Burnout is when you reach a point where you no longer have the resources to deal with your daily demands. It’s when you’ve been running on empty for so long that your entire system begins to break down, and even the simplest of tasks become too difficult to even comprehend.

When I see clients who are beginning to heal from burnout, the key to recovery is taking things as slowly as possible. I’m mindful that adding any demands will come at a cost, so we need to make sure that the steps that we’re taking are going to reap maximum benefits. I don’t want to be burdening you with steps that are going to cost more energy than they generate. So how do we decide on our first steps?

Burnout recovery is a collaborative process. Together we’ll talk about how your burnout has impacted you and the ways that it’s showing up in your world. We’ll begin tackling the areas that are most important and most deeply affected first. I usually like to start with the basics: rest, nutrition and connection. How can we carve out time for you to rest deeply? What routines can we put in place to make sure that you’re getting something decent to eat and drink each day? And how can we ensure that you’re connecting with people that help you to feel supported and heard?

After we’ve taken care of those basics, the next bit is more challenging. Burnout often robs you of enthusiasm, excitement and motivation. When you’ve got no energy in the tank, it’s almost impossible to feel jazzed about anything. You can’t force enthusiasm or motivation, but we can begin to open the door so that it can enter on it’s own.

In order to do this, I like to enlist the help of one of my favourite therapy tools: curiosity.

When you’re feeling burned out and exhausted, curiosity tends to go out the window. In survival mode, there is no energy or inclination to explore the unknown or try new things. Your entire focus will have been on staying safe, on locking into your comfort zone. When curiosity begins to show up again, that’s often a sign that you’re on the road to recovery.

I keep my eyes open for signs that curiosity has begun to peek around the corner, and invite you to notice and follow it. Not only is curiosity often a sign that things are starting to turn around, but it can lead you towards the things that are going to help you to feel like yourself again.

The things we get fascinated by often have the power to hold our attention, to gently draw us in the direction of exploration and novelty, even in very small ways. You can’t force it to happen, but just be on the lookout for moments that make you go “Hmmmmm”.

If you’re recovering from burnout, or if you feel like you might be approaching burnout, one of the best things you can do is pay attention to the things that catch your eye and make you think “I wonder what that’s like”. It might be an instagram post about camping, a new hobby you’ve always wanted to try, an advertisement for a restaurant you’d like to visit or a documentary about a topic you want to learn more about. Keep your eyes open for things that hold your interest, and then follow that thread. The fact that curiosity has shown up at all is a sign that you’re ready for something a little bit different and new. And giving yourself permission to move towards that curiosity allows the chance to try something fun, creative and novel, which can fuel excitement and motivation.

Curiosity is the spark that starts the flames of enthusiasm and vigor. It’s the most important ingredient to getting you through burnout and back to a point where you feel like yourself again.