Burnout can significantly affect your mind and body. It can cause us to suffer from exhaustion, anxiety, and sometimes depression. If left un-addressed, burnout can lead to more severe health problems such as heart attacks or strokes.
It’s important to get into a habit of recognizing the warning signs to avoid burnout. Relatively simple life changes, can make it more likely for you to avoid burnout before it begins all together.
Try these tips to keep burnout at bay:
Analyze Your Workload. It’s easy to take on too much. Quickly we realize there are only so many hours in the day. If we continue to run on overdrive without giving ourselves a break, we are sure to eventually reach burnout. We have two choices when it comes to altering our workload:
- First, you can study time management techniques and learn to work more efficiently. Doing so will help you get more done in less time.
- Second, you can drop things from your workload. This may not be ideal, but it’s important for the sake of your health and happiness to prioritize and delegate.
Avoid Exhaustion. When you’re in-tune with your body, you can sense when you’re reaching a point of exhaustion. As soon as you start to feel this way it’s time to make a change. Book a mini stay-cation, take a day trip, or spend some quiet time at home detached from the outside world. The important thing to remember, leave your sources of stress behind. If this means no access to your cell or computer for a short time, so be it!
Change Is Good. Keep in mind the saying “Nothing changes, if nothing changes.” If you keep reaching a point where you burnout, then it’s time to make a major life change.
- For example, you may have a job that is causing you to repeatedly burnout despite your best efforts to avoid it. Perhaps it’s time to start looking for a more suitable job.
Take Breaks. There is a reason why it’s breaks for employees are. You need breaks to refresh, rejuvenate, and renew your mind. Practice going for a 10-minute walk, playing Sudoku, or just getting away from your source of stress/tension for a few minutes.
Ask For Help. Sometimes we feel so alone with our problems that we forget to ask those around us for help. However, doing so just might be the best antidote to your stress! Talk to your partner, friend, coach, or college. Vent your frustrations and seek their advice.
Practice saying No. There is a difference between someone who is open and accommodating and someone who says yes to everything. Avoid people pleasing behaviors. If you tell everyone yes, it’s likely that others will take advantage of your willingness to help and volunteer. Learn that sometimes saying no is in your best interest. You don’t need to help everyone, or give yourself extra stress!
The Time Factor
Listen to what your inner self is telling you. Pay attention to your intuition. If you’ve taken on too much, your body and your subconscious know it. Try making a list to determine what things are the most important and in what order they need to get done. Anything not on this list, will have to wait or someone else will have to complete the tasks.
Vent.
If you ever start to panic, take a few deep breaths, go out for a walk, blow off some steam. Vent your emotions and get them out. Vent to friends, yourself, or a journal. Pent up emotions are likely to lead to additional and compacted burnout.
Test these strategies to stop burnout in its tracks. Enjoy your life, and make the most of your time. Taking action today can lead to a happier and healthier future, and you’ll soon be free from the pressure of burnout!
By: Hillary Hutson