6 Tips for Preventing Burnout

Have you ever felt like you had nothing else to give? As if you can’t keep going in your job, your daily responsibilities, or a family responsibility? If so, you may be experiencing burnout.

The concept of burnout represents feeling overwhelmed, spent, or exhausted by a situation you are in. It is a type of stress that is carried for some time without relief. This can happen to people at any age in any situation. It is less about what you are facing than it is about how it feels for you.

When do people feel burnout?

Burnout is a real issue for people in so many scenarios. There are no rules to burnout, whom it affects, why it impacts them, or for how long. Some examples of times people feel burnout are:

• In a job where they work hard and feel underappreciated.
• Functioning as a caregiver for someone with medical needs.
• As a stay-at-home parent responsible for the needs of the family and household.
• During school when you feel the pressure of assignments and achievement.

These are just a few examples. The possibilities vary as much as the people who experience burnout.

Preventing burnout

If we are all at risk for burnout in a variety of scenarios, how do we prevent it? Can we do anything to ensure that we don’t struggle with emotional, physical, or mental exhaustion brought on by prolonged stress?

While there are no guarantees, there are some tools that you can build into your life now to prevent burnout in the future.

Get adequate sleep.

Sleep is an important part of your overall well-being. Getting the right amount of quality sleep for your body and brain will help you function well daily and equip you to better handle stress in your life. This can prevent feeling burnout when you deal with hard situations.

Make time for rest.

Rest and sleep are two different things. While sleep is important, it is also key to make time for physical, emotional, mental, and social rest. This can involve taking breaks, doing things that calm you, taking time alone, having quiet time, deep breathing, or setting aside time to commune with God.

Do something physical.

Physical activity is good for your body and your brain. Things like walking, running, stretching, playing sports, or lifting weights are all examples of ways to physically move your body. Doing so can release feel-good hormones and promote mental and emotional wellness. This will help prepare you for handling stressful situations.

Eat nutritious food and drink water.

We hear it repeatedly. Nutritious food and water are essential to our well-being. Not only can eating food that nourishes your body help you physically, but it can also help your brain, promote good sleep, aid in digestion, affect hormones, and regulate emotions.

Like eating good food, drinking water is a foundational element of the functioning of our bodies. It helps things run smoothly, hydrating your body, flushing toxins, and helping with clarity. Incorporating adequate hydration and nutritious food are foundational to your daily well-being and how you overcome challenges that come your way.

Spend time with people.

We are not made to live in isolation. While life tends to keep us busy, it is important to make time for life-giving relationships with people. Stressful situations make it easy to disengage. If you foster good relationships now, you can have relationships in place that will support you when you face stress.

Seek help and support.

Build a framework of support in your life when things feel okay. Consider the people in your life. Make a mental list of two or three people you can talk to when something feels hard. Also, think about a few people you can spend time with to relax and have fun. Knowing who your support people are now will help you know who to go to when you face hard times.

Finding help

One part of your support network and a tool to prevent burnout is a Christian counselor. Whether you are facing burnout now or are in a calm season of life, connecting with a counselor can help you build a relationship with a professional committed to helping you.

A counselor offers someone to talk to that is trained to help you with whatever you are facing. This could mean identifying ways to prevent burnout and offering accountability or it could mean working through difficult seasons and finding your way through feelings of burnout.

Wherever you find yourself, there are counselors available to help. Call our office to connect with a faith-based counselor dedicated to your wellness.