Tackling Lifestyle Fatigue

Are you “stuck in a rut”? You might be experiencing lifestyle fatigue…

After the pandemic in 2020-2021, I noticed an interesting pattern among some of my clients. They were tired — and not just tired, but exhausted. They reported having a “stuck-in-a-rut” feeling with an inability to move forward in their lives. Many did not have a clear focus on where they wanted to go in life, and felt like they were just going through the motions every day. They were missing passion and excitement.

I detected a mix of apathy and frustration as they described what they were experiencing:  

• Boredom with career and daily life
• Avoidance of social interaction (professionally and with friends)
• Lack of creativity and fun
• Work felt unfulfilling and had no meaning
• Eating issues such as overeating and binging
• Lack of interest in activities they had previously enjoyed  

It would be one thing if it was just one or two clients, but this was coming from a growing number of clients — and I realized a new trend was upon us. But what exactly was this phenomenon?

It seemed like they were just emotionally exhausted with their lives — not just their careers (as in burnout), but their lives. When it came to activities they used to enjoy, they would now have to push themselves through, and it didn’t bring the feeling of fulfillment that it once did.

In August 2022, psychotherapist Sean Grover published an article in Psychology Today that gave this condition a name: “lifestyle fatigue.” As I read the article, I realized this was what my clients were experiencing.

It was certainly an eye-opener! For a mild case of lifestyle fatigue, activities such as going for a walk, focusing on self-care and getting more sleep may be enough. But to experience permanent changes requires deeper change at the lifestyle level.

Not sure if you’re experiencing lifestyle fatigue? How many of the following are true for you?

• Does every day feel like “Groundhog Day” – nothing changes, every day is the same?
• Is your job/career feeling meaningless and unfulfilling? 
• Do you experience a lack of motivation, even when you think about participating in activities you used to enjoy?
• Do you find yourself staying home more, scrolling on social media more, and avoiding social interactions?
• Do you notice a lack of creativity, fun and adventure in your life?
• Are you finding that activities you used to enjoy no longer have meaning — or you’re just not interested?

If several of these are true for you, it’s important to step back and assess how you think and feel about your life, your career, and your relationships. Tending to your “emotional baggage,” which can lead to physical and emotional fatigue, may also be in order. Although making significant adjustments can seem like a daunting task, it’s worth it and your future self will thank you for it!

CONNECT
Lori Burke, CCHt, CIHt
Certified Clinical & Interpersonal Hypnotherapist
321-652-1039
https://LoriBurkeHypnosis.com
Facebook:  /lori.burkecht
Instagram:  @LoriBurkeHypnosis

Thought Leader Bio

Certified Clinical and Interpersonal Hypnotherapist, Lori Burke helps clients get to the root cause of their issues and resolve them. After a career that involved developing award-winning software as a software engineer at Kennedy Space Center, her ever-increasing interest in the mind-body connection and hypnosis led her to a career in hypnotherapy. She opened her practice in Viera in 2018.