In the previous essay I presented the signs and symptoms of stress and burnout. In this essay I will prevent some ways that you can learn to deal with stress. As with any issue like this always consult with a health professional.
- Take Relaxation Seriously – Whether you take up meditation, listening to music, reading a book, taking a walk or visiting with friends and family (although this can often lead to more stress), truly think about what you’ll do to relax, and then designate time for it.
- Cultivate a Rich Non-Work Life – Find something outside of work that you are passionate about that’s challenging, engaging, and really gets you going. It might be a hobby, sports or fitness activities, or volunteering in the community.
- Unplug – While communication technology can promote productivity, it can also allow work stressors to slip into family time, vacation, and social activities. Set boundaries by turning off cell phones at dinner and designating certain times to check email.
- Get Enough Sleep – Research suggests that having fewer than six hours of sleep per night is a major risk factor for burnout. Poor sleep can have negative effects on your job performance and productivity. Lack of sleep can lead to fatigue, decrease your motivation, make you more sensitive to stressful events, impair your metal function, leave you more susceptible to errors, and make it harder to juggle competing demands on you and your time.
- Get Organized – Often, when people are burnt out, they spend a lot time worrying that they’ll forget to do something or that something important is going to slip through the cracks. Get organized, clear your head, put together a to-do list then prioritize. Having a system in place will make it less likely that you will have to worry about getting things done or remembering them.
- Stay Attuned – It is important to tune into the precursors of those conditions and physical signs that point to your being under too much stress. Headaches, tight shoulders, a stiff neck, more frequent upset stomach are all signs that you may be reaching your limit. In terms of mental health, burnout affects depression and vice versa, if you are depressed that can affect your level of burnout. You may need to seek professional help if this is the case.
- Know When it’s You and When it’s Them – Stress and Burnout are sometimes motivated by internal factors and sometimes external ones. If it is internal ask yourself where this is coming from so you will have the ability to head it off. The same applies to external factors although sometimes they are much harder to deal with than the internal one. In the end, a change is what might be called for.
- Figure out When Enough is Enough – Consider talking with the person you report too at work and programs that might be available to you to help you deal with this. If the stress is coming from other activities you might need to draw back a little on those. If neither of these work, like in the last example, it might just be time for a change.
