Burnout & Stress Relief Meditation [ep. 200]

Do you feel burned out? If so, you're not alone. This burnout visualization practice can help you identify the stressors that may be contributing to your burnout and also the sources of nourishment that already exist for you. During the meditation, you'll visualize and contrast a relaxed, obligation-free day with a busy workday. By observing bodily sensations and emotional responses without judgment, you can identify specific stressors and gain some insight on how you might shift your perspective about them or even change them so they don't deplete you as much. This episode follows last episode's discussion on burnout and depression. Listen to that episode before or after this one if you missed it.

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Sources and Notes:

• Joy Lab Program: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life.
• Last episode: Are you burned out or depressed?

Full transcript here.

Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program.

Please see our terms for more information.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at [e-mail]. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to the Joy Lab podcast,where we help you uncover and

(00:03):
foster your most joyful self.
Your hosts, Dr. Henry Emmons and Dr.Aimee Prasek, bring you the ideal mix of
soulful and scientifically sound tools tospark your joy, even when it feels dark.
When you're ready to experiment withmore joy, combine this podcast with the
full Joy Lab program over at JoyLab.coach

(00:26):
Hi, everyone.
So welcome to this burnout meditation.
If you haven't yet listened to lastepisode about burnout and depression,
you might want to head back thereeither now or after this meditation,
it gives some helpful information.
Now the aim of this meditation is toreally just notice how we move through

(00:49):
our days and the responses we have.
Which can help us identifywhat may be causing us stress,
but also what nourishes us.
That is information thatis really important.
It can help us to make a change inactivities or in how we perceive an
activity, if we aren't able to change it,so that it doesn't deplete us as much.

(01:14):
All right.
So let's get started.
Get settled, however that means for you.
You could lay down.
You could take a seat.
Maybe start to really tune in to thesensation of your feet on the ground.
You could softly close youreyes, if that feels good.

(01:37):
Notice what your body might be touching,the feeling of that sensation.
And then we're going to bestepping into our observing self.
So that part of your mind thatis able to step back and observe.

(02:02):
Without feeling drawninto thoughts or emotions.
And so if, if it helps, imagine yourselfmaybe sitting in a seat at a theater.
And you're there to see your own movie.
The screen is what you'llobserve as your movie plays.

(02:25):
You'll sit comfortably in yourseat, just noticing sensations.
If you get drawn into a scene, youforget to sit and watch, you maybe get
up and try to make some scene changes.
Normal, fine.
But for our purpose today,let's just come back to that

(02:47):
seat and just watch and feel.
So, the movie is beginning, and itis, in this first part, it is a movie
about a day that you have off from work.
So whatever that looks like foryou, you have less obligations.

(03:12):
So maybe see yourself waking up.
Moving in the early part of your day.
Watching it unfold and noticewhat you feel as you watch.

(03:37):
Notice if you feel calm.
Or it could be anxious, agitated,certain thoughts pop up.
No good or bad, just noticing whatrises up for you and in your body.

(03:58):
The movie starts to move perhapsinto the afternoon of this day
where you have fewer obligations.
You're sort of, quote, off work.
Let that afternoon unfoldand notice what you feel.

(04:25):
And then the evening.
Noticing what rises up.
You start to move intoevening, near bedtime.

(04:52):
You can see yourself settlingin, perhaps, to your bed.
Just take a moment to watch whatmight occur as you settle into
your bed after a day like this.

(05:17):
And we'll move into a bitof an intermission here.
Maybe imagine yourself gettingup, grabbing some Milk Duds at the
refreshments, popcorn, whateveryour favorite flavor is that
you can savor here for a moment.
And the soft bell dings and youhead back to your seat for part two.

(05:45):
So here's the second half andthen this time, this part of the
movie is about a day at work.
So whatever that means for you.
But you're going to have a lot ofobligations or the usual amount
of obligations in your day.
So you're in the office, so to speak.
And see yourself waking upand let your morning unfold.

(06:09):
And just notice any changesperhaps in your body.
Anything that arises, just noticing.
Perhaps the interactions, folksyou're involved with throughout

(06:31):
the day, the tasks that come up.
You start to move maybeinto the afternoon, you can
start to see that unfold.
Just notice.
Maybe the evening, maybe you'reoff work now and you're coming

(06:54):
into the latter part of your day,There's dishes to wash, perhaps.
Kids to put to bed, perhaps.
Other tasks.
You can kind of see your evening unfold.
Notice how you feel.

(07:22):
And then as you move closer to your bed.
You can perhaps see yourselfsettling into your bed.
Take a moment and just notice how thatprocess after a day of work, how does

(07:42):
sleep come to you in that evening.
And then credits start to play.
You're the main character, of course.
Lots of other actors.

(08:05):
But the lights start to come up.
Maybe you start to wiggle.
Softly coming back to this space.
Feeling again your seat.
Coming back to the here and now.
Maybe opening your eyeswhen that feels good

(08:26):
. So, I think it can help, if it feels good to you to spend a few minutes to think
back on this experience and notice ifthere was a difference between Part 1,
a day off, and Part 2, a day at work.
So, maybe you notice some tightness orstress, rising up, some agitation, maybe

(08:50):
feeling like a bit of constriction orexhaustion even as you're reflecting on
those experiences, maybe on a work day.
And if so, you know, what werethose specific interactions or
tasks maybe or people that madethose sensations more pronounced?
If that was the experience for you.

(09:12):
And I know that it can be toughif you're, you know, in working
roles that you feel like you havevery little freedom in, perhaps.
But I think there is always room forsome inner freedom, even in those
tough spaces, as we've talked about.
And that's a lot of the workthat we do here, this inner work.
And then with awareness, we can buildthe connections to create some change.

(09:35):
Thank you for listeningto the Joy Lab podcast.
If you enjoy today's show, visitJoyLab.coach to learn more
about the full Joy Lab program.
Be sure to rate and review us whereveryou listen to your favorite podcasts.
Please remember that thiscontent is for informational
and educational purposes only.
It is not intended to provide medicaladvice and is not a replacement for advice

(09:58):
and treatment from a medical professional.
Please consult your doctor orother qualified health professional
before beginning any diet change,supplement, or lifestyle program.
Please see our terms for more information.