By: Emma Siewczynski Are you someone who always needs to be doing something? Do you find yourself constantly on the go? Is there not enough time for yourself during your busy schedule? If you answered yes to these questions, then you are most likely burning yourself out.
So, what exactly is "burning yourself out"? The explanation is simple. When you are constantly on the go, occupied with different tasks or never taking a break from stressful situations at work or school, then you burn yourself out. However, workload is only one of the contributors to burnout. Control, rewards, fairness, values, and the community you surround yourself with are the other elements that contribute. Factors that contribute to being burned out are ongoing exhaustion, detachment from your job, and possible weight gain or illness from stress. It is extremely important to take time for yourself in order to avoid or prevent burnout and making sure you are getting the right amount of sleep. In fact, sleep serves many purposes such as regulating our mood, clearing waste from our brain and re-energizing our cells. In addition to sleeping, eating and moving are important elements to consider when preventing yourself from burnout. Try to avoid foods that make you feel tired or too full. Instead, eat lighter foods that are healthier and provide you with more sustainable energy. For example, it would be best to have an apple with peanut butter over a bag of potato chips... In addition, eating smaller, more frequent meals can help maintain your high energy. As for moving, doctors recommend getting five minutes of outdoor exercise. Just five minutes can have an extremely meaningful impact on your physiological health. However, if you can get more than five minutes of exercise, you have a greater chance of improving your mental health. Our personalities are what make us who we are. Taking time for yourself is crucial when it comes to honoring the truth and truly understanding what we need as individuals and what makes us happy. In fact, co-author of Extinguish Burnout: A Practical Guide to Prevention and Recovery by Robert L. Bogue said, “When you’re operating outside of your natural state, you are consuming energy,” he explained. “The more in alignment you become, the less you’re demanding of yourself and the more personal agency you build up.” Being able to know what you need to restore yourself and how to do this will make you feel less drained and likely to face burnout. Being able to feel appreciated, safe and supported. Knowing what you can change for yourself and feeling comfortable with this greatly increases finding alternative sources to fulfill your needs. For myself, I find it very difficult to take a step back from what I am doing to focus on my own needs. Most of the time I am focusing on what others need me to do for them and what I need to do next. I have learned from personally burning myself out that it is crucial to listen to my body in order to not result in a burnout. While you (and myself included) might not have the luxury of being able to change and control everything in your life, you are able to control how you feel and the way you handle things within your lifestyle. Instead of focusing on what you have to do next, focus on what you truly enjoy and need based on your personal values and interests.
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