In our every day busy lives, it can become easy for us to reach burnout, especially if we miss the early signs and symptoms. If you often find yourself juggling tasks throughout your day and taking very little time out to rest, you could be close to burnout exhaustion. Read on and follow my guide for five ways to prevent burnout.
What is burnout?
Burnout can be defined as a physical and mental exhaustion that could lead to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome if not addressed early enough.
If you are spending most of your day multitasking and feeling stressed a lot of the time, you could be living long-term on the body’s natural stress hormones – cortisol and adrenaline – that should only be for short-term use and could contribute to burnout.
Once you are at the burnout stage, it can take a long time for your body to heal and recover.
How to recognise the early signs of burnout
Before reaching the burnout stage, your body may give you signs that you are already on the road to complete physical and mental exhaustion. If your work/life balance is not balanced at all, and you are busy all the time with very little downtime, you may feel:
- Wired (a feeling of living off nervous energy)
- Down or mildly depressed
- Stressed
- Not sleeping – trouble falling asleep, waking in the night or too early in the morning
If you recognise these signs, it’s time to take action now, and slow down before you reach complete burnout.
5 ways to prevent burnout
Following these five ways to prevent burnout, is a good starting point in looking after your overall wellbeing. If you are not already following these wellbeing steps, gradually add them into your daily routine. I suggest you focus on one at a time until you have created a positive new habit.
1. Create a healthy sleep routine
We are often told about the importance of a good night’s sleep, and creating a healthy sleep routine may help in reducing the risk of reaching burnout.
The first step is to try to go to sleep at the same time each night and rise at the same time each morning. You may not find this easy at the beginning, but over time you should fall into a regular routine.
If you are having trouble sleeping, try some of the advice for a healthy sleep routine. Avoid looking at electronic devices during the hour before going to bed and avoid caffeine intake or eating heavy meals late in the day. Lavender essential oil is good for helping to relax the body and mind, ready for sleep. Put a few drops into a warm bath or an aromatherapy diffuser before you go to bed.
2. Practice regular meditation
Meditation is a fantastic way to relax the body and unwind. If you can find a few minutes each day to practice meditation, you should begin to feel the benefits over time.
Meditation can help to reduce anxiety, stress and tension. It can also improve your mood, cognition and general mental health, as well as giving you a better quality of sleep.
3. Exercise regularly
The benefits of a healthy, regular exercise routine are vast and could help in reducing burnout. Regular exercise gives you more physical and mental energy, de-stressing you and allowing you to better manage your tasks throughout the day.
Don’t overdo the exercise though, find a balance that works best for you. If you are squeezing in too many trips to the gym, you could be contributing to your overload and overall exhaustion!
4. Eat well
Reaching for sugary snacks and caffeinated drinks is tempting when we are feeling tired and need a boost to get us through the day. Unfortunately, the energy this gives us is very short lived and it’s not long before we are wanting to reach for more caffeine and sugar. Try to snack on foods that will give you much longer sustained energy; such as bananas, nuts, seeds and dried fruits.
Create a healthy meal routine by eating at roughly the same time each day. Cut down on convenience foods and eat fresh and wholesome meals. Don’t eat on the go, sit down with your meal, take your time and eat with purpose. Try to practice mindful eating as often as you can. Keep your focus on your meal and the nutrition the food is providing your body and mind to remain healthy.
5. Know your limits
A good work/life balance is key to your mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing. If you are always saying yes and squeezing in more tasks than you can comfortably carry out, then you are likely to be heading for burnout.
Learn to put yourself first, by saying no to extra demands. Don’t feel selfish, bad or guilty, your main focus has to be your health and wellbeing.
If you already have too much on, look at what you could drop. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, this doesn’t mean you have failed in any way. In most cases, your loved ones will be happy to support you, if you feel you need some extra help.
Create extra time in your day and use if for rest, relaxation and healing.
Have you reached burnout before? What did you learn and how did you recover? Please let me know by leaving a comment below.
