Burnout seriously impacts all areas of your life
Your job, relationship, family, social contacts, finances, health...., nothing is spared. I don't know how it is with you, but at the time (12 years ago now) I had to "get used" to my new self. Me who was always the energetic career woman, me who suddenly couldn't do much....
It was quite a process to accept that for myself ... and also to communicate this to the outside world
How did I tell my partner, friends, family, acquaintances, my employer ... and yes, even the control doctor? Because yes, the outside world doesn't see anything about you. Burnout is not a "visible" illness, so everything hinges on what you communicate about it....
I share with you my experience in dealing with the control doctor and would like to give you the following tips:
- Buy a very nice little book for yourself, your logbook, and invariably take it with you to the conversation with the control doctor.
- Rate your energy level from 0 to 10 and write it weekly (or possibly daily).
- Write down all your symptoms: physical, emotional, mental ... and note the date. Bring your notebook to the consultation.
- Write down daily what you do in terms of exercise; it helped me to write down daily that I walked for half an hour, or swam and did my abdominal exercises....
- Write down what professional support you are looking for to get better again; for example, talks with a therapist, nutritionist, career coach... You really don't have to do it alone. Surround yourself with the best and invest in yourself!
- Bring any materials you have from those conversations to illustrate.
- Ask if the people accompanying you can possibly be called by your control doctor if he/she is being difficult.
- Before each conversation with the control doctor, think about what you need from him... usually that is "time" and name it.
Realize that burnout does not happen in a few weeks and therefore is not quickly resolved. I myself was at home for over a year... Be gentle with yourself and realize that your energy level must be stable at 7/10 or higher to resume work. - You alone know what you feel.
I experienced a control doctor threatening to take away my benefits after 6 months if I did not return to work. I said I couldn't, and substantiated it with the above elements. I stayed true to myself and eventually he gave me extension.
When I wanted to return to work after more than a year, I was advised by a psychiatrist (affiliated with control doctor) not to start yet. Even then I stood firm and said that it would be better for my recovery to gradually resume work.
Eventually they gave me approval for that.... - Keep the image in mind that one day you will be radiant and vital again....
Believe that you can! Believe in yourself and see this as a time when your "old self is being burned up" and something completely new will emerge from the ashes of your burnout, something much better suited to who you are and to who you want to be....