How Can You Avoid Getting Burned Out?

Living to work is not a lifestyle that people should adhere to, but it can be easier to fall into this pattern than you might think. There is always a sense of pressure to prove your worth at work, and if you want to get that promotion, then pushing yourself even further is often expected. While being a good team player is important, there are limits to what you can and should be doing when it comes to your career. You are only human, after all, and everyone needs a break.

It’s not just your career that you need to think about either, but also the other aspects of your life that demand your attention, such as relationships or doing basic household chores and grocery shopping. All of this combined can quickly result in you having little time for yourself and eventually hitting the burnout stage. If you want to avoid this, here are a few tips to keep in mind so that you can maintain a healthy work/life balance.

1.    Start Setting Some Boundaries

Everyone has personal boundaries, and you can tell when yours have been crossed if you’re feeling upset, angry, or frustrated. However, a lot of people might allow their boundaries to be crossed time and time again, particularly if you do not like confrontation. Remember, your boundaries are in place to protect you, and you must make these clear to others to avoid them overstepping. This could be starting to stop taking on extra work for a lazy or incompetent colleague, for example, or turning down a social invitation because you want some time alone or do not want to engage in that particular activity. It might feel awkward at first, but learning to say no and putting your needs first will help to avoid scenarios that are adding to the pressure that you’re feeling.

2.    Schedule Time for Yourself

It can be very easy to find your social and work calendars becoming increasingly busy, and you will start to feel this take a toll on your physical and mental well-being after a while. This is why it’s a good idea to make sure that you are scheduling time for yourself at least once a week, whether that is one evening or an entire day. Fill this time with fun activities that you enjoy, or instead, choose to spend it relaxing at home. You could even book in for some treatments such as a soothing massage like the ones offered by this massage therapist in Cuffley.

3.    Be Mindful of Your Health

Finally, while you do need to do all of the above to help you minimize reaching the burnout phase, looking after your health more generally is also important in helping with this. It can be easy to fall into bad habits as a way to cope with stress, whether that is excessive alcohol consumption, comfort eating, etc. Try to maintain a balanced diet, get some regular exercise, and a good night’s sleep to keep your body fighting fit and feeling more energized.

Burnout is a real issue that can leave you feeling exhausted physically and mentally. Make sure you’re putting all the above into practice to help reduce the risk of reaching the burnout phase and for a more positive daily life.