Face Burnout and Survive
It IS possible to face burnout and survive to live another day. While burnout can happen to anyone, people who are driven to achieve are usually more prone to it. They tend to be overworked, over – booked, and over-productive.
Burnout is both painful and unpleasant. It starts out innocently enough masquerading as a minor adrenalin rush to meet work demands, and ends as mental, emotional, physical and spiritual exhaustion.
To tell if you are really suffering from burnout consider these characteristics:
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Lack of Concentration
People on the verge of burnout have a hard time concentrating and little by little begin to care less and less about whether or not the work gets done.
Decreased Productivity
Decreased productivity and a dread of going to work are two more symptoms. Productivity consists of activity plus results. In burnout, there may be a lot of activity but little or no results that leave the person wondering if he or she is capable of accomplishing anything at all.
Increased Perfectionism
Watch out for perfectionist tendencies. Make use of available facts and information and then make a decision. Use more positive self-talk.
Preoccupation with Health & Sleeplessness
If you are unduly preoccupied with health and physical issues such as weight gain or loss you could be on the verge of burnout. Sleep deprivation increases with extreme stress and burnout, and it's hard to get up in the morning. In some cases, all the person wants to do is sleep.
Loss of Interest & Withdrawal
A loss of interest in what's going on in the world and withdrawal are common symptoms, especially if the person has been used to interacting with others. There may be an increased desire to avoid people or be unusually silent when around them.
Decreased Energy
Energy levels usually decrease. There may be an occasional burst of energy, but it doesn't last very long, and the person is left feeling drained and tired.
Low Self-Confidence
Loss of courage and self-worth are characteristic of a person who is burned out. The individual begins to doubt his or her own ability and loses self-confidence.
Survival Strategies
- Talk about your worries and anxieties. Don't internalize things or stop communicating.
- Eat for high performance and peak energy. Proper nutrition and diet are absolutely essential as well as watching the combination of foods you eat. Your digestive system has to work overtime to break down fatty foods. This causes your brain to divert most of its oxygen to fuel the digestive process. When this happens the brain begins to shut down and you get tired which over time can lead to burnout.
- Seek to grow spiritually. Get alone with God and learn how to practice spiritual disciplines like fasting and prayer to reduce stress and help cure burnout. Develop a sense of purpose.
- Get daily non-stressful fun aerobic exercise. Exercise can make you feel less tired and stressed. Fun aerobic exercise like walking, running, and bicycling have been found to be very beneficial in overcoming work – related stress and burnout.
If you've picked some pointers about burnout that you can put into action, then by all means, do so. You won't really be able to gain any benefits from your new knowledge if you don't use it.
