Beating Burnout-The High Cost of Success
With all of the pressures of today’s economy, you can feel overwhelmed by the demands and the stress in your life and may reach the stage where you feel “burnt out”. What picture comes to mind when you hear that someone is a “burnout”? We usually think of a person who doesn’t care, can’t cope or has no motivation to do anything. But, did you know that you can burn out because you are too dedicated to a job, relationship or cause?
Burnout is defined as fatigue and frustration brought about by dedication to a job, cause, way of life, relationship, etc. that is not bringing the expected reward. When it occurs, burnout tends to permeate all areas of life - work, family, personal life. Notice the key phrase “not bringing about the expected reward.” One of the key factors contributing to burnout is that we can become so totally invested in something that we put all of our energy into that area of our lives to the exclusion of everything else! No one person, project, cause or anything else can satisfy all of the needs we have in our lives.
So, what are the keys to beating burnout? In our February newsletter, we talked about Maintaining Life Balance. That is critical. Check to make sure that your life is multi-faceted and that your vision has not narrowed to exclude relationships and activities that can refresh and revitalize you.
What does your support network look like? Do you even have one? If you have only one person you go to all the time for advice, support, mentoring, etc. you should probably think about broadening your network. Identify a variety of people with expertise and knowledge in different areas and begin to make those connections.
Take a look at how you spend your time. Is all of your time taken up with one activity? Does your work day go from five o’clock in the morning to eleven o’clock at night? Do you do anything for fun? Do you make time to be with people who love you and support you? Do you have a hobby or interest that gives you a mental break from the routine? Again, the key is balance!
Have you learned to recognize the signs that you are getting tired? Do you get cranky, snap at people, withdraw and want to be left alone, overeat, lose your mental focus and creativity? These are all signals that you need to take a break! Go for a short walk. Call a friend. Have a healthy snack. Read a magazine or take a short nap. Anything you can do to shift gears for a while will help keep burnout at bay.
You may have been surprised by your answers to some of the questions here. If you are not satisfied with your current lifestyle, the good news is that you can make a change. Today! Begin to identify those areas that are out of balance and commit to some specific action that will help you to enjoy your life. The choice is up to you!
