3 STEPS TO AVOIDING BURNOUT

 

All too often in my day to day, I interact with people in all types of occupations. As a self-proclaimed empath, I pick up on emotions upon instant eye to eye contact. There’s a lot of tension and weariness and irritation in workplace environments in general because people have quite frankly become a product of burnout.

There are several symptoms of burnout whether you are in a 9-5 corporate job, have your own brick & mortar small business, or even stay at home and run an online business.

• Decrease in productivity
• Constant state of fatigue
• Unconcern or boredom
• Quick temper
• Inability to concentrate
• Headaches
• Denial
• Loss of connection with your environment

Let’s delve a bit deeper into the signs of burnout. You are probably experiencing burnout if you:

• Use food, alcohol, or drugs in order to cope with feeling any pressure.
• Are always tired regardless of how many hours you sleep.
• Experience chronic episodes of insomnia.
• Daydream about vacationing as a solution for your issues.
• Feel ‘off’ about receiving new work projects even if they are interesting to you.
• Fantasize about quitting on a regular basis.
• Rarely engage in social settings and instead stay home to yourself.
• Don’t see things working out for you professionally.

WHAT IS BURNOUT?

Burnout is simply the depletion of your energy, both emotionally and physically that has the power to drain and eat away at the things in your life you cherish.

Burnout affects three primary sources – your mind, emotions, and body. Hard workers tend to feel the effects of burnout more than others. There are ways to avoid burnout in your life and it involves paying careful attention to stress signals on an ongoing basis and developing stress management strategies to combat these sinking spirals into exhaustion.

1 // ASK FOR HELP

This, above all else is the key to overcoming anything in life. I cringe to think of all the times I let my ego convince me that I was Wonder Woman and could do it all without help.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ASKING FOR HELP.

I want to emphasize this because there has always been pressure to keep feelings bottled in and to avoid judgement from peers, colleagues, or family. You know what happens? The load you’re carrying gets heavier and heavier until it not only hurts you, but breaks you down.

So often, we forget that we’re not alone in this world. There are supportive groups, licensed therapists, life or career coaches, spiritual leaders, and simply good people who can lend you their ear and allow you to vent or admit that you’re having a rough time.

What we tend to miss is that by putting off these talks, we are wasting time with finding the solution. The answer can be solved much faster with the meeting of minds instead of simply one.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness or lack of self-worth. I understand you want to feel a sense of accomplishment for doing things on your own. I get that you want to feel in control. I know how you want to figure things out solve them in your way. I also completely grasp the concept of not wanting to be indebted to someone else or even be a burden.

Despite all of that, asking for help is still the best solution. Here’s how your life can improve by asking for help:

YOU WILL LEARN. If you’re not learning in life, trust that you aren’t living. There’s always something to learn about yourself and your journey. And there’s so many knowledgeable and talented people willing to offer their expertise to expand your mind and move the needle. Be a good listener. Absorb the wisdom. Ask questions. Let it fuel you.

YOU WILL MOVE FORWARD. If you’re unsure of your next step and find yourself standing still, then ask for help to get moving on a better path. Yes, you may feel foolish at times or even experience anxiety. There is no reward without risk. Think of what it costs to stay stuck in the same awful place. Trust that once you have gotten the help you need, those symptoms of stress will fall away.

2 // SET NEW STANDARDS AND RE-EVALUATE YOUR PRIORITIES

As human beings, it’s really hard for us to LET GO. We hold on to excess amounts of junk, grudges from past relationships, struggles in our past, and more. We cling to the very things that harm our mindset and disrupts our purpose. All of this ends up defining the way we think, believe, and act. Instead of operating on a high level, you may find yourself eating horribly, snapping at others, engaging in unhealthy behavior, slacking on the job, and self-sabotaging the best areas of your life.

What baggage are you currently carrying that needs to be dropped off to the nearest dumpster?

PRIORITIZE YOUR LIFE

At the core of self-care, finding value in the little things and being grateful goes a long way. Our quality of life depends upon those daily actions that give direction, purpose, and even excitement into our home and work environment. How does your foundation look? No one would want to stay in a crumbling house that wasn’t built with a solid foundation.

Think about your family, friends, health, career, finances, love, and play. All of these areas overlap. And the biggest mistake people make is to assume that they can find a perfect work/life balance. I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face. Work/life balance doesn’t exist. When you try to operate both at 100% or even divide them at 50%, you end up feeling the burnout. Take a realistic perspective to managing your life and schedule.

3 // BUILD SELF-CARE AND RECREATION INTO YOUR WEEK

For most occupations, sitting down at a desk for 8 hours of the day followed by more hours of sitting on the couch at home is commonplace. As evidenced by the U.S. obesity rates, physical recreation isn’t factored into the daily lives of Americans. What most miss, is that being active is not simply good for your physical health, but a real treat for your mental capabilities. Simply put, the more you invest in recreation and good nutrition, the less you will have to see the doctor for ailments like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems, or even cancer.

YOU DETERMINE HOW YOU ENHANCE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE Click To Tweet

Aside from medical disclaimers by your physician, there are no strict rules when it comes to engaging in exercise and play time. Now you can take Zumba classes, use the Wii Fitness, practice hot yoga, take the Krav Maga challenge and more. If those are too adventurous, then going for a walk 30 minutes per day is just as effective. The key is to find something that aligns with your personality, current health condition, and wellness goals. Recreation releases tension and helps you relax.

MAKE SELF-CARE A PRIORITY

How many hours of sleep are you getting each night? 5? 6? 8 or more? Do you eat three balanced, nutritional meals per day? How many glasses of water are you consuming to stay hydrated? Do you put the needs of others before you? Do you say yes to everything? How do you reward or pamper yourself at the end of a busy week?

These are the questions I like to ask when it comes to self-care. Truth is, lack of self-care is a primary indicator that a burnout will occur. We often ignore the signs that we need attention until it’s forced upon us (and not in a good way).

Taking care of yourself isn’t indulgent behavior. It’s necessary to flourish.

Never be sorry about taking a break from the endless disorder of the world. When you take care of yourself, it’s easier to find the energy to pour into others in your home, community, and society as a whole. When you neglect yourself, it shows up in ugly ways and ends up hurting those you are in contact with.

Develop your own personal self-care plan to help you practice taking better care of your health. In fact, I have a Free 5-Day Self-Care Challenge you can take to get more clarity and peace of mind in your life.

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