5 Ways to Avoid Burnout
By Brandi Goodman
Feeling burned out means you're exhausted. You have experienced such severe stress that you are now left feeling drained and overwhelmed. With some better coping techniques in mind you can be better at avoiding burnout and preventing such severe symptoms.
Discover Your Purpose
Your feelings of burnout may be occurring at work. When all you do is make it through the work day and live paycheck to paycheck, you're bound to feel empty and unfulfilled. You need to discover your purpose. Why did you accept the job in the first place? What did you like about the company when you first started? Did you ever feel like you brought something to the table? Think about what your true purpose can be at your job and work toward meeting that purpose everyday. It can help to reinvigorate your sense of self and open up your mind.
Perform Random Acts of Kindness
You might need to stop thinking about yourself for a while and start thinking of others. Perform random acts of kindness and see how much even a small gesture can bring joy to people's lives. It can help you to get out of your own head and see that there's more to life than just making it by. You'll see you have the ability to make a difference and it will help your own problems to seem minuscule.
Start Your Day With Exercise
It can be difficult to make it through the work day when you have little energy. Get up a little earlier and start your day with exercise. Exercising can release endorphins and help you feel good. It can boost your energy and help you to be more productive. You're also more likely to fall asleep easier at night if you worked your body during the day. Proper sleep can greatly help with mood and prevent burnout.
Find Healthy Ways to Take the Edge Off
Some hard liquor at the end of a bad night might seem like a reasonable answer, but it won't have the same effect the more you use it. You need to find healthy ways to take the edge off after a bad day. Take a day off to relax. Spend an evening laughing with friends. Go for a walk or bike ride. These can help you to de-stress without adding to your problems.
Practice Positive Thinking
Thinking negatively each day will quickly leave you feeling burned out and sick of what you're doing. You'll always think about the bad aspects of your work or home life and not want to be there. Try to practice positive thinking instead. Think about what good things happened in your day. Focus on what went well. It will help you to see that things aren't as bad as they sometimes feel.
Sometimes burnout is unavoidable. When you do feel as though life has gotten to be too much, it's time to take a break. Step back from it all and reexamine where you're at. Sometimes a vacation is all you need to get away from the stresses and realize how much it all really means to you.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Cary, N.C.