The hustle culture of always needing to stay productive has caused both physical and mental strain for millions of people. According to a recent report from Indeed, over 52% of employees are currently experiencing burnout, which is up 9% since the pandemic began.
Then there are those who have left the corporate world to start their own business. But burnout can lead to severe issues such as chronic exhaustion, an extreme change in appetite, and fluctuating sleep patterns.
Don’t wait until burnout happens to you. Here are 7 ways to help prevent the onset of burnout.
1. Learn How To Delegate
It’s common for us to want to take care of everything ourselves. But if you can’t handle all of the work on your own, it’s okay to ask for help. Think about the things in your life you might be able to delegate.
Are you running your own business and can’t manage to build out your website? Outsource help and hire software developers. Are you going to parent-teacher conferences while making cookies for the next school fundraiser? Talk to your partner about sharing in the school responsibilities.
2. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness, simply put, is a way to refocus your attention on the present moment. It’s a practice that requires daily intention to train your brain to manage stress and anxiety.
Meditation is a popular choice for those who want to reenter themselves by calming their minds. Gratitude can help to alleviate some of the negative thoughts that are disrupting your life. The idea is to use mindfulness to create a healthier work-life balance.
3. Change Up Your Diet
Sleep patterns can be affected when someone is on the verge of burnout. You may have racing thoughts that cause insomnia. On the other hand, you may be so exhausted you’re not able to get out of bed in the morning.
There is a huge connection between food and sleep. What you eat can make or break how well you hit those necessary REM cycles. Limit your caffeine, alcohol, and processed sugar intake. Add more omega-3 fatty fish to your diet. Over time, you’ll start to notice a dramatic difference.
4. Take a Staycation
The best way to recharge your batteries is to unplug and take a break. But it’s not easy for everyone and their busy schedules to take an extended vacation. Hence, the beauty of the staycation. Take the weekend to explore a surrounding city nearby.
Staying at home to relax might tempt you to jump on your computer over the weekend to squeeze some extra work in or spend time scrolling on social media. Instead, book a hotel so you don’t stay in your typical environment.
5. Move Your Body
Some people get more stressed out over the idea of exercise. But regular movement exerts pent-up energy your body might be holding onto. Rather than heading to the gym, find new ways to add movement into your daily life you’ll actually enjoy doing.
Take multiple walks throughout the day to break up your work routine. Put on loud music and have your own personal dance party. You can even turn cleaning into exercise if you’re needing to get some extra housework finished. Plus, you’ll have a clean home to alleviate some of the chaos in your environment.
6. See A Therapist Or Counselor
When you’re overly stressed and can’t seem to find a way out of the vicious burnout cycle, it’s best to get help from a professional. Working with a licensed therapist or counselor can teach you ways to manage your stress levels in a healthy way.
They’ll provide you with helpful tools you can use throughout your daily life when you feel like you’re on the verge of experiencing an episode of burnout.
7. Set Strict Boundaries
Setting rigid boundaries for yourself is a great way to prevent burnout from happening. These are rules and guidelines you set for both yourself and other people in your lives.
Some examples of boundaries could be:
- Have a hard stop time for your workday by shutting off your computer at 5 PM every day.
- Only take meetings on certain days of the week.
- Set your “Do Not Disturb” settings for 9 PM every night and avoid screen time before bed.
- Silence work notifications on the weekends.
It’s easy to push these boundaries back. But to avoid reaching your breaking point, it’s important to be strict about your boundaries by communicating them with others.
Conclusion
If you feel like you’ve had a hard time feeling motivated, are unable to focus, have more stress in your life than usual, or are exhausted, you might be experiencing burnout. There are many lifestyle changes you can make to prevent this from happening.
But the key takeaway is that it has to start with you. You’re in charge of delegating tasks, setting boundaries, and taking initiative on your physical health.
