Burn Out at The Workplace & How It Affects Your Health & What to Do About It

Nightly interruptions, thinking about a project you didn’t finish, or a never-ending to-do list can be stressful, and are quickly competing with your kids’ birthday party plans, the science project they need help with, quality time with your husband and that HITT class you wanted to take.

Being on the go has a shelf life and can have serious implications to your health in the long term. Lack of exercise usually turns into increased cortisol levels and stress. While these sound manageable they manifest into longer term illnesses. People are fueling themselves on coffee, skipping meals and staying at desk jobs for hours on end without a break.

So how do you take back your sanity and kiss the stress goodbye?

During the day:

• Make breakfast. You need fuel for your day and coffee isn’t on the food pyramid last time we checked. Veggies, toast, a little protein, and some egg whites will go a little further than Coco Puffs.
• If possible schedule exercise or go for a walk in the mornings. Being outside and getting some oxygen in your blood makes a huge difference plus there’s something magical about being up before anyone else is. It gives you time to really think about the day.
• Drinking coffee does keep you caffeinated but the truth is water makes the world go round. Hydration will keep your internal organs working as they should be while you run around chasing children, proposals, projects, errands and your life.
• Lunch breaks were designed to allow you to move and to replenish yourself. While snacks are necessary throughout the day, be sure that you stay active and get up from your seat as much as possible. Desk jobs can create long term back problems if you are sedentary for too long.
• Be mindful of your time. Avoid rabbit holes. Ask yourself to define the task at hand and detail a plan of attack. Rushing through a project can often be counterproductive. A little planning can go a long way and keep you focused on the job at hand.
• Just breathe. When you’re feeling stressed remember to take deep breaths and really evaluate why you are feeling this way. Is it something you can control like improved planning, time management or something that you can’t. If it’s an item out of your control, remind yourself of that. Trying to control external forces is impossible and can drive you crazy so be wise about your choices.
• Leave on time. Don’t stay later than you need to. Establish those boundaries for yourself and simply accept you’ve done your best for the day.

Before Bed:

• Stop digitizing. Two hours before bedtime, move away from the computer and the TV. Digital noise is meant to keep you wired at all times and it does just that, not allowing the mind to decompress. This causes disruption in sleep.
• Let it go. It will fix itself tomorrow. When you’re about to go to bed, you aren’t going to solve the world’s problems. The least you can do for yourself is sleep for 7 hours or the time your body requires to repair itself.
• Express gratitude. Every day is a gift. While you may be rushing here and there, there is much to be grateful for. Movement, health, employment, family, and friends are not part of everyone’s life. If you have all those ingredients it’s always good to remember this is the one life you need to enjoy.

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