How To Stop and Prevent Yourself From Burning Out
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Have you ever experienced a burn-out before?
A burnout happens when you become extremely overloaded, to the point that you become totally incapacitated, due to physical or mental strain. This commonly happens to those who create bloated schedules for themselves, or to those who are in a stressful situation for long periods of time. It is preventable, but you have to know the signs of an impending burnout, as well as what measures you should take to stop it before it happens to you.
Some signs to watch for...
Burning out doesn't happen overnight. It is created over time and usually builds upon pressure that is not dealt with over a long period of time. Some signs you should watch for include:
- Huge amounts of stress that is not attended to.
- An overloaded schedule that is impossible to keep up with.
- Saying yes to everyone/everything, even though you'd really like to say no.
- Feeling like you want to pull your hair out.
- Wanting to run and hide, or crawl into a hole and hide from the rest of the world.
- Withdrawing from social situations.
- Lying because you can't handle the truth and you're afraid others won't be able to, either.
- Bouts of emotional fits, like crying, ranting, or even yelling at someone you love, then feeling horrible about your actions immediately afterwards.
- Mood swings.
- Vivid nightmares.
- Depressive or oppressive thoughts.
What you can do to prevent burnout
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of burnout listed above, or more, there are things you can start doing right now to help yourself before it gets any worse. It is imperative that you recognize the ultimate need to take care of both your body and your mind. Here are some things you can do to help prevent burning out:
- Get plenty of rest each night. Both your body and your mind need enough sleep every night to recharge.Â
- Drink water. Most nutritionists recommend a person drink at least 6 glasses of water every day. Getting plenty of clear fluid, in form of water, will make you feel better.
- Get help. Don't be afraid to reach out for help. The worst thing you could do is bottle it up and keep it to yourself. In the end, you'll end up exploding anyway. So get help before you are too far gone.
- Smile. You've probably heard it said a million times, but it bears repeating: It takes fewer facial muscles to smile than it does to frown. Smiling, even though you might not feel like it, can help change your mood and thoughts.
- Have fun. Call up a few friends and plan a fun night out together. Or set a date with your spouse. Do something to get out of the house and have some fun. This is a great way to release negative energy inside you.
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Great idea jacobkuttyta!
A long walk or swimming for some time is good for me.
Sadly, burnout is becoming a chronic condition with me. Just this past week, however, I found myself smiling and engaging in numerous conversations. This sense of well-being spilled over into my time at home as well. The surprise for me was that seemingly all of a sudden, my dear friends were reaching out to me via phone. One friend bought and delivered dinner, and another sent me money for Thanksgiving. I thought to myself, gee, all I had to do was allow myself to be social? Whatever it was, it was a nice change from the way things have been going and the way I have been feeling as of late.
Thanks for sharing.
I tend to think about burn out in relationship to jobs I've had in the past (like hospital administration) where the stress was great -- but then I read your list of symptoms and realize it applies to all of life -- if one is not careful.
Glad you enjoyed it, C.S. :)
I know I need to read this hub one time each week! LOL Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the positive thoughts. :)
I practice smiling, deep breathing and releasing thoughts freely when in difficult situations. Drinking water with feeling is also a natural help. Great information. Thanks
BkCreative Level 6 Commenter 2 years ago
We truly have to work on doing less - women have been given way too many unpaid responsibilities in this culture.
I have made "less is more' my mantra. I own less clothes, furniture, shoes, even recently cut my hair - less hair to manage. We need to own less and take care of less. We've been taught to be consumers - to the point of working endlessly to buy and consume - more junk!
And saying 'no' is necessary.
Thanks for this reminder!