How to Beat Burnout With 8 Simple Steps

Ever get this hopeless feeling? It may be burnout. Burnout is a state of severe exhaustion. This exhaustion is brought about from prolonged mental, physical, and emotional stress. Here are a few tips to avoiding that oncoming burnout.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A trustworthy friend
• Scheduling
• Following these directions.

1. 
   Rely on Others = Stress Button off

   LEARN TO RELY ON OTHERS.
   One symptom of burnout is the belief that no one can do the job except you. Learn to trust people around you. After all a team can't be carried by one person. Delegate the work accordingly.

2. 
   A nice game to play...if you can't say no

   JUST SAY "NO"!
   There is only so many task you can complete within a given time. You're going to have to say "No" to some people/tasks. Don't feel bad about saying "No". Think to yourself instead: Isn't it better to do a good job with a few obligations rather than disappoint everyone with many obligations?

3. 
   lighten your workload so you won't feel like this.

   LIGHTEN YOUR WORKLOAD.
   Take an honest look at your daily schedule. Remove simple tasks with people in mind. Example: Delegating a few simple chores to either your kids, neighbors, or friends. You just might be pleasantly surprised how well others can get the job done.

4. 
   take time out of your schedule to shut these gadgets off.

   LESS TECHNOLOGY IS SOMETIMES BETTER.
   In this era where technology is almost as mandatory as the air we breathe, holding your breathe may be just the thing. Try to set time in which you shut down all your gadgets. Yes, that means everything from cell phones, laptops, PDAs, etc. A few minutes should be sufficient.

5. 
   set your schedule for relaxation time.

   SET YOUR SCHEDULE.
   Make sure to set your schedule so that it's work work work on the weekdays and fun fun fun on the weekends. Those two days of rest and relaxation may be just what the doctor ordered.

6. 
   even a trip to the beach can be a mini-vacation..

   TAKE VACATIONS/STAYCATIONS
   For those with full time positions: Vacation time was meant to prevent burnout. So be sure to use that time. Even workaholics should follow this advice(once in a while).

7. 
   Exercise, Sleep, and Dieting

   EXERCISE, SLEEP, AND DIET.
   Make sure to incorporate a proper diet(as often as possible) with an adequate amount of exercise and sleep. Sleep keeps you functional throughout each day; exercise will increase your blood flow and keep you alert; diet is the last key to the puzzle in making your body more effective.

8. 
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   "YOU" TIME.
   Last but not least. This is the time in the day that is just your own. Take this time to do something for yourself, such as exercising, relaxing, reading an exciting novel, listening to music, etc.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't shut off all your technology if you may need it. Shutting off your cell phone in the middle of the day may make you worse off. Instead try shutting down those gadgets late at night.
• Each individual needs a different amount of time to avoid burnouts. Use these steps and your best judgment to figure out what is the right amount for you.

Resources

• Sapphy's Page
• More Articles by WesleyJ

[winnster]

on 6/24/2009 great advice. this is essential to becoming a little more healthy.