Tips You Can Use to Temporarily Bounce Back From Burnout

Posted on November 03, 2013 by LaKia Allen, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

Stress is a huge issue for women these days because of the increasing expectation that ‘“we be all things to all people”. Being all things to all people rarely leaves us with time to be much of anything to ourselves. And hey, ladies, let’s not even put all of the blame on our significant others, mothers, in-laws, children, the dog, the cat and our careers. We, at times, are our own worst enemy. The pressure that we put on ourselves to “do it like mom and grand-mom did it” is so unrealistic and quite frankly impossible. The reality is that, we are living in different times. And what good is putting that pressure son ourselves if it leaves us feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and totally burnt out?!?
I recently read an article that based its findings on a survey of approximately 500 working mothers. The statistics that the survey produced weren’t too much of a surprise to me (they might have been had I found them about 3 years ago). The survey found that 88% of working mothers suffer from at least one stress-related health problem since becoming a working mother. 50% of the respondents were experiencing unhealthy weight gain and depression, while 64% experience extreme fatigue and anxiety. The one statistic that did surprise me was that 81% of the women said they worry that they will burn out. Surprising because they only worried about it. So what does that tell us? Well, mostly it tells us that we are not taking care of ourselves and we don’t see the priority in doing so. But you’ve probably heard that before. I get it.
It was only after leaving the corporate environment when I realized that is exactly what I was….burnt out. My life revolved around the needs and expectations of everyone else so much so that I had no real idea of what I wanted or even needed. That’s pretty much the definition of burnout syndrome.
Do you feel like you are running empty? Take heed the moment you realize you are exhausted all the time and when you lose the zeal for the thing you once were most excited about. These are typical warning signs of burnout. Some physical signs include weight loss or weight gain, headaches, insomnia, loss of energy and neglecting your personal needs. On the pyschological side, depression, lack of motivation, and feelings of failure are big signs.
Recovering from chronic stress and burnout requires removing or reducing the demands on you and replenishing your resources. So here are some things you can do today:
Check in with yourself and often. Make sure your emotional, mental, and physical needs are being met. It’s ok to shift the focus to you. I promise it won’t hurt.
Plan ahead to make sure your diet is nutritious and well-balanced. This will ensure that you have the energy and stamina to match all of your demands.
Get enough sleep. I’ll say it again, get enough sleep. The doctors orders are 6-8 hours per night.
Incorporate periods of relaxation throughout the day. Take some time to just BREATHE and BE.
Before you get to the point where medications are offered or introduced, burnout can also be treated by getting coaching or counseling, incorporating stress management techniques, and also, meditation and therapy.
Finally, as a certified life and health coach one of the big things I encourage my clients to do is to rediscover their passion. Rediscovering and reconnecting to what you love and are passionate about can be the spark you need to reignite your flame.  Once that flame is lit you may find that you are ready to redefine your roles at work, home, or both. You may even find a new passion, one that will offer more balance so you can enjoy life the way you once did.
So instead of just worrying about burning out, attempting to avoid or change your current habits is the best prevention.
I know, it’s the age-old question ladies. Why do we insist on putting ourselves last? Go to www.connect3coaching.com for information about the Bounce Back from Burnout Process.