Undergoing workplace stress for an extended period can result in burnout, which can affect you both physically and mentally/ emotionally. When experiencing burnout, your body may experience sleep and gastrointestinal problems.
You may also have concentration issues and loss of interest. If left untreated, burnout can cause heart rhythm disturbance, insomnia, regular illnesses, and physical pain. You may also experience depression/ anxiety or a bad mood. Discussed below are four tips for recovering from burnout.
1. Consider burnout therapy
Burnout therapy aims to assist individuals in:
- Managing and understanding their emotions better
- Coping with stress
- Establishing techniques for managing and recovering from burnout
Burnout therapy provides a safe, non-judgmental space where you can process your feelings and thoughts regarding the burnout you’re experiencing. With the help of an experienced burnout therapist, such as Natalie Buchwald, you can get assistance gently exploring and understanding your burnout’s potential stressors. Upon identifying your stressors, your therapist will teach you precise techniques and skills to help:
- Care for yourself
- Reduce burnout symptoms
- Take charge of your stressful situations
Burnout therapy provides solutions that align with your needs, ensuring you’re leading a more joyful and peaceful life.
2. Take regular breaks
When you’re constantly working, your brain doesn’t rest or recharge, resulting in mental fatigue, which results in productivity going down. This is where regular breaks come in. They’re an effective way of recovering from burnout. They give your brain the rest it deserves while letting it recharge. With frequent breaks, you can go back to work refreshed and with renewed focus. Besides helping with burnout recovery, regular breaks come in handy when looking to:
- Enhance problem-solving skills and creativity
- Minimize stress and boost overall well-being
- Raise productivity
To make the most of these breaks, you can:
- Schedule several of them into your day
- Get away from work and try something you enjoy
- Unplug from technology
- Engage in social interactions where you can share your interactions
3. Engage in physical activity
When experiencing burnout, the brain tolerates a mental exhaustion level that overloads your central nervous system while lowering your mental recognition. Effective exercises offer a cognitive regeneration technique that helps you recover from burnout. Exercise helps with burnout by:
- Improving cognition
- Boosting mood
- Increasing motivation
- Enhancing sleep
- Lowering stress and anxiety
- Boosting energy levels
Some of the physical activities you can engage in to eliminate mental exhaustion include:
- Walking
- Yoga
- Running and other aerobic exercises
- Pilates
- HIIT workouts
4. Watch what you eat
Feeding your body the right food can help renew and rejuvenate your exhausted mind and body. To help combat emotional stress and burnout, consider:
- Eating complex carbohydrates: Complex carbohydrate choices like wholegrain bread, pasta, and oatmeal are great additions to your burnout-fighting diet
- Consuming healthy fat foods: Ensuring you consume sufficient healthy fats is crucial for health, particularly mental health. Foods with omega-3, including fish and healthy snacks like nuts, would be an ideal place to begin
- Focusing on high-fiber vegetables and fruits: Ensuring your diet contains a lot of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables is key to fighting burnout effects
Taking a glass of milk before bedtime can help beat stress, ensuring a good night’s sleep, which comes in handy when recovering from physical/ mental exhaustion and fatigue.
Endnote
Burnout, when ignored, can significantly impact your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. However, using these tips can help you recover from burnout.