Good morning Crusaders
First of all, what is burnout?
It’s a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion that is brought on by prolonged and excessive stress.
It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. And it occurs so often that it has been recognised as a syndrome.
Do you know anyone who suffered from burnout?
Have you ever suffered it yourself?
Chances are good that someone you know has experienced it.
The chances are even greater that you’ve experienced it yourself.
According to a study done by the Gallup Institute, 23% of employees suffer from burnout.Scarily, the same research found that 78% of entrepreneurs and business owners suffer from it.
So, 1 out of every 4 employees suffers burnout – which shows that stress levels in the modern-day workplace are too high.
But, almost 4 out of every 5 entrepreneurs are afflicted with it. That’s hard to accept, and a real reason for concern.
You see, burnout is preventable.
It’s sad that so many of us business pioneers people suffer from it. It really doesn’t have to be that way.
To prevent burnout, we need to be aware of its early signs, and to act on them.
But, they’re not very obvious, so it’s easy to ignore them.
You can brush it off by saying it’s “just a bad day” and try to ignore the symptoms, but they will come back.
And they’ll keep coming back . . And each time, they’ll hit harder.
The first step to dealing with this syndrome is to detect the early signs before they become chronic?
Here are the more common symptoms of burnout:
- Reduced performance and productivity.
- Bouts of anxiety and panic.
- Feelings of detachment, pessimism, and sadness.
- Lack of focus, concentration and motivation.
- Periods of moodiness and irritability.
- Not enjoying what you’re doing, and lacking creativity.
- Physical fatigue, insomnia, or headaches.
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The second step is to identify the underlying reason for the symptoms you’re experiencing.
For example:
Have you been under unusual pressure lately? Is it likely to continue?
Has something shifted in your life that you’re not happy with?
Does your vision for the future still make sense?
Have your needs and desires changed over time?
The third step is to take prompt and decisive action.
You have to take a break from the stressful elements of your life and keep your mind off them – especially in your working environment.
No matter how much you feel you need to work, rest is non-negotiable.
Not just physical rest where you take a nap, but also by doing the things you enjoy.
You can rest by taking a walk, playing with your kids, having a picnic with your spouse, or participating in your choice of sport or physical activity (like cycling or going to gym).
If you do this whenever you feel any of the symptoms of burnout, you’ll stop the progression of it and reinvigorate your mindset.
Then, in the fourth and last step, you need to create room in your schedule for these activities for the future.
Don’t wait until the next time you feel burnt out. Release the pressure before it builds up by planning these fun and restorative activities into your week.
You shouldn’t leave them to chance. If you don’t plan for them, they will only happen when you’re already highly stressed.
The same way you plan for your work or exercise routine, you should plan your rest.
Make scheduling your recuperation time a habit – even if it means you have to delay or pause certain projects.
Believe me, avoiding burnout is more important than any short-term objectives you’re chasing. If you don’t, the burnout will become chronic and then everything will be affected, if not abandoned completely.
That being said, if you plan your days and weeks in advance, then you should easily be able to schedule in “ME” time without it impacting any of your existing or future tasks and projects.
So, if you want to halt burnout in its tracks, remember:
- Recognise symptoms
- Identify source
- Take prompt action
- Plan for future prevention
And if you need help scheduling your days and setting up positive routines for yourself, then let me know and I can give you some pointers.
Have an awesome and fulfilling week.
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