What to do in case of burnout? 10 tips on how to avoid burnout

If you feel permanently overwhelmed and jaded or have forgotten how to switch off, this can be a sign of burnout. Often, but by no means always, this occurs as a result of prolonged stress. Avoiding stressors is therefore the first approach to counteracting burnout syndrome. Here you can find out what simple everyday tricks you can use to counter stress and its consequences.

Everyone has bad days at one time or another: stress at work or at home, crushing responsibility and a feeling of emptiness come and go depending on the day. However, if this perception develops into a permanent condition, you should not ignore it – in the worst case, a burnout is just brewing..

Literally, this can be translated as “burned out”. It is a physical and mental state of exhaustion that lasts for weeks or even months at a time. In severe cases, those affected no longer feel able to cope with their daily lives, as in the case of depression. The result: a vicious circle, which makes the return of life in regular channels more and more difficult..

 

Burnout: the causes and symptoms in brief

Responsible for this is usually a complex interplay of intrinsic and external factors. Thus, certain personality traits favor the development of a burnout syndrome, while external influences such as high time or performance pressure often represent the obvious trigger. Lacking in addition a balance and a higher purpose in what you do, a burnout is almost pre-programmed..

This makes itself felt in very different ways. Affected often find after long working days that they can no longer switch off – the mistakes of the day and upcoming deadlines ghost them even during the evening around continuously in the head..

In addition, in many cases there are concentration problems and a crushing feeling of being overwhelmed. The latter gives way over time to cynicism and indifference: those affected see no point in their activity and begin to emotionally distance themselves and dull..

 

Fight burnout: How to tackle it yourself

To counteract the burnout syndrome, a certain amount of self-discipline is required. After all, in many cases this situation first arises because those affected take on too much responsibility at once in order to please everyone. Until you have become accustomed to target the responsible factors, it may therefore be that you occasionally have to make yourself aware of it..

 

Tip 1: Set clear priorities

Overload arises in particular when you work on too many construction sites at the same time. Juggling multiple tasks and having to switch every time represents a great mental strain, even if the individual activities would be easy to manage..

Instead, take the time to work through the most urgent tasks first before moving on to other activities. A to-do list with a clear schedule can be helpful. Organize them into can-do, should-do and must-do tasks for greater efficiency. If you find that you have overtaken, this helps with the selection..

 

Tip 2: Learn to say “No”

Many burnout patients find it difficult to reject requests from others. Whether this is out of perfectionism or you give in under pressure: This behavior leads to the accumulation of tasks and thus ultimately to unnecessary stress..

If you do not feel up to a task, do not hesitate to tell your counterpart in a polite but firm way. At first, you may encounter some headwind, but don’t let that deter you. In the long run, both sides will benefit if you communicate your boundaries in a timely manner.

 

Tip 3: Pay attention to warning signs of your body

The human body is a complex system. If a problem occurs, it usually becomes apparent quickly. In particular, headaches, stomach pain, fatigue, concentration problems and heart palpitations can be signs of severe stress..

You should not take these first harbingers of burnout lightly. Shift down a gear, if your current situation allows it. Find a good conclusion to what you are doing and take a break.

Tip 4: Take time for yourself

A lack of balance promotes the emergence of stress immensely. If those affected do not take time to switch off, they unlearn it almost completely over time.

Ideal for compensation is to keep at least one day of the week completely free of appointments and obligations. Use this to pursue your own interests or to relax.

Tip 5: Stay realistic when setting goals

Too much or too little responsibility at work or at home can be crushing. If you feel permanently over- or under-challenged, this is detrimental to your sense of purpose in your tasks. This, in turn, contributes to the fact that you burn out quickly.

Therefore, you should set realistic goals in your life. These may push you to your limits – but in no case beyond. If you notice that you have taken on too much, you should not hesitate to seek help. Address your problem constructively with colleagues, family and acquaintances and try to find a solution in this way.

Tip 6: Think positive

Negative ways of thinking strengthen your own defenses. If you assume from the outset that you are not up to a new task, the likelihood that you fail at it also increases.

Therefore, take challenges in life as they come. Try to see them as a learning experience that you master together with others. The better you get to know your own strengths and weaknesses, the more successful and stress-free you can deal with hurdles in your life.

Tip 7: Expand your horizons

Burnout patients often feel as if they are trapped in the same routine every day. Their lives are thus more and more engulfed by a sense of irrelevance.

Break out of this rut. Take the time to enjoy the little things in life like a walk in the park or the nature around you. Also, don’t hesitate to try new things. Already a new hobby or a different way home from work can play a decisive role in breaking the monotony in your life.

Tip 8: Maintain your social contacts

Loneliness and social neglect are not only unpleasant, they can also disturb your self-perception. The more you are left to yourself, the easier it is for negative thoughts to gain a foothold with you.

Therefore, create time in your life for the people who do you good. Friends and family give you support and strengthen self-confidence. Toxic people, on the other hand, you should banish from your life if possible.

Tip 9: Pay attention to a healthy lifestyle

All symptoms of stress are aggravated by an unhealthy lifestyle. Thus, lack of sleep, too little exercise and the wrong diet contribute decisively to the fact that a burnout syndrome develops from permanent stress.

To avoid this, it can be helpful to plan ahead. Include enough recovery time in your daily routine and choose fixed dates for sports activities. In doing so, it’s better to do little exercise than to skip it completely. Once you start consistently, this will help form habits. In addition, make sure you eat a balanced diet.

Tip 10: Provide your body with sufficient nutrients

Permanent stress also affects the course of biological processes throughout the body. As a result, the body’s own supplies of nutrients are used up more quickly – those affected feel exhausted more often and are more prone to burnout.

In addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle, dietary supplements can therefore be useful to reduce the effects of stress and revitalize the body. In particular, it should be noted our Burnout Infusion. This is a special cocktail of vitamins, amino acids, minerals and trace elements, which is absorbed within a very short time and noticeably increases performance and stress resistance.

Better too early than too late: see a doctor!

If you notice that you can not cope alone or that the symptoms are getting worse, you should go with your burnout in treatment with a psychologist. This can help you in the development of their own coping mechanisms to the side and inform you about therapy offers that could help you.