Anytime that I being to feel emotionally taxed, less productive, or just overwhelmingly busy with personal & work responsibilities, is a sign for me to reevaluate day to days and make simple adjustments for effectively approaching & eliminating burnout.
If you’ve been finding it difficult to stay motivated to get through even the simplest tasks & your level of productivity has decreased, you have most likely slumped into a period of burnout and if not addressed quickly, things can easily deepen and turn into breakdown. To avoid having a mental or even physical breakdown when the emotions begin to set in, I feel it best to acknowledge the need to make a change by either separating myself from the main contributor if I can identify it, find a creative outlet to encourage and refocuse on personal interests or share feelings of where the feelings of confusion might be originating.
A great way to avoid burnout is to find something you can enjoy engaging in more often. Let it be a break from some of the more mundane responsibilities, that will simply to take your mind off of the stressors you encounter daily and refocus on the things that don’t require much physical or emotional energy but bring your joy and peace.
1. Identify Stress
Where do you seem to tense up the most or slip into a state of depression? Try and identify the occurrences, environments or people you may be surrounded by when you begin to become overwhelmed with stress. Once you’ve identified possible influencers, ask yourself what about these situations or people make you uncomfortable. Be honest with yourself and meditate on the necessary changes needed to prevent those feelings from returning.
2. Find the Value in Saying “NO”
Speaking from experience, as difficult as it can be, I’ve learned the hard way that there is value in saying “no” and not utilizing this power word can get you into major territory you’ll later regret. When your plate is too full to add to, when yes becomes an inconvenience, or when you just don’t see the value or benefit to agreeing, let “no” be the indicator. Saying no doesn’t have to be a negative exchange, be assertive when saying but also be courteous. We’re not always able to devote the time or personal resources to everything we’re approached with, which is why its important to take charge of prioritizing your needs. Prioritizing another person’s needs over yours, will essentially effect your productivity leading to feelings of obligation, resentment and burnout.
3. Schedule Rest
As awkward as this may seem, scheduling rest is necessary to escape what can sometimes seem like endless demands and required attention. Schedule rest to free up mental space, by engaging the things you like doing; writing, working out, dancing, being outdoors, reading, spending more time with your family getting to know more about who they are, who you are or discovering new interests.
4. Rally Your Support System
You can’t always be the support, there will be times when you need support yourself. Growing a support system to not only listen to your troubles & help get you through tough times mentally when they’ve become too much to bare, but also to help alleviate the more daunting tasks you’ve managed to accumulate. This could be anywhere from having close family or friends you can share your deepest thoughts with or staff with a purpose.
When needing to recover from burnout, acknowledge that you are simply not capable of packing load any longer and either need help or to lighten things up at least until you have a better plan of action. Stick to a schedule, make plans you can look forward to, and practice your self care daily. Try creating a daily checklist and designating specific time intervals.