Managing Work Related Stress And Burnout
Regardless of what job you have and whether you run your own business or not, your work can definitely be stressful. Dealing with stressful situations regarding your career every day can definitely be taxing on your entire body, not just on your mind. All of that stress and tension can eventually lead to burnout, which is the point at which your body gives out and you simply can’t go on any further without taking a break.
Have you reached the point where your work related stress is really taking its toll? Do you feel burned out and unable to continue going at the pace that you’ve been keeping lately? Then continue reading for a few helpful tips that will help you deal with all of that.
Take Time To Breathe
When you’re feeling really stressed and you feel as if you’re no longer in control, you need to regain your composure as best as possible. One of the top ways to do that is by stopping whatever you’re doing and taking a few moments to just enjoy some deep breathing. John Lemp knows how stressful working in the business world can be, and this is a tactic that he highly recommends.
Deep breathing can help calm your nervous system down, allow you to take a break to collect your thoughts, and bring some much needed oxygen into every cell and tissue of your body. Remember, when you’re stressed, your breath becomes shallow and erratic, so bringing back some deep breathing can help regulate your body and mind.
Focus on taking a few seconds worth of an inhale and then take the same amount of time to exhale. For example, inhale for four seconds and then exhale for four seconds. You can even gently release the exhale through the mouth after taking the inhale through the nose, as this can further relax the nervous system.
Focus On Keeping Your Body In Balance
To avoid the long term effects of stress and burnout, you need to take action today to keep your body strong, healthy, and in balance. Start by ensuring you get adequate amounts of sleep every night.
Then, fit in a workout routine that will allow you to release your stress and focus solely upon yourself and your body even for just an hour a day. Whether you need to let out your frustrations by boxing or you would prefer a gentler approach with a form of yoga, choose a workout routine that you enjoy and that helps your body stay strong.
A third component to your overall health and well being lies in properly nourishing yourself. Take a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement, as stress and burnout can tax your system more intensely if you are deficient in key nutrients. Eat three meals a day with snacks in between in order to maintain your energy level and keep your cells properly fueled. Drink plenty of water every day, and focus on consuming whole, unprocessed, fresh foods.
Start A Meditation Practice
Meditation is the practice of sitting in a quiet environment on your own, closing your eyes, and letting your mind clear without interacting with any thoughts that may flow in and out of your head. Doing this for just a few minutes every day, even if it’s just for five minutes, can have a profoundly positive effect upon your mood, your outlook, and your ability to cope with challenges that arise.
You can meditate at any time that you wish, so you can start your day with a quick meditation, meditate before bed, or take some time out of your workday to rebalance with a short guided meditation that you can find easily online.
Take A Short Vacation
Sometimes all you need to do to deal with the stress from work is take a short vacation. Use your vacation time, personal days, sick days, or a combination of these to take some much needed “me time” with your family, friends, or even totally on your own. Go someplace you love, do what you like to do, experience something new, and take your mind off of your struggles. You will return refreshed and with a clearer mind that can come up with solutions.
Even if you love what you do every day, your work can definitely lead to high amounts of stress that can eventually cause you to burn out. But, if you know what steps to take to cope with stress you can prevent burnout, or at least come back stronger from if it indeed happens.