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OPTIMIZE YOUR HEALTH
Manage Stress and Anxiety
Avoiding Burn-out
By Ryan Seay, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
The term, “burned-out” brings an image of someone
physically exhausted and dragging themselves through their work
day and personal life. What may not come to mind immediately is
the psychological toll that being burned-out takes as well. The
physical and psychological combination can become devastating.
It may feel like hopelessness, depression, frustration, panic,
or anxiousness. If you are experiencing burn-out, or recognize
the feelings of burn-out becoming more prevalent, don’t despair.
There is hope for getting back on your feet or preventing it altogether.
While there are a vast number of different techniques to reduce
burn-out, here are a few to start you on the road to reducing or
avoiding burn-out.
- Remember what “burned-out” really means. Burned-out
is when there is no energy or fuel left to burn. Like wax for
a candle, or gas for your car, when the fuel source is gone,
the candle burns out or the car stops running. Humans are different
than candles and cars in that we can actually push ourselves
past the point of empty. Chronically pushing yourself past the
point of empty leads to burn-out – physically and psychologically.
TIP: Start to recognize when you are pushing yourself too far.
Allow you to rest and re-energize both physically and psychologically.
Remember to eat foods that provide you with “real” nutrition
and energy, as well as, exercise and sleep well.
- Make a list
throughout the day of the activities you are involved in. Review
your list of tasks, errands, things-to-do, etc. You may find
that you are over-extended. TIP: As you look over your list of
responsibilities and chores, cross off 10% of the list. You may
find that thinning your list gives you breathing room and reduces
stress levels.
- Take a personal inventory of the things in your
work and personal life that you love to do and things that create
frustration for you. This will help you concretely identify those
activities that give you energy (love to do) and take away energy
(frustrate you). TIP: Purposely make an effort to balance your
life with activities that give you energy.
- Learn and practice
a daily relaxation technique. TIP: Research reveals that stress
contributes up to about 80% of all illness. Research also shows
us that daily practice of a form of relaxation (meditation) significantly
reduces the symptoms of stress and illness. When we have a relaxed
frame of mind, we can think clearer and structure our lives in
a conscious way that reduces and eliminates burn out.
—April 2007
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