Avoiding Burnout

Nancy Anderson
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It's common to feel overwhelmed in your career, especially if your professional position is demanding. Avoiding burnout is essential to maintaining proper physical and emotional health. Learn how to love your career, take care of yourself and thrive professionally and personally to improve your overall well-being.

Focus on Self Care

Taking care of yourself should be a top priority, especially if you are feeling overwhelmed. Avoiding burnout involves making sure you feel well both physically and mentally. Invest in yourself by adopting a regular sleep routine and exercise routine. Set your alarm so you get up at the same time every day, and try to retire around the same time each evening. Incorporate exercise into your workday by taking a walk around the office to boost your energy level during that mid-day slump. Partner up with a few co-workers, if possible, and take exercise classes before or after each workday.

What you eat throughout the day also matters. Avoid drinking coffee or caffeinated sofa when your energy feels a bit low, since you might experience an energy crash once these beverages wear off. Instead, pack healthy snacks, such as fruits or nuts, to give you the boost you need to stay focused during long, stressful days. Also, scheduling at least three healthy meals a day and maintaining a good diet overall helps with avoiding burnout.

Love Your Job

When you are frustrated and overwhelmed, it's difficult to recognize the joys of your job. However, adopting a positive mindset and visualizing the positive aspects of your position can help with avoiding burnout. Set attainable professional goals, and praise yourself when you achieve them. For example, identify clients you want to reconnect with each week or make a to-do list daily to help you stay on track. As you cross off each task, you'll likely gain a sense of accomplishment that helps you love what you do.

Learn to Say "No"

While it's not advisable to say "no" to your supervisor when working a professional position, learn how to say "no" to extra tasks and volunteer work gives you more time for yourself. Determine which responsibilities, job-related and otherwise, may be causing you added stress. Avoiding burnout requires you to seek out ways to eliminate these duties and pressures. While it may be within your nature to always say "yes," saying "no" can reduce stress and help you to focus on your primary responsibilities.

Your overall health and well-being are important both on and off the job. Avoiding burnout is essential to succeed both personally and professionally. Seek out ways to simplify your life so that you can focus on your primary duties, your achievements and your mental and physical health to improve your quality of life at work and home.


Photo Courtesy of marcolm at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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