What to do if you’re heading towards a burn-out?

Firstly. what are some of the signs and symptoms that you might experience:

• You might feel tired, less energetic and motivated in the workplace
• You might find yourself making senseless mistakes with your work.
• You might physically feel tired more than usual, or you may get more headaches and feel irritable or frustrated more than usual.

What are the small ways they get ahead of stress before it overwhelms you and turns into burnout?

Get more sleep.
Getting the sleep you need is vital not only for your sanity but also for your overall health and wellbeing. If we get a decent night under the sheets, our body can repair and restore itself, and we are more likely to wake to feel invigorated and ready to tackle the demands of every day.

Carve out time in your daily work schedule.
If you’re not proactively making time for yourself, your overworked body and mind might make it for you. To avoid the “always-on” feeling:

1. Set some work-free hours.
2. Design what works for you.
3. e.g. Don’t look at your email until 8am, and at 12pm take a full lunch hour away from devices and then at 3pm go for a short devices walk to clear your mind.

Disconnect from your devices.
It’s easy to feel productive when we are continually engaging with our devices, but often they only distract us from the things we want to get done. Spending too much time flicking through social media can stop our brain from relaxing and recharging. So make a conscious effort to unplug for a couple of hours each day; you’ll have more time to focus on the things you enjoy.

Hang out with people you like.
Social contact is one of the most significant ways of relieving stress. Have you noticed how good you feel after spending quality time with friends? Research backs this up – by proving that time with friends can reduce your body’s stress response, improve your mood and may even boost your immune system

Learn to love to relax.
Being ‘busy’ all the time is no longer the hallmark for success and happiness. Take your weekends off and REALLY relax, no life admin, no house chores and no catching up on emails. Find a focussed activity to help destress and declutter your mind – and yes, binging Netflix counts in our mind.

Give meditation a go.
Although not for everyone – one of the obstacles people have when wanting to start a meditation practice is the fear of how long is needed to sit still. We say start by taking 5- 10 minutes out of your day to sit quietly to concentrate on your breathing. On your next work break, try a guided meditation or relaxation technique from one of our favs apps on the market- headspace.

Be proactive about exercise.
Start your day with a light exercise if you are a beginner, or pump up some iron if you are a pro. Exercise every day for 15 minutes or more to keep your muscles moving and active – this will make a world of difference to your productivity and overall happiness.

Embrace healthy foods
What we eat is a massive part of our everyday life, and even more so when we’re looking at how to take care of our health and happiness while working. Eating the right kind of food can give you added brain power and increase your energy levels.

Practice Self-Awareness
Your feelings of overwhelm are your mind’s clever way of protecting you from harm. Self-awareness can be one of your most valuable assets. There are many ways to improve self-awareness. From setting boundaries to practising self-discipline, you can become more self-aware in a variety of ways.

Stay Positive.
Start your day on a positive note. This action alone will make a HUGE difference to the rest of your day. By pushing yourself to think positively, you will find your stress levels start to dissipate and give you an overall feeling of confidence.

Write it all down.
One of the best ways to get all your feelings out is to write it all down. If you’re heading towards burnout, compile a list of everything that’s weighing you down, and under it or beside it, write a list of ways to help you heal. Seeing what is troubling you visually organised in a list can help you edit and make healthier choices for your tomorrow.