Wellness Tips for Avoiding Burnout
Achieving everything we want in life can be highly rewarding. However, it’s also strenuous and time-consuming. According to Harvard Health, 47% of workers reported feeling overwhelmed at work. At the least, it makes you more prone to stress and burnout. It gets even worse if you have to juggle family responsibilities on top of that.
It’s not just more sleep or more exercise that keeps us from burning out. There are a lot of small things you can do every day, which can add up to make a big difference in your mental health and energy levels. In this article, we’ll give you a few recommendations on how to avoid burnout.
Focus on one thing at a time
One thing that is sure to burn you out is multi-tasking. Bluntly – it’s a bad habit. In this day and age, we are so overwhelmed with the pace of life that we feel we need to get everything done at once.
It’s a sure way to burn out. Personally, I find that focusing on one task at a time allows me to give one hundred and ten percent as opposed to trying to tackle everything halfway in one day and getting stressed out not getting anything finished or making mistakes along the way.
I know that it can be tempting to try and rush through all the ten million tasks on your desk in one day, but trust me when I say that stopping yourself from multitasking allows you enough time to finish the task at hand and feel like you’ve done something productive in your day – plus being efficient will give you time out to relax and reboot.
Recommendation by Eran of Gymdesk
Take a Break
Making the time to enjoy life helps me be and feel more successful. While many people assume a rigid work schedule is a key to achieving goals, I find being overly focused on your career gains can sometimes take your eye off the bigger picture. So, during the week, I go surfing, practice tai chi, or go to a concert with friends.
Doing things I enjoy helps me maintain a positive mental attitude and feel refreshed for the workday ahead. However, finding the right work-life balance doesn’t mean cramming in every activity possible. Doing so will only leave you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. But putting a little play in your day makes you more likely to succeed as you’ll have more energy and focus on being more productive tomorrow.
Recommendation by Chris Gadek of AdQuick
Eat Healthily, Sleep and Exercise Regularly
Combatting burnout starts with taking care of yourself to regain energy and reduce mental and physical fatigue. This means eating healthy, getting plenty of sleep, exercising regularly, finding strategies to manage stress, and finding ways to recharge. Some of the most effective strategies for preventing burnout and recharging include;
1) Practicing mindfulness. This is a great way to focus on what matters right now. It can be done through meditation, yoga, journaling, walking, etc.
2) Practicing regular exercise. This helps release endorphins that make us feel good. It also helps to stimulate the brain and get the blood pumping. Exercise also reduces stress hormones which can help to improve mood and improve overall well-being.
Recommendation by Rachel Fink of Parenting Pod
Be Self-Aware and Prepare in Advance
“Having self-awareness is vital for beating burnout; we have to put strategies in place to prevent reaching this point as they’re easier to implement when you’re in an enthusiastic, calm state. If you track any of your biometrics with a wearable, look out for a reduction in your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) or lower sleep scores.
Both of these are often signs that your body is entering a stressed state, and it is important to take steps to rebalance. By focusing on the preventive side of burnout, for example, taking walks in nature is great for boosting BDNF – Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) or you could try meditation, exercise and gym sessions, yoga, or massage. You must schedule these activities, otherwise, there will always be something more important that comes up.”
Recommendation by Jack Latus of Latus Health
Mindfulness is Key
My best tip for avoiding burnout is to take time for quick and simple mindfulness practices each day. It doesn’t take long, and you don’t even necessarily have to be “good” at practicing mindful techniques because the goal of practicing them is to simply slow down for a few minutes. A few examples of mindful techniques people can practice are targeted breathwork, yoga, and meditation.
I particularly suggest integrating mindful breathing into people’s days because it can even be done right at a desk at work, while driving, while riding the train or bus, or at nearly any other point of the day. Research backs the beneficial aspects of mindful breathing on stress reduction as well. I use the Breathwrk App to help track and guide my breathing sessions, but there are many other ways to practice mindful breathing as well.
Recommendation by Adam Kemp of Adam Kemp Fitness
Take Regular Breaks at Work
A productivity-boosting habit I swear by – taking regular breaks at work. Regular breaks serve as a restart button for one’s mind and attention span, prolonging focus and working capacity while giving valuable time to rest during the day. We’re not machines, and it’s normal to find it hard to work efficiently for 8 hours straight. That’s not how we should approach workdays, and I suggest taking at least a 5-minute break every hour.
