There is nothing wrong with being committed and working hard. After all, that’s how we can achieve our goals and dreams. However, working too hard can cause a mental and physical breakdown, which can have severe repercussions on our health. Which is why we need to learn how to identify its early signs and symptoms, and then learn how to prevent burnout.
Learning to identify the signs and symptoms of burnout is an essential step to prevent it. There are some other steps that we can take at work that can help, too. Such steps include delegating effectively, planning our day and following our schedule. Also, we must remember to exercise regularly, and taking some time off every once in a while.
One of the best ways to prevent burnout is learning to recognize the early signs and symptoms that usually come with it. This will help us realize that we should make some changes in our daily routine before it’s too late.
According to HelpGuide.org, we can experience three types of signs and symptoms that go from physical to emotional and behavioral. Some of these include:
- Feeling tired and drained most of the time
- Frequent headaches or muscle pain
- Change in appetite or sleep habits
- Sense of failure and self-doubt
- Loss of motivation
- Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment
- Withdrawing from responsibilities
- Procrastinating, taking longer to get things done
- Skipping work or coming in late and leaving early
If we are starting to experience any of these signs, we might want to take action and learn how to prevent burnout before its consequences become worse.
One of the main reasons that lead us to burnout is wanting to take over each and every task of our company. Even though being on top of things can help us feel more confident about our business, it can take a toll on our health. Therefore, starting to delegate effectively will take a huge load from our shoulders.
Keep in mind that the team you put together has the skills they need to handle different aspects of your company. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your staff will let you determine who can take care of what. This will also help you have time to focus on your own duties and responsibilities without sacrificing your well-being.
It is very common to see small business owners working on their company around the clock. Though running a business is time and energy consuming, it shouldn’t take all our day. So, the best way to have a productive day is by creating a schedule and following it.
Learning how to manage our time effectively will help us make the most out our day at work. Besides thoroughly planning our day, we should also identify time wasters. Take note of your daily activities and patterns will most likely appear. Get rid of them and you will have more time to disconnect from work and reconnect will yourself.
We can’t stress enough the importance of regular exercise in our daily lives, especially when we want to prevent burnout. Having a time of the day that we dedicate to ourselves and our well-being will have a positive impact on both our personal and professional lives.
Even when we believe we don’t have enough time, we must try to find a time slot in our schedules. We can get up 1 hour earlier than we usually do, and exercise before getting to work. This will give us the energy boost that we needed to deal with stress. There is always the option of exercising during lunchtime or even putting together an office fitness group.
Last but not least, one of the best ways to prevent burnout is by taking some time off and fully unplugging our mind. Many business owners think that having days off is some kind of reward we must save for later. However, we won’t be able to achieve anything when our mind and body have reached their limit.
Therefore, taking time off work and dedicating time to relax and spend time with your family and loved ones. This way, you will be able to come back to the office and fully focus on your tasks. Finding the perfect balance between work and life shouldn’t be as hard as we think. All it takes is taking a break from the daily routine and hitting the reset button every once in a while.