How to combat stress and prevent burnout.
Hello 2022! For a lot of us, the last two years have been anything but rainbows and butterflies. Life has had its ups and downs, and hopefully we are at a point where we have found ways to navigate our lives and careers in a way that promotes peace and combats stress.
I’m sure this is the point in this blog where you might look at me and say, “Really? Manage stress during a pandemic? HAH”. But guys, I mean it! If you have not found ways to navigate this time and support yourself, then you might be feeling what today’s blog is all about — BURNOUT.
Burnout is by definition “a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” Essentially it is an emotional exhaustion that starts to affect not only our career, but eventually other areas of our health & lives as well.
Now, burnout is typically related to a job but remember that there are other things that you can burnout from as well. Being a parent — being a people pleaser — school — unfulfilling friendships; feel free to apply the strategies in this blog to other areas of your life!
As a nurse, I am very familiar with burnout. I too have to check in and make sure that I am taking care of myself and setting healthy boundaries. When burnout starts, you might start to notice that you are not taking care of yourself as much. You might be working a lot, feeling stressed or spending less quality time with friends and family. Physically you might start having random headaches, appetite changes and even anxiety. Sure, we all feel stressed sometimes, and some stress is a good thing!
What is important is that you are paying attention to when it starts to feel “heavy” or when it becomes a chronic issue. If you are moody with your family, getting sick frequently, feeling unfulfilled in your day to day work and constantly fighting fatigue, that is not considered a “normal” stress.
{I quote “normal” because in today’s society, this is a new kind of normal... But that does not mean it should be accepted as a norm. Unpopular opinion: Being overly stressed / over working yourself on a regular basis is not something that we should praise or get an ego boost from. There is a big difference between being a hard worker / dedicated employee / supportive family member and literally working ourselves into the ground. It’s irresponsible quite honestly. I say that with love, as always}.
So, how do we prevent this chronic state of fatigue / discontent? Let’s get to it.
Step one: Take care of your body.
I have said this many times before, you can not function optimally without a good foundation. Sure, you can “function” but it increases your burnout risk if you are sitting in an office / on the couch for 8+ hours per day and not getting proper hydration & nutrients or moving your body. Also, movement literally burns off stress hormones and regulates your mood. This is a great way to ensure that you are maintaining healthy stress levels and preventing further issues.
Sleep is another important part of taking care of your body. We heal during sleep. It is our chance to recover from a long day and start fresh in the morning. Set a healthy sleep schedule and try to get to bed and wake up around the same time each day. This will give your body some predictability as well and help to combat stress!
Step two: Find balance.
Make sure that your life is not all about work / whatever it is that is burning you out. If the profession you love and chose for yourself requires a lot of your time, or if you are a parent struggling to make time for yourself, try to ensure that you are consciously setting time aside for your personal life and hobbies. Develop a morning routine that is fulfilling. Set up days to meet with your friends ahead of time or create regular girls / guys nights. Set a day aside where you go to a class or hit your favorite coffee shop. As human beings, we have “pillars” if you will. These pillars are all required to create a stable and supportive foundation. Connection and fulfillment are part of these. We need to feel connected to others and to ourselves. It’s a non-negotiable so take this as a prescription from me:
Rx: Client to set time aside for him/herself a minimum of one day per week, preferably daily.
Step three: Set healthy boundaries.
Finding balance usually requires setting healthy boundaries. These are boundaries with yourself, in your relationships and at work.
If you accepted a position working 8 hours per day Monday-Friday and find yourself working 10 hours per day Monday-Sunday, it may be a time to have a discussion with your boss or with yourself. My rule of thumb is to always hold yourself accountable first. Are you procrastinating on getting work done? Are you slacking in the workplace or taking advantage of your time? A healthy boundary with yourself can look like holding yourself to a certain standard at work. Now, if you are working your butt off and are still finding that you are working overtime, have a discussion at work. Let them know your expectations / what you accepted in your job description and find a way to ensure that you are being supported in your workplace.
In your personal life healthy boundaries are also important. Those close to us can ask a lot of us sometimes, and most days that is okay! We want to be there and show support for those we care about. It becomes an issue when you are putting everyone else’s needs before your own on a regular basis causing unnecessary stress or anxiety.
There are some areas of life that are going to be stressful and that’s just how it is. But there are many other areas that are stressful when they don’t have to be. Conversations work you guys! Healthy communication is key in any area of your life.
Step four: Turn inward.
This should be step 1, 2, 3, and 4 honestly. Turning inward is so important not only when it comes to fighting burnout but also when it comes to navigating our lives in general. Turning inward and reflecting on a regular basis stops stress from accumulating. It prevents us from becoming overwhelmed. If we turn inward early, we can recognize when we are out of alignment or when we are starting to take on more than we can handle. It allows us to recognize our problems and find solutions. It gives us a chance to remain accountable for how we are feeling & the roles we are taking on. When we are paying attention, we are preventing so much unnecessary stress because we are being proactive in our lives. Let me show you a visual:
This is what not turning inward looks like:
I’m fine — Goes about business — I feel off — Goes about business — I’m tired — Caffeinates — My head hurts — More caffeine — Head feels better — Today was stressful again — Goes about business — More stress — More stress — Headache — Caffeine — Anxiety — More stress about feeling anxious — Moody today… You get the point.
This is how turning inward early might have changed the previous example:
I’m fine — Goes about business — I feel off today — Meditation // workout // journal // calls a friend — “Why do I feel off today?” — Recognizes I skipped breakfast and lunch the past two days and missed a yoga class with a friend since I was busy with work — Goes about business — Eats breakfast and lunch the next two days — Feels fine!
Though dramatic, do you see the drastic difference between these two scenarios? Do you see how one question prevented a snowball of negative outcomes? That is the power of turning inward for a split second. It did not require a 30 minute meditation or a 2 hour workout. It took one moment.
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There you have it — Burnout. Nobody wants to live a stressful life, but sometimes life just is stressful. We can not avoid it all together, and we shouldn’t want to! Take steps now to create a healthy foundation. One that supports your career and all of the things that are important to you. Take care of yourself and find a healthy balance through boundaries. As you can see, you can do all of the things that you need to do and prevent burnout at the same time. You do not have to quit your career or stop being the mom that you want to be. You just have to make sure that you are remaining mindful and committing to turning inward.