Many people entered 2023 feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, counselling psychologist Rakhi Beekrum wrote earlier in the year. Eight months in, her words ring truer than ever, especially for SME owners who have faced – and continue to face – challenges in their businesses and in themselves.

That’s why Rakhi’s tried-and-tested insights and advice on dealing with work fatigue are as relevant now as they were then, and why they can still benefit anyone feeling the weight of work fatigue on their shoulders:

“Most articles will tell you how important it is to rest. But do you know what one of the biggest barriers to rest is? Productivity guilt.

If you were raised with the belief that your self-worth is dependent on your productivity and success, you probably feel chronic guilt for not achieving more. Social media doesn’t help, as hustle culture is glorified and celebrated.

This can reinforce feelings of guilt and further prevent you from getting the rest you need to recharge and revitalise. It’s necessary to challenge such limiting beliefs by replacing them with more informed ones.

Rest and productivity are two sides of the same coin. For example, working longer hours doesn’t equate to increased productivity. On the contrary, working yourself to the point of burnout might compromise your health, and thereby your productivity, for an even longer period.

Just as a phone must be charged to be useful, so too our bodies and minds must be recharged to allow us to give our best. Hustle culture also often sets up an environment of fear, guilt and shame, especially when you don’t feel like running at the same pace as everyone else. Understand and acknowledge that your personal best will look different from one day to the next. It will depend on your energy levels, commitments, resources and motivation – all of which are in constant flux.

We all wear different hats and have multiple roles to play – entrepreneur, employer, parent, child, sibling, friend, mentor. Each role demands something different from us and it’s impossible to balance all of them perfectly. If you’re a high-functioning person, others may not even see that you are under huge strain. This is especially true of women, where much of this load is invisible to others. Be compassionate with yourself for the load you carry.

12 ways to become more compassionate with yourself

1. Allow yourself to feel all your feelings – even the unpleasant ones – without overthinking them.

2. Do a brain dump by listing the things you have to do and the things that are stressing you out. Use this as a guideline for what to focus your energy on.

3. Set realistic expectations based on your workload, priorities and energy levels.

4. Reassess those activities that take up time and do only what takes you closer to your important goals.

5. Celebrate small wins.

6. Take breaks. Understand that taking a break will improve your focus and concentration, then work them into your schedule.

7. Know what to do yourself, what to delegate, what to outsource and what to let go of.

8. Redefine what success means to you. It’s not only determined by productivity and achievements.

9. Live in the present. Dwelling on the past won’t change it, and worrying about the future is unproductive. But you can do something now at this moment that will shape your future.

10. Be okay with changing timelines. Do the best you can with what you have where you are.

11. Do the little things that fill your cup – even if it’s just for five minutes a day. You cannot give those who depend on you the best of you if you aren’t fulfilled.

12. Don’t dismiss self-care. Get enough rest, exercise and good nutrition. Speak to supportive friends, pray, journal, meditate – whatever makes you stronger."

This article was originally published in Nine Yards magazine. Read more here.