You feel stuck.

You are drowning. And you can't move or swim or even crawl. It's paralysis.

You've stopped enjoying what you used to love doing.

You feel drained with your work or studies to the point where even the thought makes you feel heavy.

You feel often feel sad, irritable and anger.

It's called 'burnout'.

In the last 3 to 4 years, I've seen many people around me getting burned out. I've seen people across age groups - early twenties, late twenties, thirties and even forties getting so burned out that it has taken them as long at 1 to 3 years to get back to normal.

Burnout is serious shit.

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The common idea that burnout happens because of working too hard or no work-life balance is a myth. Don't get me wrong here. I know how serious it is and how one feels. I've been through this too.

And hence I also know and now understand what causes burnout.

It happens when there is a lack of control, you struggle to get a grip.

It happens when you are struggling to get something done, and you feel there is zero progress.

It happens when you are not at peace with your identity, you are constantly struggling to prove yourself.

It happens when you are in doubt, you struggle to step outside your comfort zone.

It happens when the environment is not supportive, you struggle to express yourself.

It happens because of this one thing -- STRUGGLE.

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If you've suffered a burnout, or feeling you're on the verge of it, or if you've seen someone close to you feeling so...

First acknowledge that something is off.

Then try to understand from the above list of possible reasons which one is it. What are you struggling with?

Then ask these two questions:

"Now that i have identified a source of this feeling, what will help me release the struggle?"

"Who from my pillars can support me find a better way to release the struggle?"

You'll realise you're just a conversation away to start dealing with burnout.

Just one decision can be the turning point - to stop struggling.

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