is on the outside. It’s about tuning into the inner experience of your body. Because when you are subject to the chronic workplace stress that causes burnout, your body will eventually start sending up signals that things are NOT OK and you need to STOP AND HEAL.

Listening to your Body is Free

So many people I spoke to who have been through burnout reported physical symptoms that manifested long before they conceded there was a problem.

There are endless signals your body can give. Nerve pain, chronic headaches, insomnia, chest pain, heart palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath or panic attacks, stomach pain or digestive issues. Injuries that won’t go away. A compromised immune system, which makes you more susceptible to colds, flus and infections.

Your body and brain are an incredibly wise system. This system wants you to survive and thrive! It operates 100% in your interests. And just as most modern cars are fitted with all kinds of warning lights, your body sends you signals all the time too.

“My message to clients is, are you going to pay attention to the signals your body is sending you?” executive coach Chris Gaither

Why Do We Ignore The Body’s Wisdom?

In modern society, we are excellent at blocking these signals. We don’t like being told to slow down, so we ignore and override our bodies’ warning signs for as long as we can. Medication, alcohol, caffeine, other stimulants and downers, socials, work — we are SO GOOD at distracting ourselves from the messages our body is trying to send us.

As Chris, an executive coach I spoke to who burned out while working in a senior role at Apple, put it: “For several years, my body had been sending me messages saying, ‘you are living an unhealthy life, you are sacrificing too much’. But I ignored all the signals. Why? I felt like I didn’t really have a choice. I was in this role, with a lot of people relying on me, and I’d worked so hard to get to this place. Plus, the paycheck. Plus, this is who I am. Who am I if I don’t work for this prestigious company?”

While the temptation to ignore the messages our body is sending us can be overwhelmingly powerful, eventually, the physical and physiological symptoms of burn out will catch up with us. As Bessel van der Kolk puts it, “The Body Keeps the Score” (that’s also the title of his bestselling book on trauma).

How To Listen Now

Take a moment to tune into your body right now: Do you have a shoulder ache that won’t get better? Lower back issues? Recurring headaches or neck pain? Bouts of indigestion or diarrhea? A feeling of constant exhaustion, or the sense that your memory is slipping?

Take a moment to tune into your body right now.

Be honest. Be brutally honest.

What are the signals your body has been sending you lately that your health needs attention? What might be the causes of these symptoms? What will help? Before — or while — you reach for the Advil, look to non-pharmaceutical solutions, too. For example, rest. Or, rest. Or like, maybe, rest.

Is rest not an option? For many of us, it can feel impossible. Until, that is, you burn all the way out and have no other option. Rest can help you avoid those murky depths — but finding ways can be tricky. If you need help, talk to a trusted friend or a coach.

Need help? Ask for it now.

If you need help interpreting those signals your body gives you when you listen to it, find a healthcare professional you can trust. Many who have been through burnout benefit significantly from holistic medicine or having regular body work such as massage, acupuncture or reiki in order to find or deepen their connection with the body. And, talk, too. Your employer's EAP, or your own coach or therapist can be an excellent place to start.