Watching a bicycle race the other day, I realized why protective gear is not a luxury, but a necessity. During these races, especially at the start, when one bike falls down, there will most probably be a few others meeting the tar as well. When a rider speeds downhill, and hit an object in the road, it is almost a given that there will be a few scratches and bruises, or broken bones.
Sometimes, during a day, while speeding through our to-do-lists, we are becoming an accident waiting to happen. The pace gets faster and faster – like a hamster on a wheel. It is just a matter of time before there is a crash. And if you are not careful, you will be the cause of someone else’s downfall as well.
Just as we need to balance on the bike, to keep going, it is essential to live a balanced life. And by balanced, I mean balanced in EVERY area of your life. At my age, you start weighing stuff. I not only prioritize, I get rid of those things tipping the scale to one side – even the good things. Too much of a good thing is never good. At a body building competition a few years back I heard, and I have seen, that too much testosterone in a women’s body sounds like a man. I have also seen this same imbalance creating havoc in my own life. Menopause taught me that too much estrogen leads to an emotional wreck.
My buzz-word for today, is burnout. To NOT burnout, you need to be balanced. Either you run the day, or the day runs you. You can only have one or the other, you can’t have both. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.
How do you know that you are on a road to burnout?
Feeling tired and drained most of the time.
Lowered immunity, frequent illnesses.
Frequent headaches or muscle pain.
Change in appetite or sleep habits.
Sense of failure and self-doubt.
Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated.
Detachment, feeling alone in the world.
Loss of motivation.
Increasingly cynical and negative outlook.
Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment.
Withdrawing from responsibilities.
Isolating yourself from others.
Procrastinating, taking longer to get things done.
Using food, drugs, or alcohol to cope.
Taking out your frustrations on others.
Skipping work or coming in late and leaving early.
Because of its many consequences, it’s important to deal with burnout right away. Burnout is a gradual process. It doesn't happen overnight, but it can creep up on you. Think of the early symptoms as red flags that something is wrong that needs to be addressed.
What are the lifestyle choices that cause burnout?
Working too much, without enough time for socializing or relaxing.
Lack of close, supportive relationships.
Taking on too many responsibilities, without enough help from others.
Not getting enough sleep.
Personality traits can contribute to burnout
- 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.
How can we prevent burnout?
Tip 1: Turn to other people. Social contact is nature's antidote to stress. Reach out to those closest to you, such as your partner, family, and friends. Limit your contact with negative people. Hanging out with negative-minded people who do nothing but complain will only drag down your mood and outlook. There is power in giving. Being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure and can help to significantly reduce stress as well as broaden your social circle.
Tip 2: Reframe the way you look at work. Try to find some value in your work. Find balance in your life. Take time off.
Tip 3: Reevaluate your priorities. Take time to think about your hopes, goals, and dreams. Are you neglecting something that is truly important to you?
Tip 4: Set boundaries. Don’t overextend yourself. Learn how to say “no” to requests on your time. Remind yourself that saying “no” allows you to say “yes” to the commitments you want to make.
Tip 5: Take a daily break from technology. Set a time each day when you completely disconnect. Put away your laptop, turn off your phone, and stop checking email or social media.
Tip 6: Nourish your creative side. Creativity is a powerful antidote to burnout. Try something new, start a fun project, or resume a favorite hobby. Choose activities that have nothing to do with work or whatever is causing your stress.
Tip 7: Set aside relaxation time. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response.
Tip 8: Get plenty of sleep. Feeling tired can exacerbate burnout by causing you to think irrationally. Keep your cool in stressful situations by getting a good night’s sleep.
Tip 9: Make exercise a priority.
Tip 10: Support your mood and energy levels with a healthy diet.
Are you ready to find your balance? Please raise your hand if you don’t have it all together all the time…
Start creating the balanced woman:
Choose your battles - cut yourself some slack.
Be your own biggest fan - celebrating our small successes can give us the motivation we need to keep going. Get rid of self-doubt.
Put yourself first - taking care of yourself mentally and physically should be non-negotiable.
Welcome imperfections - being imperfect is what makes you unique.
Know when to say “no” - life is busy and full of conflicting activities, but saying “yes” to everything is impossible.
Embrace your uniqueness and that of others - comparing yourself to someone else blinds you from embracing what makes you special.
Don’t be afraid to ask for support - balanced women have a good team backing them up.
What will your new life look like?
Improved physical health
Improved mental health
Energetic
A positive mood
Less diseases and health issues
New goals
“Balance isn’t something you find, it’s something you create.” – Jana Kinsford
Start making cheerful choices. Creating balance is not passive, it needs action. Go from burnout to balance. To THRIVE, live, love and laugh.
Take a break, take a Kit-Kat!
コメント