Feeling burned out?
On this page
Most of us have very busy lives. Sometimes it feels a bit like juggling! Some of the ‘balls’ we’re juggling could be:
“Chaos demands to be recognised and experienced before letting itself be converted into a new order.”
Herman Hesse
- work
- family
- extended family
- friendships
- sport and leisure commitments
- community commitments
- study
- financial commitments
Imagine that some of these balls are made of rubber. It doesn’t matter if you drop them because they will bounce. Some of the balls are made of wood, and may crack if dropped. But some of the balls are made of glass. It is crucial that you don’t let them drop because they will break.
Our feelings of stress arise when we’re in danger of dropping and breaking the balls that are precious to us. Our quality of life is being compromised.
Because we are so busy, we rarely take a step back to look at how we are functioning. Read this article, and take the time now to check out where you are at.
- Do the Burnout self-test quiz
- Download the Wheel of Life exercise and see how your work-life balance stacks up (PDF 69K)
What can you do if you are feeling burned out?
It's all about quality
- Ensure you have enough leisure time
Sometimes we become so busy that we forget what is important to us. It’s a good idea to step back and have a good look at the quality of your life.
Ask yourself:
- Which areas of my life are the most important? Do I spend as much time as I’d like on these areas?
- Am I getting enough leisure time?
- Am I spending enough time with the people who are important to me?
- Do I look after myself? Do I eat well, give myself some quiet time, and keep fit?
Take time to think about these things. You are not too busy!
How to make changes
There may be things that you simply can’t change. Only you will know what these are. Identifying which of your juggling balls are made of rubber, wood and glass is a good start. Here is a suggested process for making changes.
- Identify areas that you would like to change.
- Start by picking one area and think about the changes you would like to make. Start small and don’t be too hard on yourself. Set goals using the SMARTER principle – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timed, Evaluated and Reviewed.
- Repeat step 2 until you feel under control.
- Be kind to yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need to.
How to be kind to yourself
Taking care of yourself is the key. You are worth looking after.
Start to think about what you tolerate in your life. What are the things you put up with that aren’t necessarily big things but contribute to increasing your stress levels? Changing little things can make a huge difference. What can you do today that can instantly make a difference to your well-being? Here are some suggestions:
“Tidied all my papers. Tore up and ruthlessly destroyed much. This is always a great satisfaction.”
Katherine Mansfield
As well as changing the things you are putting up with, it is important to take time for yourself. Do you ever take time to make yourself feel cared for? Here are some ideas:
“Don’t be thine own worst enemy, but be thy best friend.”
Anon
- Listen to your favourite music, or read your favourite book away from others.
- Take regular walks.
- Make time for friends.
- Give yourself something to look forward to every day.
- Take a long soak in a bath.
- Take time to take stock of what you are grateful and happy for – big or small.
There are many things that you can do to treat yourself. Think about what lifts your spirits, and set aside time each day to do it.
Something to ponder
If you were meeting friends three years from today, and you were to look back over those years, what has to have happened during that period, both personally and professionally, for you to feel happy about your progress?
Stress busters in the workplace
Feeling stressed at work? Check out these tips to help you get back on track:
- Set aside time each day for processing e-mails.
- Put your phone on voicemail when you are really busy and don’t want to be interrupted.
- Feeling sluggish? Take a break, go for a walk in the fresh air.
- Check out your work area – are you tolerating a messy workspace? Cut out the negative self talk.
- Do you need to talk to a supervisor about your stress levels? Are you being unrealistic in your expectations?
- Just get the job done and don’t procrastinate.
- Make a ‘to do’ list. It works!
- Say ‘no’ sometimes and don’t take too much on board.
- Find solutions. Don’t just wait and hope.
- Create distance. In 3 years time, will it matter?
Think of some stress busters that may work for you, write them down and have a list close by as a reminder.
