Understanding Burnout & How to Avoid It

Research and studies show us that many people actually suffer from stress at higher rates than ever before. And the American Institute of Stress’ research says it’s from a variety of different causes: job pressure, money, health, and even media overload, to name a few. It’s this excess stress that can lead to burnout. So what can we do?

Understanding burnout symptoms and how you can avoid it is an excellent place to start. Here’s what you need to know.

What Is Burnout?

Burnout “is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” It can come with a variety of symptoms and usually isn’t the same for everyone. But take notice if you’ve been feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted for some time, you’re not interested in activities you used to love, you’re feeling on edge all the time, and you dread going to work or other places. These are all red flags that you’re suffering from some level of burnout.

How Can I Avoid Burnout?

The best way to avoid burnout is to practice self care and better manage stressors in your life. Start with these four areas in your life to keep your stress levels to a minimum.

Balance Your Workload. Even if it’s mostly your work that’s causing you to stress, you should consider what’s going on in all parts of your life. Take a look at everything you have to get done this week, both personally and professionally. Does it all seem overwhelming? If you’re having trouble starting because it all seems too much, take a few minutes to prioritize it and delegate whatever you can. If you’re a business owner, assign some portions of your project to your employees. Ask your significant other to do the grocery shopping this week. Have a friend look after your kids one day after school. Ask your teenager to do the laundry. And although you should always strive to do your best, let go of perfection in everything you do.

Work on Work-Life Balance. Now that you understand the importance of delegation, how you use this newly freed up time is just as essential. Recharge and connect with people you’re with, take a yoga class, meditate at home, or take a class on something you’re interested in. Take a pottery class. If you implement delegation into your life and end working overtime and taking your work home, you’ll soon notice how much quicker you’ll achieve this balance.

Stay Healthy. When we get busy, the first things that tend to fall to the wayside are nutrition and exercise. Don’t let this happen! Take a few extra minutes to prepare healthy meals and snacks, and if you must grab food on the go, remember — it’s just as easy to get a salad as it is a burger.

Exercising is a proven stress reliever, so at least try to take a walk around the block once or twice a day or take your kids to the park and run around with them. Fresh air will do you a world of good, and you’ll almost instantly feel better.

And it’s not only physical health that keeps you healthy — you need to work on your mental health as well! Start journaling your thoughts to get them out of your head, take some time each day to think of at least three things you’re grateful for, and take a few moments to breathe deeply several times a day. Getting into the habit of this type of vitality training will help keep you in a better mood and find challenges easier to accept.

Don’t Ignore It! Often, people feel that they can just push through any stress, and it’ll eventually get better. This has a good chance of backfiring, and you’ll find it hard to crawl out of any feelings of burnout. And, unfortunately, burnout can all too often lead to serious depression. Use all the resources you have to help with stress management and burnout, including employee programs, your healthcare practitioner, and other professional medical help.

If you knew someone could help you use your whole mind and body to be your best self, would you seek their guidance? Book me for a corporate retreat, workshop, or even a small event for your employees, where I’ll give you science-based tools to improve on your vitality training and prevent excess stress and burnout. Find out more information and book me today!