07 Dec Top Tips – On How To Avoid Burnout Out On The Run Up To Christmas
Burnout can easily happen in the run-up to Christmas, especially if you have lots of Client events, too much alcohol and not enough sleep and deadlines to be met at work by the end of the year, easy to start forgetting about yourself. However, your mental health is too important for you to forget about it to perform well in your workplace. Here are some tips to help you keep sight of your own happiness:
Stay on track with your basic needs
This is often the first thing therapists will ask you: do you pay attention to your basic needs? If you tend to miss lunch to work more or check work at 11 pm before going to sleep, which can cause insomnia, come back to the basics. Eat a range of food, sleep and exercise enough to balance the stress you might experience at work.
Set work boundaries
Again, this advice works if you are the type to check work-related matters before going to sleep or answer emails at all times. Set some boundaries: outside your working hours, so you are not working or even thinking about work. For example, keeping your work emails on your computer only could be a good way to not ‘check them quickly’ during the day.
Discuss your concerns with your boss or your coworkers to get some advice
Setting boundaries also apply in work. Discuss your work goals with your boss and coworkers, so you have only a reasonable amount of tasks in the hours you are meant to be working – see our post about how to become a better leader. Avoid letting yourself drown under a big to-do list because it could generate much more stress.
Do not put pressure on yourself
Delegate and be kind to yourself. You didn’t finish this task today? It’s fine, you can do it tomorrow. Remember that sometimes, you might be the one to set high standards for yourself. Try and identify the moments where you might do it, so you can relieve the pressure you put on yourself.
How to detect burnout?
According to a specialised website, burnout is usually noticeable when these behaviours happen repetitively:
- Being exhausted and overwhelmed
- Being inefficient
- Feeling trapped, hopeless
- Self-doubt
- A negative outlook on life
There are many tools and apps at your finger tips that you can utilise to avoid burn out – such as meditation, yoga, reading a book or even try leaving your mobile at home for a day – what is the worst that could happen? Ultimately it is putting time aside for yourself and this could be 20 minutes a day.
‘Keep Calm And Carry On’