Do you ever feel like your energy reserves are just being depleted, and you can’t seem to replenish them? It might be more than just fatigue or exhaustion; it could be burnout.

We had a riveting conversation with Tanya Tarr, a behavioral scientist, columnist, corporate educator, and the founder of Cultivated Insights, who had plenty to say on the subject of burnout.

In fact, we had so much to discuss, we had to divide the chat into two parts!

Show Notes

Understanding Burnout

Tanya was generous enough to share her expertise on distinguishing between fatigue, exhaustion, and burnout. According to her, burnout is not a mental health issue but an occupational one recognized by the World Health Organization.

Characterized by extremely negative feelings like rage, resentment, apathy, or numbness, burnout may emerge when chronic exhaustion is left unaddressed for too long. There are other signs too, like anhedonia (avoidance of pleasure), self-isolation, and a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.

Burnout isn’t a quick fix. Unlike fatigue and exhaustion, which can be managed with sufficient rest, burnout requires small, consistent interventions and gradual changes to the conditions causing it. This is an important point to keep in mind, especially for those of us homeschooling children for an extended period of time, say four to eight or 10 years.

The Stress Cycle and its Implications

The stress cycle is a concept dating back to the ’50s which describes how our bodies react to stressors. In this age of constant digital connection, we’re often stuck in a hyper-focus attention state that prevents us from completing the stress cycle. This incomplete cycle can lead to chronic stress and even burnout.

Physical activities like running are essential to human health and act as a natural antidepressant. Tanya, who practices martial arts, shared that certain movements could trigger emotional release, hinting at the deeper connection between our physical activities, emotions, and stress.

Navigating the Stress Cycle with the House of Wellbeing

The House of Wellbeing is a framework, devised by Tanya, to help close the stress cycle and prevent burnout. It involves four rooms: physical, mental, emotional, and cultural. The idea is to conduct a ‘self-inventory’ of our self-care activities related to each aspect and evaluate their impact on our well-being.

She advocated for a focused approach to self-care, where we prioritize reliable practices that truly benefit us instead of sporadically trying everything under the sun. This approach helps us concentrate on the activities that have a positive impact on our well-being, while discarding those that don’t.

All in all, it was an insightful conversation filled with knowledge and understanding. I encourage you to reflect on Tanya’s insights to better comprehend your own state of burnout or stress. And don’t forget to join us for the second part of this conversation in our next episode, where we’ll be delving deeper into the topic.

Resources

• FREE Science of Burnout Class with Actionable Triage Tactics
• The Busy to Burnout Index + 4 Triage Tips
• Quiz: (Where Are You on the Busy to Burnout Index?)
• Articles mentioned: 1) Group singing as a resource for the development of a healthy public: a study of adult group singing, 2) When Choirs Sing, Many Hearts Beat As One, 3) Brain Waves Synchronize when People Interact, 4) Here Are Two Clear Ways Executives Can Help Close The Burnout Gap
• Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention!
• It’s Fall class enrollment time! Brave Writer 101 is our flagship class, but it doesn’t end there! Learn more at bravewriter.com/online-classes.
• Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
• Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Go to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

As homeschooling parents, we understand the unique challenges that arise when the academic year ends. Summer is here, and so begins a time without the structure and routine of homeschooling. Our children, the very ones we’ve been teaching, are still with us, ready to start each day, and they need things to do.

This lack of schedule or routine doesn’t alleviate pressure. If anything, it can feel even more intense. There is a different kind of responsibility that comes with summer. The pressure to keep our children busy, to fill their days with creative activities, explorations, imagination, and physical activities like swimming or playing in the backyard, can be immense.

Yet, after a whole year of running the schedule and planning, many of us are burned out. The last thing we want is to shoulder the responsibility of planning a summer full of activities. But that doesn’t mean we want our kids to miss out on the opportunities summer can bring.

So, how do we navigate this period? How do we ensure our children make the most of their summer, even when it’s not officially “homeschooling” time? That’s what we want to explore today on the podcast. Let’s delve into how we can help our kids (and ourselves!) enjoy the summer without letting it become a pressure cooker.

