Are You
On The Road To Burnout?
By Mindbody Specialist, Free
Spirit and Life Lover, Kathy Popplewell
Do you find yourself saying
things like.....
- I can't afford to take a break.
- I don't have time to eat well, relax or
exercise.
- I never have any time for me.
- I'm too exhausted to care about that
- I'll be able to focus on my health when....
The irony of the situation is that
when we push ourselves to keep on keeping on,
inevitably at some stage the bottom is going to
fall out of the boat and we are going to start
sinking.
Now it may not happen suddenly,
it may start as a small leak and the water may
slowly creep up on you before you even realise
you're sinking. The thing is, if you don't take
your boat out of water, clean it, repair and repaint
it, there's no doubt the likelihood of a leak
developing increases with each passing day.
3
strategies to avoid a leaky boat
- Prioritise your tasks.
- Delegate and outsource.
- Take regular Time Out for
the most important person in your life, YOU!
Sometimes we think the stakes are
so high that we have to really work ourselves
to the bone, and in a sense that's what we've
been taught by society... work hard, play hard.
Hold down several jobs, run the family home, party
til all hours... do, do, do, more, more, more...
you know what I'm talking about. Well in the end
if we don't start to change our mentality it spells
one thing and one thing only. BURNOUT.
A problem of epidemic proportions in our society
today.
5
signs of burnout
- Exhaustion.
- Increased irritability.
- Lack of enthusiasm or feeling overwhelmed.
- Reduced immunity and increase in injuries.
- Reduced productivity and creativity.
To reduce our risk of burnout it's
vital to take some ''time out' on a regular basis.
Try to develop a daily, weekly and yearly action
plan for your 'time out'.
Many of us feel guilty when taking
'time out' for ourselves. The thing is the risks
are far greater if you don't. If you don't take
time out to fill up your glass you'll be left
with an empty one, which means you'll have nothing
left to offer anyone. So my question to you is...
are you keeping your boat in prime condition or
are you sinking and in desperate need for repair?
Food for thought; when you start
to balance your daily tasks with good quality
'time out, you will experience an increase in
productivity and effectiveness. Basically, when
you look after yourself, you will have so much
more to offer in all aspects of your life. How
awesome is that!
7
easy ways to take time out
- Go for a leisurely stroll.
- Listen to your favourite piece of music.
- Read a book.
- Walk barefoot in the grass.
- Light some candles and take a bath.
- Practice yoga and relaxation.
- Book into a weekend workshop
for YOU!
The idea here is to slow down and
do something you will enjoy and pretty much anything
that makes you feel good and improves your sense
of wellbeing. There are hundreds of ways this
can be done, find the ones that work for you.
Make sure you build in some Time
Out into your daily, weekly and yearly routine.
This will help you re-energise, improve productivity
and avoid burnout!
