4 Tips To Avoid Burnout Syndrome
Do you take on projects with unfettered enthusiasm, only to find yourself a month or so later completely drained and with nothing left to offer?
You my friend, are experiencing burnout syndrome.
It is a common, yet nasty, tendency — especially among high achievers. Below you will find our notes on the triggers and practices to prevent this debilitating side effect.
Work Smart, Not Hard
While developing our well-being company, Boundless, we had honest conversations about our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to our work ethic. We both admitted to our tendency toward burnout. While discussing our experiences, we worked on unlocking the habits and mindset that lead us to feeling drained and without spark.
Since we are both incredibly enthusiastic people with a trillion ideas fluttering around at once, we tend to dive into projects with wild abandon — forgetting to take care of ourselves and strategically use our time.
We researched.
We adapted.
We succeeded.
We failed.
We’re learning!
Our hope is that what we’ve learned helps you along your journey, too! We are committed to doing our very best for the sake of Boundless and our sanity.
Tip #1
In the beginning, try not to do too much too fast. Start with small steps, even if you want to race ahead. Be PATIENT!
When you have a new idea, start a project, build, create, design… be aware that your mind will race with ideas. You automatically begin to make connections and lists in your head of to-dos and new ideas. We naturally want to dive in to the inspiration pool. Allow these thoughts. They are a blast and so motivating, but be mindful and take a pause after the first lap. Challenge yourself to think realistically.
Be Mindful…
What do I need to accomplish this task?
How long will it take? (Then divide that to give yourself a little cushion.)
What type of support will I require?
How can I map out a schedule to maintain down time?
Who can I ask for help?
Are you an overachiever? Does this often leave you feeling depleted and with no energy to take care of the other areas of your life? Are you working hard and not smart?
If so, then here is a simple practice you can implement into your daily life.
Tip #2
Write your to-do list each day. List everything you would love to get done. If you’re like me, you may have 20+ items on this list.
Now, review your list and find the three most important things.
Number your essential items in order of importance.
Finally, pick two more that would make your feel like this day was a true success.
Scrap the remaining items! Let them go. Understand that it is unrealistic to complete every item on your list. These can be saved for another day. If some need to get done, consider asking for help or an extension. We must remember to relinquish control over certain tasks and details.
The first three items are your daily goals.
If you get your daily goals done, consider your day productive! You are on track to reach any milestones you’ve set.
The following 2 are your stretch goals.
If you can achieve the stretch goals, or even one of the two, perhaps a reward is in order. It’s helpful to incentivize and celebrate your hard work when possible. You should feel proud of the work accomplished!
Tip #3
Take a break! WALK AWAY.
I don’t care if you’re swamped with work. We are human and we need rest. I can promise that when things are mounting and stressful and you are drowning in the middle of your workload, if you just take a 10 minute break you will be so much more productive when you return. You will more than make up for the 10 minutes you stepped away. Your stress level will decrease, your brain will recover. Your body will thank you.
The instant it crosses your brain to do something else, this could be your intuition telling you it needs a break. Listen to that gut feeling. Trust it.
Remove yourself…
Take your dog for a walk.
Do some light stretching.
Eat a taco.
Make some tea.
Find a park bench.
Meditate.
Dance!
Pet your cat.
The important part of break-taking is that you remove yourself from your current environment. Get up and go to a different room or setting. It is best if you can step outside to be in nature. If not, try looking out the window. Take some deep breaths here and do not use your phone as a distraction.
Break-taking also breaks the habit that we overachievers often fall into. That is - working ourselves into the ground. If we remember to take multiple short breaks a day, we are more likely going to avoid the dreaded burnout phase.
Another bonus of break-taking: When we take regular breaks, we see the benefit at the end of the day. If we haven’t taken any breaks, by the end of the day it is hard for us to suddenly switch gears to rest mode or family time. When we implement breaks into our schedule, we can enjoy settling down after a hard days work and find it easier to drift into sleep that night.
Tip #4
(in three steps)
Self-care.
Self-care.
Self-care.
Yes, it’s that easy. Self-care isn’t just a trend. It’s always been around and you are probably already doing it, but you don’t even notice.
Self-care is when you spend time, great or small, doing something simply for the good of yourself.
This attention to ourselves is most important when we think we haven’t earned it. This is a common misconception because we all deserve self-care. It doesn’t matter how much work you have gotten done that day, if others are relying on you (like your children, family, or co-workers), or if you didn’t hit a standard or mark you set for yourself.
Take it easy. Show compassion.
Be kind to you.
Self-care comes in infinite forms…
Let you kids have extra tv time so you can _______.
Enjoy a face mask.
Paint your nails.
Make a cup of tea.
Eat a cupcake.
Light a scented candle.
Wear sexy underwear.
Luxuriate in a bath.
Go for a walk.
Masturbate.
What does you self-care look like?
Self-care doesn’t need to cost money. It doesn’t need to take 3 hours. You can do it while you’re working (depending…).
The only secret is, that you do it with INTENTION.
When you are making that cup of tea or lighting that scented candle, remind yourself that you deserve this moment.
You can schedule it into each day. Make a list of self-care ideas for the week and choose a new one each day. Or ask yourself at the end of each day “What did I do for self-care?” This way you are mindful of this intentional practice and the benefits will be even greater.
You can even add a little incantation to your self-care…
“I am eating this cupcake to honor my mind, body and spirit. It is a gift of love and appreciation for all that I am and all that I do.”
Let’s Review!
Be patient when starting new projects. There is time. Think realistically in this phase and don’t put too much on your plate at once. Be mindful.
Write it down. Map out your daily expectations and make sure they are priorities that get you closer to your goal. Again, be realistic as to what you can accomplish in a day.
Take it easy. Schedule breaks throughout your day or follow your gut when you get the inspiration to walk away for a moment. Return refreshed and ready to work.
Take care of yourSELF! You deserve to be kind to yourself. Enjoy these little moments in life, sometimes they are all that we have.
We hope these tried and true tactics help you mitigate overwhelm & burnout so you can remain energized & inspired while accomplishing your goals. Any endeavor linked closely with your heart’s passion will take much time, spirit, and energy. Remember there’s an abundance of resources found around and inside of you.
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What tips do you have in your arsenal? Have you tried these out? How did they work for you?
Share your wisdom with us!
Carpe Diem,
🌞 Abigail Duncan & Niki Baker
The interrogation of our feelings unlocks a deeper understanding of our values, purpose and fears. Instead of fleeing from uncomfortable emotions, let us practice exploration.