When I was teaching, I would regularly feel completely wiped out physically and mentally, and, for the first days of any holiday, whether it was half term, Easter, Christmas or the summer break, I would end up either ill or sleeping most of the time as my body and my mind couldn't take any more.
The other week, I was listening to a group of pharmacy students at the University as they discussed their workloads and lifestyle choices because of how much they had to do. It reminded me of that feeling of never having enough time and the pressure and stress that came with it. So, today, I thought I'd talk about the signs which suggest you may be heading towards burnout (or are already there), and, perhaps more importantly, what you can do about it before you reach that stage.
What is burnout?
Burnout can be defined as a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion which can result from long-term or repeated bouts of stress. This could include, but is not limited to, working in a stressful or high pressured job, doing an intense amount of studying (e.g. for a degree course or post graduate qualification, or having a particularly demanding life circumstance such as being a single parent, caring for a loved one (such as a young person with special needs or an aging relative), having financial difficulties or worries related to job security, being involved in a house move, divorce or separation or trying to juggle too many responsibilities at once.
What are the main signs of burnout?
The signs of burnout differ depending on the individual but common signs to look out for include:
- fatigue - constantly feeling tired, drained or exhausted
- sleep issues e.g. insomnia, panicked night time waking, regularly getting less than 6 hours a night etc
- frequent feelings of cynicism, anger, irritability and a pessimistic life outlook in general
- poor immunity - resulting in regularly feeling under the weather or having frequent coughs, colds, sore throats etc
- gastro-intestinal issues such as IBS, stomach upsets, sickness and diarrhea or unexplained abdominal pains
- recurring headaches
- poor concentration levels which may result in reduced efficacy or success at work, making careless mistakes, being easily distracted, struggling to maintain attention, trouble thinking clearly or making decisions, forgetfulness and poor working memory.
- depressed mood which may cause tearfulness, sadness, feelings of emptiness, loss of interest or pleasure in things you once enjoyed, feeling worthless, suicidal ideation, a sense of isolation and inability to relate to others
- feelings of anxiety such as restlessness, agitation, irritability, having a sense of dread or fearing the worst
How can I prevent burnout?
Educate yourself Learn about your current stresses and your coping strategies using 'the stress bucket model' that I discovered on Mental Health UK. You can download your own to fill in here. Make a list of helpful activities (known as taps in the example) and plan to do some of them each day to help you destress and unwind.
Prioritise self care You might not be able to remove the sources of stress you are dealing with right now, but you can make sure that self care becomes a non-negotiable part of each day. Try writing two lists - everyday (basic) self care that keeps you functioning each day e.g. keeping yourself hydrated, eating regular and nutritious meals, getting some exercise and taking regular work breaks, and 'me time' self care activities you find calming or relaxing e.g. having a walk in nature, quiet reading, taking a bubble bath, having some time away from your phone and social media, listening to music with your eyes closed, doing a mini meditation etc.
Learn to say no If you feel like you're taking on too much to cope with, could it be that you are agreeing to requests or feeling obligated to doing things that are further adding to your stress? Although easier said than done, learning to say no can really help you to prioritise what matters to you or what you consider is absolutely essential for your health and wellbeing.
Accept that perfection is unachievable Perfectionism and the impossibly high standards that go with this trait can become overwhelming and will almost certainly lead to burnout. To manage this, take time to think about your current situation realistically and try to think positively about how well you are doing under the circumstances. Mantras such as 'I can only do my best', 'done is better than perfect', 'nobody is perfect' and 'I don't have to do things perfectly' can help if said regularly.
Show some self-compassion If a friend was having to juggle all the commitments and responsibilities you're currently facing, what would you say to make them feel better? A helpful exercise I learned in one my compassion group sessions is to write a letter offering sympathy, advice and support and post it to yourself or read it regularly. It might feel a little strange writing at first but it can really help.
Take a break from your devices After a particular busy or stressful day, you might be inclined to sit (or lie) on the sofa and mindlessly scroll through your phone or tablet. This might seem like a good way to relax at the time, but studies show that being addicted to our digital devices has a seriously negative impact on our mental and physical health, not to mention our productivity levels. Rather than constantly reaching for your phone, why not try a screen free hobby, for example, doing a mindful craft such as painting, drawing, sewing or knitting, doing puzzles such as jigsaws, crosswords, wordsearches or Sudoku which stretch your brain and help you relax at the same time or losing yourself in a good book or your favourite magazine.
Get organised Use your planner or calendar to map out your day and manage your schedule. Being organised can help you feel more in control and can also be a useful tool for identifying and planning for your priorities.
Practise mindfulness and meditation Mindfulness is a technique that involves paying attention to the current moment with non-judgmental awareness of our thoughts and feelings. Click here to read about five simple ways of incorporating mindfulness into you daily routine. Meditation, which is a key aspect of mindfulness practice, has been shown to combat potential burnout by lowering stress and anxiety levels, helping us to build resilience and coping skills, improving self- awareness and self-esteem, cultivating positive thoughts and emotions and boosting our ability to focus and concentrate on tasks. For ideas on how to get started, you might like to read this blog post which has beginner friendly suggestions and tips.
Reach out to others Sometimes, when struggling to cope with everything life is throwing at us, we start to believe we're the only one who's finding things difficult. Our thoughts and feelings can then lead us to withdraw from loved ones or isolate ourselves from others. However, this is the time when seeking out your support network can be most useful. Positive social interaction such as meeting a friend for coffee, taking a full lunch break with work colleagues or fellow students, or doing something fun with family members can help in a range of different ways such as providing a listening ear, support, sympathy and useful advice, taking your mind off your sources of stress or giving you the chance to do something enjoyable or relaxing.
Take steps to manage your sleep routine High stress levels can have a profoundly negative effect on your sleep. It's really important to take steps to develop a relaxing evening routine which sets you up for a good night's sleep. This wonderful article discusses the relationship between sleep and burnout and includes lots of useful tips for your day, evening and bedtime routine.
Final words...
For many of us, avoiding burnout isn't easy and there are commitments in our busy lives which we can't avoid or say no to. However, actively taking steps to combat the daily stresses in our lives by using some or all of the coping strategies above can really help. I think filling in the stress bucket would be a good first step in boosting self- awareness prior to making small lifestyle changes with a view to preventing burnout and generally improving health and wellbeing in the future. Let me know in the comments if you try out some of the ideas above and you find them beneficial.
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