BEATING BURNOUT: 5 Ways to Keep You from Falling into the Danger Zone

The hectic schedule in today’s working atmosphere is a serious cause for concern especially when millions of people are suffering from burnout as a result. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) stress is among the top ten detriments to poor health and unfortunately, no one is immune.

Burnout is the result of prolonged stress and often builds up over time resulting in one final explosion. The basic stress problems like insomnia, tiredness, headaches and all the others can eventually lead to a burnout. Fortunately, rejuvenating yourself and beating burnout can be achieved with some basic changes in your life.

The simplest, but often the most difficult thing to do is to change your lifestyle toward a healthy self. This is done by eating healthy fresh food (no more junk food), getting enough sleep and basic exercise every day. This last one is a great way to beat stress.

You might also includes quitting tobacco and minimizing your alcohol intake.

Taking up a sport like Karate (or any martial arts) will greatly help with this as I've written in my hub "The Benefits of Learning a Martial Art".

I know, this sounds rather selfish. But how many selfish people suffer from burnout? Not that many, I can tell you. Researchers have found that people in jobs that require taking care of people often suffer from burnouts like teachers, social service workers and the medical professionals. These people have one thing in common – their work involves doing things for others.

Take time for yourself for prayer, meditation or just simply relax. Even God took time to rest on the 7^th day after creation.

Some people put 120% into their work and strive for perfection. Unfortunately, not everything will be ideal all the time so we must accept that not everything will go as planned. This may also mean delegating tasks and worry less about them.

Be content with 90% rather than 120% of the maximum - remember we are all imperfect.

Find someone you can talk freely to about work or anything that is bothering you. This could be a colleague, your spouse, your parents, or anyone you feel comfortable with.

Humans cannot function in isolation and we need the support structure provided by friends and family.

You could also go to a shrink or counselor and pay them.

If you find that the environment you are working in is too toxic then the best thing is to leave. However, do not just up and quit, instead take time to explore other options and prepare yourself for the open market.

Go online and research the job market, update your skills and review your résumé. Within a few months you should have found a healthier working environment. However, the key is to take small steps so that you are in control instead of jumping into the deep end.

Stress and burnout can affect you beyond the work boundaries. It can creep into your marriage and take its toll on your family. These recommended practices I’ve highlighted are just a few ways to tackle stress that I hope will help you beat stress and ultimately burnout in your life.