Burnout happens for one reason and one reason only: you give too much and don’t get back enough in return.
You end up drained and exhausted!
If you think that a few pills from your doctor will solve a burnout you are dead wrong!
Pills tackle the symptom, not the cause. This means that they might give you temporary relief but they don’t tackle the real cause.
What’s the real cause? You give too much time and energy.
You do too much!
Why do you too much?
Because you want to!
Part of the pressure comes of course from the organization you work in but most of the responsibility is in your hands.
If you want to change things around it is in your power to do so.
You are the main player in any form of stress, burnout or overwhelm situation.
Unless, you do something about it, you are done!
Put it this way: your life is under attack!
What kills you is the fact that you take a passive or victim role.
You want to shift this.
You want to wake up and design a new way of standing in your professional environment!
By the way, this works whether you are your own boss or if you work for someone else, for instance in a big organization.
You always have some amount of freedom and this is what you want to start applying in your life right now.
What is the goal?
Find a long term balance + attitudes which do really empower you without draining you.
We talk about long term, here!
These are not some quick fixes. While most of these strategies will give you instant relief from stress, you need to stay focused to really establish them long term.
Here are some of the key strategies you must start applying in your personal and professional life right now:
- Take charge!
I know it is easy to believe that the organization you work for or people around you will solve your burnout. It is simple! They won’t. Your burnout is your business. Do something about it rather than giving this responsibility to someone else!
- Drug free!
Taking anti depressants, sleeping pills or any other form of drug is an emergency solution, not a long term strategy! The real victory comes from behaviour and attitudes changes.
- Say “no”
This is the number one strategy when dealing with burnout. Set up new boundaries and reinforce them. Never cross the line! If you can’t say “no”, negotiate!
- Creative stress and burn out are two very different things
Creative stress gives you a boost! Burnout totally drains your energy! Don’t confuse these two!
- Respond early!
The longer you wait, the harder you have to climb back. The best way to tackle burnout is to prevent it rather than heal it. Listen to early warning signs and take action. Action means: rest, new boundaries, attitude shifts, delegating, prioritizing, value shifts, etc.
- Get your energy back!
The guidelines for health and vitality are always the same. When you burnout your need extra will power and focus to implement them. Get 8 hours sleep! Eat healthy! Exercise!
- Rest!
Take time off! This is not optional. When you get burned out, you are on a self destructive spiral. You want to break the cycle!
- You first!
When you burnout, you give too much to your work and not enough to yourself. Shift priorities! You come first!
You might realize straight away that there is no magic pill here!
When you use these strategies, you tap into your own survival instincts and decide to win this battle.
Your fighting power is the first resource you want to use. You want to defend your life!
When you get burned out, you loose the battle!
You don’t want to be a loser; you want to be a winner!
When the organization you work for or your own business take over the totality of your energy, you end up lost!
There is only way to go: fight to get your power back.
The only true way to get your power back is to establish new boundaries.
The most spectacular secret about this is that when you do establish these new boundaries, everyone and everything wins, including any organization or business you are involved in.
Remember: it is in your hands!
You are the designer of what happens next!