Information worker burnout

It was this time last year that I realized I hit burnout. Here are some reflections on why some of us reach this point.

As "information workers," we're conditioned to dissociate from our bodies for 8-10 hours a day. Our entire world shrinks into our minds and into our screens. Our bodies then only become hindrances to our productivity. Crack the stiff fingers, roll the sore wrists, pop the ibuprofen to ease the lower back pain, and carry on. A routine only exacerbated by remote work.

This daily retreat from our bodies causes us to become so disconnected from the wisdom they carry, the language they speak. A language trained on the entire history of existence. Every natural optimization programmed into every cell. What a shame we've forgotten this wonder.

Our minds are sharp, relentless in their forward movement, brilliant in their creative expansion. But they are sneaky. They can lie and maneuver their way around every unhealthy attachment or aversion. They can find ways to ignore or suppress even the loudest of alarms.

But our bodies can't lie. * They are the honorable scout, binoculars around their neck and a vest full of badges marking their experience, calling out life's lessons with a stubborn honesty.

(*If we're lucky to be born with good health and keep them from chronic imbalances.)

My burnout experience taught me that it was time to return to this ancient wisdom. Time to re-learn the language of my body and heed its advice. Time to listen to my gut—first the physical, then the intuitive—and let it take the reins.

Turns out, it's way smarter than I am.

If you're taking some time off this season, I encourage you to reconnect with the physicality of the human experience. Step away from the screens and come back into communion with your body.