How to deal with burnout

Deadlines. Meetings. New projects. More meetings. New systems. More meetings. Writing reports. Analyzing stats. Making decisions. More meetings. Working hours? Officially probably from 8 am to 5 pm, but since your smartphone is linked to your email and you have it with you 24/7, well just say in practice you are always working.

We live in a fast-paced, technology-driven world. Everything is budget-driven and business-orientated. In this highly results driven society, only the strongest survive. The go-getters. The companies which have the most money, the best systems and newest technology.

People are forever rushing from one place to the other, smartphones in hand. Communicating. Dealing with problems, making split-second decisions about closures, deals, companies... the numbers just have to add up.

It’s all good and well, but how are you keeping up with all this work and everyday life stress? Be careful not to overdo it; it can be devasting on your health and wellbeing.

According to https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/burnout : “Burnout is not a simple result of long hours. The cynicism, depression, and lethargy of burnout can occur when you're not in control of how you carry out your job when you're working toward goals that don't resonate with you, and when you lack social support. If you don't tailor your responsibilities to match your true calling, or at least take a break once in a while, you could face a mountain of mental and physical health problems.”

Stay clear of burnout by following these guidelines. Of course, in order to find the time to do them, you have to set yourself some rules regarding your work, such as not taking work home unless it’s absolutely necessary or asking for help at work in order to be sure that everything gets done. If you are one of those people who tend to do everything yourself, you have to learn to delegate some of the work at hand and to trust your colleagues and team members to do it.

Regular and healthy eating:
Have three meals and a couple of healthy snacks a day, with plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrain foods. Minimize your consumption of sugar and simple carbohydrates, like white bread. Try keeping a record of everything you eat, for a week. Identify where you can make positive changes towards eating more regularly and more healthily.

Regular exercise:
Ample evidence suggests that exercise is very beneficial for both your mental and physical health. Aim for at least three sessions of physical exercise, lasting 20–30 minutes each, per week.

Social contact:
Get to know new people or reinvigorate your existing relationships. Sometimes relationships suffer as a result of stress and busy lifestyles – don’t let this happen to the important relationships in your life.

Vitally-absorbing interests:
Get involved with causes you feel are important. This need not be big gestures, they can be small, everyday actions like smiling at a shopkeeper, holding the door for a stranger, forgiving an indiscretion, or picking up a bit of litter. Do not underestimate the importance of small acts of kindness and excellence.

Learn more about the world:
Studies have shown that 50% of people never read a book after they leave school. Own and collect written or audio books and DVDs that broaden your mind and increase your knowledge.

One of the arts of maximizing your happiness is to pursue personally meaningful goals, such as furthering your education, participating in sport and exercise, developing skills, improving relationships, or acting in ways that contribute to the sort of world you’d like to live in.

Try to structure your life to ensure that you have some time for personally meaningful pursuits. Check that the things you do in life reflect what you believe is important.

Learn how you can break free from the claws of this disease and what changes you need to bring about in order to remain from the dangers of Burnout. Book Lynette Beer for a Burnout Workshop. Click Here