Working long hours, irregular sleeping habits and not having enough time for yourself can quickly lead to emotional and physical exhaustion, feeling overwhelmed and drained, i.e. – burnout. Have you ever felt like you’re stagnating even though you’ve been working over 10 hours a day? Have you dedicated yourself to work so much that you’ve isolated yourself from loved ones and started feeling constantly drained and tired? If you have, then you’ve experienced burnout firsthand. Fortunately, with our little help, you can avoid it in the future., thanks to the following simple tips.
Create a working schedule
Smart planning is the key to avoiding burnout. We all have to work, but there’s a reason why working hours shouldn’t be longer than 8 hours. Your body and mind need some time away from the computer or any type of other labour. That’s why you need to have time for work, pastime, and enough sleep, in order to avoid feeling drained all the time. Not only will you feel much better, but with good planning, you’ll be more productive and efficient too.
Take a break, regularly
Scheduling several short breaks when you start planning your daily and weekly calendar is of the essence. Do you remember how you’d always have a break between classes in school? Well, it shouldn’t be any different now when you’re working. If you’re working behind a desk and typing all day or making phone calls, make sure you get up and stretch your legs every hour or so. Whether to go to the bathroom, grab a glass of water or cup of coffee, you’ll need some time off work to clear your mind and recharge. Your body and mind need adequate rest and refuelling throughout the day to always be on their A-game. Sometimes a break doesn’t have to be strictly scheduled for every hour or so. Whenever you feel like you’re having trouble focusing, step away from your work and rest.
Don’t forget to eat
When we’re overworked, we often forget to eat regularly. An irregular and unhealthy diet can further contribute to burnout because your body will lack vitamins and the necessary nutrition to work at full speed. Therefore, you should either practice meal prep at home or subscribe to some of those healthy meal plans if you don’t have time to cook. Having enough fruit, vegetables, lean meat, and whole grains is vital for keeping you going and protecting your immune system.
Always hydrate
Aside from eating regularly, you must always hydrate. Having a bottle of water on your desk at all times will help you supply your body with enough H2O. Get one of those fancy reusable water bottles and always carry a bottle of water with you. If you want some additional power boost and healthy hydration, refreshing smart drinks will do the best work by keeping you energized and hydrated at the same time.
Plan for a day off
Weekends are meant for recharging and taking your mind off work. However, if your line of work demands you work the weekends too, then you’ll need to find at least one day during the week when you won’t work. Ideally, you can plan for either two consecutive days or any two days during the week when you’ll unplug and relax. That’s one of the most important factors that will help you avoid burnout. Whether you want to go on a picnic, to the cinema, or just lounge on your couch and binge-watch your favourite series, all of that is better than working every single day of the week. Taking a day off will allow you to practice self-care, become more mindful and focus on your mental, physical and emotional health more. Do yoga, meditate, go to a SPA or spend an entire day with friends and family to prevent feeling alienated from everyone due to your busy schedule.
Have enough sleep
Without sufficient sleep, all the breaks in the world won’t be enough to keep you focused and going. In order to be the best version of yourself, stay efficient and productive, you must have at least 6 hours of sleep every night. Allow your mind and body to rest, recharge and replenish during the night so that you can feel energized and motivated in the morning. Only after you’ve had enough sleep will you be able to give your maximum and meet your deadlines without feeling burned out.
Being surrounded by deadlines and loads of work can sometimes make us forget about ourselves and what our mind and body need in order to function properly. Don’t let work come first if it’s going to jeopardize your health. Instead, learn to plan your schedule well, eat healthy, hydrate, take regular breaks during work, take a day or two a week off, have enough sleep, and you’ll never have to experience burnout again.
