In this day and age, it can seem like people are constantly busy. There is always somewhere to go, places to see, and deadlines to meet, but when is there time to slow down? It can also seem as though the line between work and play is blurred and people are engaging in activities around the clock.
Have you ever stopped to ask what this means for our health? Moving too fast and not slowing down can easily lead to mentally and physically breaking down. In this guide, you’re going to discover how to avoid burnout; something I have personally experienced, not once, but twice in my life (so far).
Rest
The first way to avoid burnout is to get enough rest. This is something people everywhere struggle with because they’re either doing work, playing with gadgets or battling insomnia when they should be giving their bodies much needed rest. Here are a few ways that you can get quality rest at night.
- Know Your Body’s Sleep-Wake Cycle: Everyone has a different cycle when it comes to sleeping and waking so figure out what yours is. Sticking to cycle and sleeping as well as waking the same time every morning can help you feel more energized when you get up. Even on the weekends! Investing in a FitBit helped me discover my sleep-wake cycle. Totally worth the money!
- Control Your Light Exposure: Another great tip for improving the quality of your sleep is controlling your light exposure. This is because melatonin, which is a naturally occurring hormone, regulates your sleep and wake cycle and it’s controlled by light exposure. Avoid bright lights as well as bright screens before bedtime for best results. This one is very difficult for me as I do like to be on my phone at night. While I still use my phone before bed, I try to only read. I just change the setting in iBooks to the night setting (black background, white letters). I also reduce the white point. It’s way gentler on the eyes!
Healthy Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is another clever way to avoid burnout. Focus on eating foods that will keep your body healthy as well as build your immune system such as the ones below.
- Dark Chocolate: For all of the chocolate lovers, you should know that dark chocolate contains theobromine which could help boost your immune system by protecting your body’s cells from free radicals.
- Oily Fish: Adding oily fish to your diet could also help build your immune system and keep illnesses away. More specifically try salmon, tuna or pilchards as they’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
- Green Tea: One of the fastest and easiest things to help boost your immune system is a cup of green tea; I make matcha at home every morning. It contains flavonoids which are useful as they could reduce the risk of getting a cold. If you do come down with the flu, however, you could get Reset IV which is hydration therapy that could help you feel better and recover quickly.
Work Smart
Aside from working hard, working smart is a must if you want to avoid burnout. Sometimes, the only reason that you’re working such long hours is that you aren’t productive enough. See a few tips for increasing daily productivity below.
- Eliminate Distractions: One of the reasons you may not be as productive as you could be that there are too many distractions. Make note of the things that break your concentration and make your mind wander and get rid of them. For me it’s Facebook, so I try to avoid it when working.
- Use a Task List: Task lists can be extremely effective when it comes to helping you be productive. However, put down the most pressing tasks first and then work your way down the list, so you don’t find you’re busy doing unimportant things throughout the day.
While burnout is common, it’s best to take care of yourself so you never get to that point. If you are experiencing burnout, consider the tips above and don’t be afraid to reach out to people. You are not alone and I’m sure a lot of friends and family will have some helpful advice.