Recommendation by Tom Blodnieks of DeskTime
1-2 Minute Meditation Sessions
Break up your workday with a 1-2 minute meditation session. Simply close your eyes and start to breathe in and out through your nose. This simple action alone of nasal breathing will indicate to the body that it’s time to rest and restore. Your parasympathetic nervous system will switch on and in just 6 deep breaths you will go from blahhh to ahhh-mazing. You’ll be fresh, energized, and clear-headed.
Recommendation by Carla Papas of MerryBody Method
Time and Movement
Block out time in your schedule. This is the biggest tip. Whether you are running your own business, an employee for others or a stay at home caretaker, block out time for nothing. No scheduling. No “just this one time” events. This time is just for you. I remember when I was an employee before starting my own business and I was so burnt out at work because all day I was in meetings and I had no time to get work done. That forced me to work late into the night or sometimes on weekends. Rest time, fun time, and family time are all just as important as work time.
Move your body. Start by walking. There are so many days when I feel at the end of my rope and movement is the last thing I want to do. I am exhausted from burn out and I am not feeling creative, motivated or inspired by anything. I know most trainers might say get to the gym or go take a class but my advice? Take a walk. Walking is one of the easiest ways to reset your entire system. It will help you hit your fitness goals, helps regulate your mood, provides screen free connection time with family or friends and makes you feel like you did something with your day other than fill everyone else’s cup. It’s also a really easy task to take on when you are burnt out. Driving to the gym might stop you from getting to a workout but if your task is to walk? Simply stand up and walk out the door. 10/10 helps me every single time.
Recommendations by Jackie Kowalik of Yoga Jawn
Mental Health Apps
I have learned to take care of my mental health and manage my feelings better. I have also joined some mental health apps like Calm and Balance apps which have helped reinforce lessons and insights I have explored during the lockdowns of 2020.
In these turbulent times, it is important that we all look after not just our physical health but our spiritual health in order to live better and happier lives. Apps such as Calm have been great and easy to navigate without much fuss.
My anxiety, cognitive reasoning, and coping techniques have improved over the past year. I can honestly say I feel more positive about the new challenges of 2022, whereas last year this time, a lot of us were rightly anxious. Spending a few minutes on this app every day has helped me to refocus off the grind and reassess my holistic reality.
Recommendation by Evan McCarthy of Sporting Smiles
Don’t Neglect Your Nutrition
Having a set time to eat every day can help a person obtain the nutrients they need to have basic functions but also to think clearly and stay on task. You don’t have to have 3 meals and 3 snacks; you can have 6 small meals, or 4 meals and 1 snack but the point is to keep a set time to eat every few hours.
Skipping meals can lead to low energy, foggy thinking, and limit a person’s ability to be productive and feel accomplished. By not having a set time to eat, you risk leading to unproductive days that can accumulate work and stress and eventually lead to burnout.
Recommendation by Blanca Garcia
Sunlight and Gratitude
Greet the sun — While avoiding excessive sun exposure and applying sunscreen still remain top recommendations when it comes to preventing skin cancer, some sun exposure can actually be good for you. Exposing yourself to bright sunlight each morning (or using a full spectrum light lamp) can help regulate circadian rhythm and combat seasonal affective disorder and depression and also improve sleeping patterns. It’s a great way to energize for the day.
Practice gratitude — A daily gratitude practice is one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest ways to boost mental health and wellbeing. Most of us spend the majority of the day focusing on various problems either at work or in our personal lives. Taking a few minutes daily to reframe our outlook and count our blessings essentially “trains” our brains to consistently experience more positive feelings. This can be done easily by keeping a “gratitude journal” and writing down 3–5 amazing things that happen each day. If you start the day with this, you’re more likely to think positively all day (which fuels you with energy).
Recommendation by Dr. Yelena Deshko, ND of Timeless Health Clinic
Disconnect
Disconnect from technology periodically and focus on cultivating human/face-to-face relationships. Meeting for coffee/lunch even virtually not only allows you to refuel and recharge but it also can accomplish so much more than e-mail exchanges/social media posts and it is a great way to get to know people better, their interests/hobbies/dreams.
Find creative ways to multi-task that incorporates work and exercise. I think that respecting my time on the calendar/taking myself as seriously as I take my most important clients is the least I can do because if I am not at my peak performance I am not going to be useful to anyone else either. Give yourself permission to say no: sleeping in/meditating/taking a walk/turning off my phone/computer. I have come to appreciate/realize in my 50s is that “me time” is not a luxury/pampering like it was in my youth, now it is maintenance!
