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BURN OUT
Check up time
STAND STILL FOR A MINUTE, long enough to take stock of how you really feel. Take a deep breath and tap into the life force and energy inside you which is inherently yours, feel a sense of wellness, grateful to be alive, content with who you have become and where you are today.
When was the last time you and I last did that I wonder?
I know what it’s like when everything and everyone seems to demand all of your attention, It’s hard to think about taking care of yourself when there are never enough hours in the day, when the demands of work, family and relationships seem to be taking up every minute of everyday!
Welcome to the wired and tired generation.
For so many of us, our working life doesn’t just spill over into our home life, it has become the norm to be making phone calls and emailing clients/your boss/work colleagues/students/customers/ creditors well into the night in order to meet our deadlines and responsibilities.
Did you know that, It’s official!
The world health organisation has classified “Burnout” as an actual medical diagnosis and condition, stress related illnesses and diseases are on the rapid rise including coronary disease, obesity and metal illness. Personality type and how we react and respond to acute stress also plays a major factor in determining our susceptibility to stress related chronic diseases.
As quoted on the health.org website Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.
Burnout may be the result of non stop stress, but it isn’t the same as too much stress. Stress, is having too much, too many pressures demanding too much of you physically and mentally. However, stressed people can still feel capable of knowing that if they can get everything under control, they’ll feel better.
Burnout, on the other hand, is about not being capable enough. Being burned out means feeling empty and mentally exhausted, devoid of motivation, and beyond caring. People experiencing burnout often don’t see any hope completing anything at all due to the way they feel. Excessive stress feels like you’re drowning in responsibilities, Burnout is a sense of feeling all dried up and in a hopeless situation and while you’re usually aware when you’re under a lot of stress, you don’t always notice burnout when it happens.
If this sounds like you it’s time to take action NOW!
A great way to start is to take a free online stress level check to get a bit of an idea as to where you’re actually at stress wise (there are many to choose from) here is one example: https://www.bemindfulonline.com/test-your-stress
If your arrow is heading towards (or is in) the the red zone alternatively you are receiving a positive result from your online test it’s definately time to do something about it!
Finding the right right support and or resilience training or activity is crucial!
If you are at risk here are a few examples of what you can do to combat stress and burn out.
1. Speak to your doctor express your concerns, ask for a REFERAL to professional help.
2. Talk to your friends, work colleagues, your boss, arrange stress leave etc.
3. Set boundaries eg when to take breaks, limit the amount of work will do in a certain time frame, set an alarm to remind you to get up from your desk and stretch your legs.
3. Take up an exercise program of some sort, it is widely documented that exercise plays a major roll in stress management as well as it imperative to boost your nutrition in and to get plenty of sleep.
4. Join a group, walk with a friend take up yoga, meditation, arrange lunch and dinner dates, surround yourself with positive and uplifting people, alternatively avoid negative demanding people wherever possible.
5. And finally Learn to be still, sit comfortably and often in the silence, knowing that your intention needs to be to live a Balanced (and as much as possible) a STRESS LESS life.