This pandemic affected me more than I originally thought it would. With more family members at home, the amount of cooking, dishes, laundry, cleaning, and interruptions amplified. I felt stressed and feared potentially contracting Covid-19 while I was praying for my friend who was fighting it. I was affected emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially.
Burnout is caused by unrecognized, unprocessed, long-term chronic stress. It shows up through fatigue, discontent, dissatisfaction with work, and negative thoughts. With burnout, you may feel disconnected from family and friends. I finally recognized that I was suffering from these symptoms. Has the pandemic affected you too?
Tina Yeager, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor writes, “The pandemic exposed us to multiple layers of stress. Individuals grieved the losses of loved ones, employment, safety, and health. Most suffered from the emotional strain of isolation, which is a critical blow to mental health. Humans suffer from trauma during a pandemic, war, or natural disaster.”
Additionally, Tina explains, “Trauma overwhelms the brain and disrupts our ability to cope. Therefore, this pandemic’s attack upon our well-being can send us into burnout before we realize it. We may experience depression, despair, and anxiety. Therefore, self-care should become a priority.”
During this pandemic I was so busy cooking three meals a day, cleaning the dishes and house, plus all the work that I was behind in because of constant interruptions from family members that I never slowed down to do my morning devotions. Did your spiritual life suffer due to the pandemic too?
Edie Melson’s scripture prescriptions in Soul Care When You’re Weary spoke to me.
Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.”
Mark 6:31 (NLT)
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”
Exodus 33:14 (NLT)
After reading this I was determined to spend time with the Lord every day. I feel better when I give my worries to God. I need spiritual restoration that only He can provide. How about you?
Tina Yeager suggests that we decrease our exposure to negative messages on media, which could intensify our trauma symptoms. Sleep and a healthy diet are vital to recovery from being burned out. Constructive activities like music, art, and nature walks ground us. Prayer, scripture meditation, and friendship anchor us through the storms of trauma. In addition to these essential parts of your emergency trauma kit, reach out as needed. Contact a local therapist or national hotline (SAMHSA, for example) for help if you feel unable to cope.
To help you recover from the impact of the Coronavirus crisis, join us for a virtual conference, A Little SHE Time: A Women’s Renewal Event, that will take place Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27, 2020, or Rebound Your Highest: Come Back Stronger After the Struggle that will livestream on July 25-26, 2020. We suffered from trauma through this pandemic. But we can find rest with the Lord. May God bless you and renew you during this season of restoration.
In addition, mindfulness exercises such as yoga and meditation helps a person recover from burnout and trauma. I’ve created an assortment of yoga products for you. Yoga for Beginners relieves stress and gives you inner peace. Scripture Yoga includes over twenty biblically theme-based classes to focus on while performing the yoga poses. These books are for beginners, and the yoga poses are easy to perform.
I produced two Christian yoga DVD’s Scripture Yoga: What the Bible Says About Prayer and Christian Yoga: God’s Mighty Angels. Two sets of yoga decks are available How to Receive God’s Peace and The Fruit of the Spirit. Please visit my website at ChristianYoga.com for more information.
By Susan Neal RN, MBA, MHS
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