Recommendation by Paige Arnof-Fenn of Mavens and Moguls
Check-in with Yourself
The best way to make sure that you are satisfied and productive in life is to check in with yourself to identify what you are most passionate about. Every day–without fail–take time just for YOU. Even if you can spare just 30 minutes from your schedule, do it. Use this time to do something that is soul satisfying and that nourishes your inner being. Meditate….listen to music you enjoy…read (NOT for work!)…get out in nature…go for a run or walk…work in your garden. Whatever brings you joy, peace, and a harmonious balance of mind, body, and soul. Ask yourself these questions: What are MY hopes and dreams? MY goals and aspirations? What can I do today to move me further along on my path?
It is NOT selfish to focus on your own well being first and foremost. In fact, doing so puts you in a better position to help those around you to achieve that same state of well being and peace. Think about the safety drill on an airplane–you put YOUR oxygen mask on first. THEN you help the person next to you. If you are panicking and gasping for air, how are you going to be of help to anyone else?
Recommendation by Tom Ingrassia of Ingrassia Productions
1 Minute Break Every Hour
Take a one-minute break once an hour. Close your eyes. Use the power of controlled breathing: take several fast inhales and hold your breath on an inhale when you need extra positive energy and take several slow, deep inhales and hold your breath on an exhale when you would like to peacefully relax.
Recommendation by Milana Perepyolkina of Gypsy Energy Secrets
Sleep, Exercise and Eat Right
Sleep is just as important as food and water. Without proper rest, your body will not function at its best. If you are feeling tired, try to get 8 hours of sleep each night. This may seem like a lot but if you have trouble falling asleep, then you need to make sure you’re getting quality sleep.
Exercise helps keep your mind sharp and your body healthy. A good workout will boost your energy levels and give you a sense of accomplishment. Find something you enjoy doing and do it often. You don’t have to join a gym to exercise; find a park, trail, or another outdoor area where you can walk briskly.
Eating well-balanced meals throughout the day keeps your energy level high. Avoid eating too much sugar and processed foods. Try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, nuts, seeds, and beans.
Recommendation by Reda Elmardi of The Gym Goat
Manage Expectations
Manage expectations and learn to say no. With remote work and technology, there is the risk of an unhealthy life-work balance. That’s why you need to set clear goals and expectations from the start. Be kind to yourself and accept that you don’t need to do everything all at once. Focus on what you can do without over-exhausting yourself. It is okay to lower your expectations sometimes.
Embrace the idea of saying no. Saying no is the best way to help you concentrate on other things you say yes to. And it will allow you to start prioritizing yourself. Physical and mental health are key to avoiding burnout. Nobody will reach their full potential until their basic needs are met. Managing expectations and good communication will help people to set healthy boundaries and leave time for themselves. After all, it is all about balance.
Recommendation by Corey Lewis of 1AND1 Life
Supplement with Vitamins
Our diet can often be the underlying cause of our fatigue and why we’re prone to exhaustion. Anemia is a major reason you may become tired easily and simply feel lazy. A little-known fact is there are two forms of anemia; anemia and pernicious anemia.
The anemia most think of when they hear the word is related to an iron deficiency, but pernicious anemia is rooted in a B12 deficiency. This is especially true as plant-based diets become more common, which is not a bad thing. It is just important to know how to eat a balanced, plant-based diet.
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that works in just about every body system. A B12 deficiency can also lead to a type of anemia known as pernicious anemia. Any form of anemia can create chronic fatigue and supplement with this vitamin can improve energy levels.
Recommendation by Trista Best of Balance One Supplements
Meal Planning Can Help
Burnout in any area of life can lead to a decline in physical, mental, and emotional health. When it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, primarily surrounding meals, we can become overwhelmed and burned-out quickly if we aren’t implementing some simple exercises or practices to keep us on track. These practices help to keep the process of eating healthy and balanced fun, fresh, and simple.
Exercise the discipline of meal planning. This sounds like it would add stress, but once you have developed a routine for this process it can actually lighten your load and prevent healthy-eating burnout. The process simply involves planning your meals and snacks, making a grocery list accordingly, and prepping those meals on a specific night each week.
Keep it fun by working in a theme night, trying a new recipe each week, and changing up your snacks. Have a meal prep night where you invite friends over and you all work together to plan or prep your meals. When you are eating a balanced diet you are more likely to avoid burnout in other areas of life. A diet void of refined carbohydrates and sugar focused on whole grains and fruits and vegetables will prevent health conditions that add to stress physically and emotionally.
Recommendation by Lisa Richards of The Candida Diet
Take a moment to look at this.
