Every day we work towards achieving a new goal. Be it staying overtime to earn more money, abstaining from sweets to lose weight, or simply trying to stay awake till the end of the day on a dull Monday morning. As humans, ambition is what drives us. The sense of satisfaction we receive when we succeed keeps us striving for more. But what happens when we overwork ourselves beyond our limits?
We often think we can muscle our way to success by constantly increasing the amount of time, energy, sweat, and tears we put into our work. While this may lead to short term success, it makes us predisposed to long term exhaustion and dangerous side-effects. Our inner flames eventually burn out. This term has gained immense popularity and relevance today.
The term burnout was created by a famous psychologist, Herbert Freudenberger, to describe a stress condition that is a result of severe physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.
These are some common signs of it:
- Exhaustion: lack of physical or mental energy
- Cynicism: loss of enthusiasm or positive attitude
- Inefficacy: dip in self-confidence and efficiency
- Isolation: not wanting to interact with anyone
- Irritability: often losing your cool with others
These after-effects can take a serious toll on our health, performance, career prospects, psychological well-being, and relationships. Studies have shown that about 90% of workers with full-blown burnout meet the diagnostic criteria for severe depression.
So how do we prevent this from happening to us? By following these simple steps:
Keep your priorities clear
Clear goals are important for setting priorities and priorities are what enable us to do what needs to get done, when it needs to get done. Unclear goals lead to a waste of time over unnecessary activities and feeling a lack of accomplishment and satisfaction.
It helps to spend a few minutes every morning making clear what the priorities for the day are. Maybe even keeping a small notebook to stay on track.
Make time for exercise
Studies show that exercising regularly leads to increased stamina and brainpower, helps you deal with stress, and promotes a positive self-image. Lack of physical activity can lead to lethargy, lower levels of energy, higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Whether it’s one hour of walking or a quick gym session, always try to fit it into your daily schedule at least three to four times a week.
Create routines and stick to them
Speaking of a daily schedule, routines are an important series of habits that help save energy by mitigating small decision making. This helps us conserve our energy for when it is most required. Research has shown that a lack of routine leads to more stress, poor sleeping and eating patterns, and ineffective use of time.
Having a daily routine helps us structure our day and stay organised. Create and follow a routine that works according to your needs and goals, nobody else’s.
Learn to manage your time effectively
Effective Time Management not only allows us to maximize our work in a day’s time, but it also enables us to schedule quality time for ourselves and the important people in our lives. This quality time doubles as breaks and ensures that we are always rejuvenated and full of energy.
Through these steps, it’ll be easier to then eliminate distractions and obstacles to productivity, and achieve our goals without experiencing burnout.
Each one of us works differently, experience different kinds of stressors and strains, and ultimately need personalized methods to reach maximum efficiency. It is of paramount importance to understand what works for you.
Are you experiencing these symptoms and want to know more about overcoming them? Talk to an Expert at YourDOST today, for personalized guidance. You can also de-stress your life with our exclusive program that will help you do just that.
