What Is Burnout And How To Avoid It
Do you wake up feeling drained?
Do you feel overwhelmed with stress?
Do you see your productivity disappear?
Then you might be experiencing burnout. But what actually is burnout?
Burnout 101:
It’s a chronic stress condition resulting from physical, mental and/or psychological exertion.
Often burnout is linked to one’s job as a result of feeling swamped & undervalued.
And did you know that 77% of employees experience burnout.
Burnout keeps you from being productive and happy.
Start by analysing your situation:
The first step is to understand your personality type:
1. Workaholic
→ High achievers always pushing themselves hard
2. People Pleaser
→ Always putting others’ needs above themselves
3. Silent Type
→ Just pressing on, masking their true feelings
Not down your type, then:
Identify your type of burnout:
1. Overload Burnout
→ too much to do, not enough time
2. Under-challenged Burnout
→lack of recognition and being bored
3. Neglect Burnout
→feeling incompetent and doubting your skills
Now you need to identify the stage you're at:
There're 5 stages of burnout.:
Honeymoon phase → Onset of stress phase → Chronic stress phase →Burnout phase → Habitual burnout phase
Each leaves you feeling more exhausted and less in control.
However, the good news is you’re in control and can get yourself out of it. (If you feel you can’t seek help immediately)
Note down which stage you're at, then explore what you can do:
Some internet gurus will tell you to shut off the world to heal. But that’s unrealistic.
I have a wife and six children to care for and a company to run. Simply sitting in a forest sipping tea all day won’t do.
But here are 7 practical and sustainable ways to combat burnout:
1) Identify your stressors
The stories we tell ourselves are often the causes of our suffering.
Use a journal to analyse:
• what causes you anxiety
• which habits create stress
• who damages your mental wellbeing
Then analyse it and eliminate your stressors where possible.
2) Speak up for yourself
We often suffer in silence, hoping for a brighter future.
But if you don’t stand up for yourself, no one will.
The people around you want you to be happy.
This isn’t being selfish, don’t worry about it.
If you’re not well, you can’t serve others.
3) Create a better work-life balance
Seeking work-life balance doesn't mean quitting your 9-5.
It means understanding that 80% of your happiness arises out of 20% of your time.
Identify what fulfils you and safeguard those hours and the people you share them with.
4) Create a healthy sleep schedule
- Avoid caffeine at least 6hrs before bedtime
- Don’t drink alcohol, it ruins sleep quality
- Limit drinking water 2hrs before bed
- No big meals right before bed
- No blue light in the bedroom
- Go to bed at the same time
5) Take care of your body
Your body needs to move to help cell renewals, get a mental break and rebalance your emotions.
But movement alone won't do it.
You also need the right fuel for your body to boost your immunity, helping you fight stress responses and fatigue better.
6) Practice mindfulness/meditation
Burnout often comes from doing too much and not having enough time and energy.
Combat this by slowing down.
Take time to appreciate the little moments in life, a cup of tea without scrolling your phone or a walk outside without headphones.
A great technique for any situation is box breathing to bring some calm.
7) Set boundaries
Become more intentional about how you spend your time.
Learn to say 'no' to protect your mental well-being.
Because the people around you need your best self. And you deserve to be happy.
