Avoiding burnout: 5 ways to handle stress

Burnout is a state of emotional and physical exhaustion, brought upon by long periods of constant, unrelenting stress.

"Burnout is what happens when you try to avoid being human for too long."

- Michael Gungor.

Knowing and managing yourself

"You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude towards what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you." - Brian Tracy.

Most of the clients I have the pleasure of working with spend a lot of time in their heads, chronically overthinking and fixating on the future. They are not connected to their bodies and, as a result, feel overwhelmed and unable to cope with the many choices and decisions they are faced with, leading to ‘analysis paralysis.’ (1)

The first step to overcoming burnout is to connect regularly with your body. Ask yourself how you feel right now, and note down any areas of your body where you feel pain. Use the body scan mediation method in order to improve your awareness, focus, self-compassion and ability to cope. To do this, begin with your feet and move to your legs and stomach. Work your way up the body, scanning each part, and focusing on sensations you feel before finishing with your head. By regularly checking in with your emotions and feelings, you build a relationship with yourself and acknowledge what is, without judging, criticising yourself, or labelling your emotions or feelings as good or bad.

By mindfully scanning your body, and reconnecting to your physical self without judgement, you become self-aware and able to put some strategies into place to self-regulate and manage your energy states. For example, if you feel a level of irritation, consciously pause for a moment, take a few breaths and navigate through this feeling in a way that is encouraging and productive for you.

Self-care

"Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”  - Eleanor Brown.

Self-care is the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's health. It's the steps an individual can take in order to manage stressors in their life and take care of their own health and well-being.

Below are a few areas to focus your attention:

• Relaxation: Proper rest and relaxation are essential to give the mind and body time to recuperate. Without this time, function and performance decrease and complications arise, such as increased blood pressure, risk of diabetes, sleep deprivation and impaired immunity (2).
• Sleep: It's crucial for your overall health and mental well-being to schedule in adequate sleep, in order to heal and repair your heart, brain and blood function, and improve the overall efficiency of your immune system.
• Eating: The importance of providing our bodies with proper nutrition cannot be overstated, as our relationships with food has the ability to impact our overall sense of balance in life. Look for a variety of fresh foods that aim to balance and provide your body with the nutrients, and hydration, it needs to function optimally.
• Rehydration: In addition to the above, water accounts for about 60 to 70 per cent of our body weight and is needed in order to help regulate our body temperature and maintain other bodily functions.
• Exercise: Exercise improves cognitive function, boosts moods, reduces anxiety and depression, and  positively impacts self-esteem and the promotion of better quality sleep.

Recharge

"Taking time to rest, renew, and refresh yourself isn't wasted time. Recharge. Choose what energises you." - Melodie Beattie.

What is it that you are looking forward to? What is it that makes you smile? Is this something you plan regularly in your diary? For some people, enjoyment means socialising, having fun, being creative, sitting on the sofa, or connecting to nature. Whatever that means for you, prioritise doing things you enjoy in order to boost overall well-being, happiness and motivation.  

Boundaries

"It's necessary, and even vital, to set standards for your life and the people you allow in it." - Mandy Hale.

Creating healthy boundaries is empowering and sets a clear guideline for others in the way we want to be treated. By recognising the need to set and enforce limits, you protect your self-esteem, maintain self-respect and enjoy healthier relationships, by drawing a clear line around the behaviours you are comfortable with. Protecting your right to have an opinion, maintaining personal space and privacy, and practising saying no to things you don’t have the time, energy or resources for, are all examples of boundaries you can set for yourself.

Asking for help

Ask for help. Not because you are weak. But because you want to remain strong." - Les Brown.

During stressful times, it's essential to reach out for help and develop a support system around you. Although asking for help can often be seen as a sign of weakness, doing so actually reinforces a sign of strength. Admitting we need others takes courage and bravery, and opens the ability to communicate effectively and relate to others, which strengthens our relationships and demonstrates trust.

Preventing burnout requires developing a close relationship with yourself, making conscious daily choices, and implementing boundaries and self-care habits that will positively impact your life.

Ask yourself how you feel right now, and ensure you regularly review your lifestyle to enhance your overall health and well-being.