beat burnout with… pancakes?

One of the biggest takeaways I have from my Burnout Recovery and subsequent Burnout Prevention journey is the value of leaning into seasonal fun.

I’ve noticed a big shift toward this desire for ‘seasonal living’ in a lot of my one to one client sessions. So many of us are yearning to step off that constant, relentless treadmill and do things at a different pace. I’ve found that a great way of doing that is taking advantage of existing cultural markers through the year and making time for them, instead of viewing them as just another thing to get done.

We know that we need to take breaks, we need to reset our nervous systems by stepping away from our stressors, we need to complete the stress cycle regularly - and we need to make time for mindful activities and productive rest.

Well! You can do ALL that, just by getting involved in Pancake Day.

A side note from Maggie:

This is an activity that I am absolutely encouraging if you are either side of that pesky epicentre of Burnout and trying to find some balance - however, if you’re right in the boiling pot, unable to think straight let alone flip a pancake, I’ve got you. Sack this post off and go subscribe to my podcast - and listen especially to to Episode 3: Burnout SOS. This episode will help you to stop, take stock, and step out of the boiling pot of Burnout.

If you’re not in the pot, and you’re somewhere either on the journey to Burnout Recovery or you’re making efforts towards Burnout Prevention, then I am talking to you! Let’s go Beat Burnout with Pancakes!

Before my Burnout, as you may know, I was living a completely ridiculous life with no time for much aside from working, obsessing about work, panicking about work, or being depressed about work. Pancake Day always caught me off guard! I usually realised it was happening on the day itself, when the office kitchen was taken over by stacks of pre-made pancakes and tubs of Nutella, which I would usually miss altogether or shove into my mouth without tasting while on my way to yet another agonisingly stressful meeting. And if I did actually leave the office early enough to get home in time to entertain the idea of making myself some sad pancakes - the local shop had already been emptied of supplies. So more often than not, I’d end up just drinking a bottle of wine instead and crashing out on the couch, pancake-less!

These days, I am ALL ABOUT SEASONAL FUN. And I’m encouraging you to be too.

Here are the facts:

• Pancakes are super simple to make with minimal ingredients so you can generally avoid having to go out to the shops if you’re feeling low energy. That’s a win.

• You can even buy pre-made pancake mix. It’s not lazy, it’s pragmatic.

• I have never met a person who doesn’t like at least one kind of pancake. British pancakes, American pancakes, crepes, dutch pancakes, mini pancakes, banana, chocolate chip, or blueberry pancakes - there’s surely one out there for you!

• The process of actually making the pancakes is an excellent Mindfulness practice! Whether you’re following a recipe to the letter, or using an old family method - bonus points for nostalgia.

• Pancakes are still great to enjoy on your own, but they are even more fun with friends or family. Have a flipping competition, or try out unusual toppings. In my house, there’s a long running record for who can eat the most pancakes in one sitting - it’s my sister. She’s out of control.

Leaning into seasonal fun is such a good way to connect with the present moment, make positive memories and also to interrupt that pesky stress cycle.

Let’s be real for a second, when you’re dealing with a lot of stress, the idea of stopping and doing something that is just for fun can seem like a waste of time. But that is EXACTLY my point. It might not be pancakes, for you it might be something else. Maybe it’s a hobby, maybe it’s a holiday, maybe it’s having dinner with friends, or maybe it’s just sitting down and losing yourself in a good book. The point is that if the very idea of stepping away from your stress seems impossible, then it’s even more important that you make time to do that.

So go forth and flip a pancake or two for the purposes of Burnout Prevention. It’s for your HEALTH.

And if you can’t manage to find this time, or any time, for you - then you’d probably benefit from coming and having a free 30 minute consultation call with me. We can talk about your stress, the reality of your situation, and make a plan for how to move forward.

Mx