Are you suffering from burnout?
Exhaustion is something we girls living in the city know all about. Hitting snooze until you need to jump out of bed before starting the long commute to work.
Then we work throughout the day, lunch, into evenings. Socialising with colleagues or clients. It seems the working day is never done. We’re always trying to please our bosses, friends, and partners.
Sometimes it just all gets too much.
Causes of burnout
It’s no secret that the major cause of burnout is your job. Those at risk are often people who feel overworked and undervalued. We all feel that from time to time, right? We all work in the city. Your personality and lifestyle may also contribute. How you relax and switch off from the matrix is important—having a supportive network too. So let’s look at some of the key causes of burnout you should be aware of.
Work
- Feeling like you have little or no control over your work
- Lack of recognition or reward for good work
- Unclear or overly demanding job expectations
- Doing work that’s monotonous or unchallenging
Lifestyle
- Working too much without giving yourself time to relax
- Taking on too much and overloading yourself
- Not switching off. Ever. Put down that damn phone.
- Not getting enough sleep – I can’t stress this one enough!
Personality
- Perfectionistic tendencies; nothing is ever good enough
- Pessimistic view of yourself and the world
- The need to be in control; reluctance to delegate to others
- High-achieving, “Type A” personality
What it’s like to burnout
You don’t recognise yourself. You are exhausted all of the time. You can’t remember the last time you felt truly happy.
Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. You always seem to be ill these days. Rarely see your friends. Spend evenings and weekends in bed. Not only that, you are drinking too much and surviving on a cocktail of red bull and/or coffee. You have pushed on through all of the stages of exhaustion, and you have reached total burnout.
You can’t pour from an empty cup.
If you have no energy for yourself, you have no energy to give to others. Many people suffering from burnout tend to think of others and put their needs before their own. It’s time now to save yourself. Prioritise your own well-being and health first. Now.
Symptoms:
If you recognise any of these symptoms, then it might be time to get help:
- Feel tired, drained and exhausted all of the time
- Waking up exhausted, even after a night’s sleep
- Suffering from headaches and migraines
- You seem to be getting sick, too, due to lowered immunity.
- Feel helpless and detached
- Sound and feel negative, like all the time
- Lost all motivation in anything
- Using drugs, food or drink to cope
- Losing your temper quickly and snapping easily
- Isolating yourself and withdrawing from friends
- Procrastinating or finding it more difficult to get anything done
Stress V Burnout
Stress can be great. It can make you feel energised and motivated.
Prolonged stress of the wrong kind, however, can lead to burnout. With the right kind of stress, you feel energetic, even hyperactive. When you are burned out, you can be left feeling detached, exhausted and numb.
How to Recover from Burnout
Take it seriously. Stop prioritising work, working late, and helping others. Right now, you need to help yourself. Stop valuing relationships more than yourself. It’s time to make an inventory of everything stressing you out and work out an action plan. You only have one life.
Top 10 Tips for Recovery:
- Listen to your body. Relax. Eat. Sleep. Repeat
- Cut out/reduce your alcohol intake.
- Sleep is vital right now for your survival.
- Build a support network of professionals and friends who you can confide in
- Delegate tasks and ease your workload this month
- Learn to say no this month. To your boss, your friends, your other half.
- Leave work on time. No going in early, working through lunch and working late.
- Take a vacation or some time off. Take a break
- Turn off your phone/computer before bed and unplug yourself from the matrix
- Eat well and drink water. Step away from the red bulls. Nourish your body.
25 Best Stress Relief Gifts
Relax Like a Boss has listed their 26 best stress relief gifts of 2019 whether you’re getting a gift for your partner, friend, colleague or family member. From face masks to fidget toys – these are all perfect for relaxing and relieving stress fast.
