The dreaded ‘B’ word…Burnout. Whether it is building your career, completing your degree or simply being Mom or Dad! Everyone can feel overwhelmed and burning out is a highly likely possibility. Perhaps you have lost your motivation or you are so stressed that you feel uncontrollably ill. It is normal! It can be prevented!
Burnout is defined as “fatigue, frustration, or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overworking, or intense activity.” This is something that should not be taken lightly.
Here are a couple of preventative measures you can incorporate into your daily life to make the stress seem a little bit more manageable.
1. Make your time your own
All your time is time to be used! Get satisfaction out of every moment!
- Find something to enjoy in whatever you do.
- Stop regretting. Learn from your mistakes.
- Examine old habits and look for ways to change or eliminate them.
- There will always be things you need to do – put the important ones first.
- Find the time to concentrate on the high priority tasks.
- ONE THING AT A TIME!
- Frequently look for ways to free up your time, even if it means you saying ‘no’. Yes! You can say ‘no’!
- Delegate responsibilities when possible.
- Know when to ask for help.
2. Create a motivating environment
At times, the atmosphere you surround yourself in can have a significant impact on how motivated you feel.
- Surround yourself with like-minded people. Those who are going to encourage you and support you.
- Stay focused on what you want to achieve and avoid things which are going to distract you from your goals.
- Take responsibility for staying focused and on track. Do not blame anyone else for the decisions you made.
- Stay in control of what you surround yourself with.
3. Create your own mantra
A mantra is a verbal statement that can encourage a positive mindset and/or reaction. This could be your favourite quote, song or religious scripture etc. Whatever it may be, it must resonate with you as a unique individual.
- Repeat your mantra in the mornings. This will help you to start the day on a positive note. You will feel motivated, confident and ready to face the day and whatever it has in store for you.
- Close your eyes and visualise what you are saying. Pay attention to how the words make you feel. If something stresses you out or demotivates you go back to this positive feeling and try to motivate yourself again.
- Have a pep talk for yourself!
4. Listen to music
The soothing power of music is well-documented. Listening to slow, classical or relaxing music is incredibly relaxing for both the body and mind. It has a unique link to your emotions, so this can be extremely effective in decreasing the levels of stress hormones.
5. Go easy on the caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant, should you consume too much, it can increase your anxiety or stress levels. By all means, enjoy your morning coffee, we all need it! Simply keep in mind that the more you consume the more likely you are to experience adverse effects.
6. Sleep
I cannot stress how important sleep is! Sleep is the body’s (and mind’s) way of recuperating after a long day’s work/stress. If you skip this vital ‘step’, mental alertness and clarity as well as productivity will take a hit. It will also make you more irritable and increase your stress levels.
Take time to unwind — turn off all distractions, unplug from social media, grab your favourite cuddly toy, wrap him/her up in your arms and sleep. When your alarm goes off — count down from 5 and get up… Immediately… No snoozing! You should aim to get enough sleep so that you wake up naturally with your alarm.
7. Keep moving
Exercise in any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your ‘feel-good’ endorphins and distract you from daily worries.
Yes, I know, you are going to say that exercise does your body good, but you are just too busy and stressed to fit it into your routine. There is good news when it comes to exercise and stress.
Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. If you are not an athlete or even if you are out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management.
- Instead of using the lift, use the stairs.
- During your lunch break, get up and go outside for a walk. Change your scenery when you are able to do so and incorporate low impact exercise/movement into your daily routine.
- Stretch at your desk should you not be able to get out.
8. Enjoy the holiday season!
Last, but certainly not least, enjoy the holiday season and festivities.
Here are some ideas of things you can do in Johannesburg during this time to alleviate stress, wind-down and prevent the dreaded ‘B’ word:
- Emperors Palace, Garden of Lights.
- City Sightseeing, Joburg Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour.
- Melrose Arch, Christmas Lights.
- Bounce Inc., Indoor Trampoline Park/Arena.
- Montecasino’s Bird Park.
- Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway.
- Acrobranching/Go Ape, Obstacle course in the trees.
Here are also a couple of inexpensive ideas you can do with the family:
- Make Christmas themed arts and crafts with the children by recycling materials at home e.g. Santa’s out of toilet rolls or a Christmas tree out of cardboard and cotton wool.
- Be creative and make a Summer Snowman.
- Make some delicious drinks or food with the family.
- Watch a Christmas movie together as a family.
- Have a Christmas Karaoke at home with family and friends.
Remember! You cannot always be taking care of others, some days you need to take care of yourself too.
“Boundaries are a part of self-care. They are healthy, normal, and necessary” _ Doreen Virtue
