The Problem with Burnout is Not Working Hard, but Loving Oneself
How to avoid burnout effectively with one simple step of self-love
Burnout has become a major struggle in our lives.
It’s not just the long hours or the endless to-do lists.
It’s the exhaustion, the mental fog, and the feeling of disconnection from our work. This leads us to finding “passion.” More of that, we started to self-diagnose with ADHD, depression, and things like that.
Well, if you are one of those, I’m one of that too.
Most people deal with burnout by working harder and blindly rewarding themselves afterward. A cup of coffee, a cupcake, or maybe a little shopping spree.
But does it actually work?
Not really.
And here’s why.
The Trap of Blind Rewards
At one point in my life, I thought the key to avoiding burnout was simple: work hard, then reward myself.
I’d treat myself to desserts, scroll on social media, or binge-watch TV shows as a “reward” for my efforts. It felt good, but for a while.
Over time, I noticed something.
The rewards became an addiction. I kept chasing more rewards but found myself doing less work. It turned into a loop: more rewards, less work, and eventually a complete burnout.
The Real Problem is Not about reward.
The truth hit me when I realized the rewards weren’t solving the problem.
The issue wasn’t my effort or even my lack of rewards. It was that I never took the time to acknowledge my achievements. Or even simple things like waking up and meditating; I just forget it and chase new things.
Dr. K, a psychiatrist, introduced me to this concept.
He explained that recognizing even the smallest wins—like waking up on time, completing a task, or simply trying your best—can transform how you feel about your work. And this is actually much more important than rewarding yourself with coffee, etc.
And I didn’t know this!
Then, of course, I tried it.
The Simple Solution
I started small.
Every time I finished a task, no matter how small, I paused. I took a moment to say, “Good job. You did it.” And sometimes I reward myself with coffee or sugary drinks.
At first, it felt weird, and nothing changed.
But as I continued, something happened:
I felt less pressure to chase rewards.
I became grateful for the work I was doing, even if it wasn’t perfect.
Less procrastination because I focused more on progress rather than perfection.
My self-esteem improved because I was finally giving myself credit for showing up and trying.
It was a simple shift, but it made all the difference.
Befriending the Journey
When you begin to acknowledge your achievements, you start to see your journey differently.
Instead of treating yourself as a slave to productivity, you become a partner in your progress. You celebrate the little things, stay motivated, and find joy in the process rather than just the outcome.
This is what we called loving the journey/progress.
Takeaway
You can still reward yourself with treats and breaks. That’s perfectly fine.
But the key to avoiding burnout is actually in here:
Acknowledge your achievements.
Whether it’s as small as waking up early, completing one task, or simply showing up for the day, give yourself credit. The more you do this, the more grateful and motivated you’ll feel. This eventually leads you to doing the work more rather than “finishing” the work.
In time, you’ll realize that success isn’t just about the big milestones.
It’s about the little steps you take each day and the love you show yourself along the way.
Conclusion
Burnout isn’t just about working too hard.
It’s about forgetting the most important person in the process, which is you.
Start acknowledging your efforts today. Befriend your journey. And you’ll see that your burnout fades and gets replaced by a sense of purpose, gratitude, and self-love.
To Implement: Start by listing three things you achieved today, no matter how small. You’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come.
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