Are you heading towards your own burnout?

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Are you heading towards your own burnout without even realising? Do you know the warning signs for this increasingly common problem?

Last week I felt like I couldn't cope, I felt as though I didn't have enough time to do anything, my chest felt tight, my throat closed, my heart jumping. I knew that the only way to remedy the situation was to take time off. I chose to take a week away from the computer and the projects I am working on, away from social media, away from anything that was causing me stress. I knew that if I continued without this break I would end up exhausted, even more stressed and even less productive, the definition of burn out.

"Burnout does not get you brownie points."

No-one is going to congratulate you for exhausting yourself so completely that you cannot function anymore. It is your responsibility to make sure that you don't reach this desperate state of affairs.

So how do you know if you are heading towards burnout? Do you feel stressed a lot of the time? Does this stress cause physical symptoms in your body? Do you often feel like you can't cope? Are you always tired? Do you find it difficult to relax? Are you having problems sleeping? if you answer yes to one or more of these questions then you need to start being aware of the fact that if you continue in this manner that it might turn into something more serious.

Here are some simple things that I did last week that you can do too to make sure you don't reach breaking point -

Take a break from whatever it is that is causing you stress, go on holiday, have a staycation, anything to break the stress cycle
Take a breath break, wherever you are focus on breathing in to the count of 4 and out for the count of 6. This calms the body and mind and helps to stop stress signals
Have a spa day on your own or with a friend and treat yourself to some self care time
Do yoga, either take a group class or practice at home with a class online
Meditate to help clarify your thoughts and feelings
Journal, write about what you are feeling
Go and see a chiropractor or an acupuncturist or a Reiki healer or an Ayurvedic doctor to help manage your stress
Do something creative that you enjoy such as baking, cooking, reading, singing and feed your soul
Slow down and remind yourself that life is to be enjoyed
Appreciate the beauty all around, go for a walk in nature, watch the sunset or the sunrise, allow yourself to daydream
Laugh, find your sense of humour again
Spend time with your loved ones, just being with no agenda

Burnout doesn't have to be part of your life and choosing to do just one of these things can make a huge difference to your own well being.