Show Notes

Exploring the Idea of Boredom

Boredom isn’t necessarily a negative experience, nor should it be seen as a necessary evil that needs to be endured for creativity to emerge. As parents, we often resort to assigning chores when our kids complain of being bored. However, this might be overlooking a more significant issue – that the boredom might stem more from decision fatigue or an overwhelming array of choices, rather than a lack of things to do.

At times, it might seem easier to let children consume media than push them into creative activities. But we’ve noticed that a vacuum of time often leads both children and adults to default to low-engagement activities, which might result in feelings of restlessness or dissatisfaction.

Cultivating Creative Spaces to Block Out Boredom

Inspired by our book, “The Brave Learner,” we discuss how setting up an art table or a creative space can be a wonderful solution to stimulate children’s creativity. An appealing, accessible table laden with diverse ongoing projects invites children to explore and create.

The environment plays a crucial role in overcoming boredom. A space that encourages participation in a range of activities creates an attractive, engaging atmosphere. We believe in the importance of giving children something to look forward to, and we’ve seen how maintaining a rhythm to the day can motivate and benefit kids.

One fun idea is to create a dress-up station, especially for kids under 12. Imagine a designated space with a mirror, dress-up clothes on hangers, shoes, and hair accessories – all of these can spark their imagination. We can’t stress enough the importance of having easily accessible materials and rotating items to prevent overwhelming children.

We encourage the embrace of a bit of mess and chaos – creating an environment that stimulates children’s imagination and helps alleviate boredom.

Shaking Up Routines

Changing up routines, particularly during summer, is an exciting way to keep children engaged. This could mean altering the times of certain activities, such as watching movies or playing video games.

Introducing family game days can also break the monotony. Some games we love include Quiddler, Prime Climb, Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Pandemic, Apples to Apples, Bananagrams, Yahtzee, Uno, Cranium, and Set. Having a designated “game day” during the week can be a highlight for the whole family.

Strategies for Bored Teens

Teenagers present their own challenges, and we have suggestions for that, too. Encourage teens to venture outside, allow them to hang out at places like Panera, Barnes & Noble, movie theaters, and Starbucks. Give them the freedom to explore, whether that be through biking, walking, or just being outdoors. A sense of risk and adventure can be stimulating.

We fondly remember simple activities like late-night chats with friends on swings. Investing in a trampoline is another way to keep them engaged over a long period.

Other Potential Boredom-Busting Strategies

Adjusting regular rhythms can infuse energy and excitement into the mundane. Consider shaking up sleep schedules to accommodate more nighttime activities or assign chores that children find entertaining. For example, they might enjoy scrubbing the baseboards with a bowl of soapy water.

You don’t have to force yourself to do activities you dislike. Instead, play to your strengths. If you enjoy singing, organize a family karaoke session.

Even small changes in the environment can stimulate your children’s interests. Perhaps add new items to a coffee table to spark their imagination or leave part of the yard un-mowed to attract insects like dragonflies and fireflies.

Finally, having a range of activities can ensure children don’t feel deprived after screen time. Consider introducing geocaching – a fun, outdoor treasure hunt using an app, or frisbee golf, an engaging game that blends the joy of frisbee and golf.

At the end of the day, the goal is to make the most of our time with our children, create lasting memories, and ignite their natural curiosity and creativity.

Resources

• Plan your semester with us this Fall! Skip the registration line, save money, and more! This offer is only available until Friday, July 21st. Learn more at bravewriter.com/online-classes.
• Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention!
• Begin your bilingual adventures by visiting TalkBox.Mom/Brave. Choose your language and use the coupon code BRAVE for $20 off your first box and phrase book bundle. Start talking from day one with TalkBox.Mom and add a whole new language dimension to your brave journey!
• Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
• Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
• Want help getting started with Brave Writer? Go to bravewriter.com/getting-started
• Sign up for the Brave Writer newsletter to learn about all of the special offers we’re doing in 2022 and you’ll get a free seven-day Writing Blitz guide just for signing up: https://go.bravewriter.com/writing-blitz

Connect with Julie

• Instagram: instagram.com/juliebravewriter
• Twitter: twitter.com/bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter