Prepper burnout: How to stay motivated when things get hard

By virgiliomarin // 2022-02-10

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Prepping can burn you out since it requires a lot of effort to be fully prepared for SHTF. The symptoms of prepper burnout include anxiety, fatigue, forgetfulness and depression. If you have prepper burnout, you may feel stressed and tired all the time and begin to lose sight of why you chose to be a prepper in the first place. Here are a few tips to stay motivated when prepping seems a little too much to bear: (h/t to AYearWithoutGrocery.com)

Spend less time doing a task

Juggling work, family life and prepping can leave you with little "me" time. Spend fewer minutes doing a task to make more time for yourself so you can relax and do the things you enjoy. If you feel burnt out after a hard day's work, order takeout for dinner or have something that's quick and easy to prepare to save yourself the hassle of following a difficult recipe. When it comes to prepping, you don't need to rush into putting together a bug-out bag or drawing up a survival plan. While it's true that disasters are hard to predict, your preparations will be no good if your mental health is not in tip-top shape.

Do more when you feel motivated

Get to work immediately once you feel motivated to prep to capitalize on that burst of inspiration. Clear whatever trivial plans you have for the day to get rid of distractions. If you've been feeling uninspired for a long time, read prepping books or join a community of preppers to learn about their experiences.

Get some accountability

Find an accountability partner who can hold you accountable if you seem a little lazy. This person can be a friend, a family member or another prepper. Whatever the case, an accountability partner should be someone reliable who can help you stay on track of your prepping goals.

Find a preparedness buddy

Preparedness buddies are preppers who work alongside each other to bring their respective survival plans to life. Unlike an accountability partner, a preparedness buddy should be someone who is familiar with survival planning. He or she can also be your accountability partner, as long as that person is wise in the ways of prepping. (Related: Coronavirus and mental health: How can preppers help each other during a lockdown?)

Make a checklist

A checklist keeps you on track of what you should do and keeps you updated on your progress. It also ensures that things are organized, saving you from the stress that comes when your preps are in disarray. Keep multiple copies of your checklist so you have one for your car, pocket, kitchen and garage. Don't forget to update each of them once you get something off your checklist done.

Factors that contribute to prepper burnout

Get rid of the following habits to avoid prepper burnout: (h/t to SurvivalSullivan.com)

Preparing too much – Preppers tend to prepare extensively out of an abundance of caution, but preparing for every disaster can be overwhelming. Focus on emergencies that commonly hit your area and be realistic about your budget, skill level and situation.
Obsessing on one potential disaster – Focusing on just one potential disaster can cause prepper burnout, especially if this event does not take place.
Comparing preps – Reading about other people's preps can be helpful and inspiring. But avoid comparing your preps to theirs because doing so may cause you to feel unsatisfied.
Prepping all the time – Prepping can cause burn out if it is all you do all the time. Take a break and spend time with your family.

There are many things you can do to recover from and prevent another prepper burnout. Sources include: ThePrepperJournal.com AYearWithoutGrocery.com SurvivalSullivan.com