How to Prevent Burnout
People often feel a sense of burnout and the word burnout is a topic of conversation in many workplaces. Most people will experience times of great exhaustion in their life at some point. Whether it’s from working more than one job, taking care of a sick loved one, or juggling family life while going back to school, people can feel an overall tiredness and lac of motivation. This can be described as a burnout. Burnout is real, and it negatively impacts your life and health.
Common Signs of Burnout
If you think you may be experiencing burnout but are unsure, here are some of the most common signs:
- Physical and mental exhaustion
- Feeling overwhelmed
- A need to isolate
- Fantasies of escaping
- Irritability
- Frequent illnesses such as colds and flues
5 Ways to Prevent Burnout
Exercise
In burnout, one can begin to lose motivation to do things - particularly exercise. Taking the step to begin to exercise - starting small and building up can begin to contribute positively to one's mental health.
Get Enough Rest
It’s essential to get enough restorative sleep each night. Sleep not only helps our bodies build and repair new tissue, but it helps us be able to feel calm and focus.
In burnout, one can feel perpetually exhausted and unable to feel fully alert and present. Rest helps to shift that - getting a good and restful sleep is a part of beginning to grapple with burnout.
Validate Your Feelings
“Keep calm and carry on.” That’s a fun saying for a throw pillow, but it’s not always the best advice. Sometimes it’s important to admit that you are struggling and that you need a break. Feelings exist and acknowledging them helps - often people assume that denying one's feelings makes them disappear or that acknowledging them won't help. Acknowledging how something makes you feel begins to help you gauge what is happening inside you.
Grow your sense of self
Burnout often happens because of one's relationship with stress. In burnout, one can fail to recognize the signals from your body that you are tired or need some rest. In burnout, one can fail to identify that it is possible to say no to requests. Growing your sense of self is the ability to be aware of yourself and take steps to set boundaries with others.
Ask for Help
During stressful times, it’s important to reach out to others for help. Sometimes all we need is a friendly ear to listen to what’s on our minds and hearts. Let your friends and family know you could use a little support.
If your stress levels don’t seem to go down, you may want to consider working with a counselor who can help you navigate your feelings and offer coping strategies to deal with the issues you have going on.
If you’d like to speak with someone, please reach out and schedule a free consult.
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