A part of you knows there are healthier, more productive ways to deal with stress, but it’s hard to rationalize when all you can think about is losing your identity. Left unaddressed, this stress can lead to physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion, combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work. You experience burnout. Burnout is all too common and damages both personal and professional lives. Because of this, it is important to consciously avoid burnout by following a few steps.
Most of us have way too much going on in our lives and struggle with too many commitments, related to work and home. If you find yourself faced with career-related stress, stop and re-prioritize your activities. More often than not, we feel pressured to accomplish more than we can realistically handle. It’s important to organize your tasks between those that need to be finished now, and those that can be tackled a little later on. Prioritize your work, organize your tasks into short term and long term goals.
It’s ok to say no. Pressure to please often times pushes us to take on more work than we can handle. And, if we think we can handle a heavy workload our work and home lives often times suffers. Catching up on projects during the evenings, on weekends, or even during vacation means there’s a significant imbalance between work and me time. It’s important to not feel alone and reach out for help when needed at home and work.
You can have a social life too. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, and keep yourself from burning out, you must have a life outside the office. Family time, playing with pets, tackling your reading list, spending time with friends, and getting back to your hobbies will help you stay refreshed. If you spend all your time, energy and effort on work you’ll burnout in no time.
Be kind to yourself. This involves taking care of yourself by exercising, eating right, and surrounding yourself with positive people. Aside from the many health benefits, these acts are extremely productive in reducing the impact stress can have on your body. It also helps you sleep better, which restores well-being and helps protect your health.
Avoiding burnout starts by putting some of these preventative measures in place. Be an achiever. Set smart goals, don’t sweat the small stuff, and always be honest when communicating with others at home and work. Getting support and setting clear action steps will help you implement these simple practices with greater ease.