by Ashleigh Hitchcock
Suffering from burnout? Sick of feeling exhausted and bedraggled from life? Stress happens to everyone and burnout is inevitable at times. But there are many tricks to releasing stress that give us respite from feeling overwhelmed. Merely thinking about doing these things is not enough however. In order to take care of our stress, we actually have to take some action. Start small and try one or two of these suggestions.
10 Self-Care Survival Tips When You’re Suffering from Burnout
1. Connect With Community
Hanging out with friends helps us feel better. Spending time with actual human beings boosts our mood. It energizes us, even if it’s people we don’t really know,. Sharing smiles with people gives us a lasting warm fuzzy feeling.
2. Take Frequent Breaks
No one can thrive when we’re sitting at the computer for hours on end, all day long. Take a five minute break every hour. Walk to the water cooler and rehydrate. Do 10 jumping jacks. Do a deep forward bend. Go for a short walk – around the office if needs be. Have a quick phone chat with a friend or step outside and take a peek at the sky.
3. Get Enough Fresh Air and Sunshine
This is important. Spending time outside breaks up the day and reconnects us to nature. An easy way to “cheat” is to walk or bike to work. If you have to bus or car commute, park a few blocks away from the office. If you work at home, a quick walk around the block will suffice. If it’s cold, rug-up. There are really no excuses when it comes to being outside and enjoying the day … at least a little bit.
4. Eat Food Cooked With Love
Make sure to eat enough veggies. Eat real food and avoid processed and packaged food. Have a snack-if you’re experiencing mood-failure.
5. Meditate
Practice sitting meditation every day for at least 10 minutes. If you’re too busy, meditate for one hour. Our minds are made for thinking. Consciously taking a break from our thoughts heals stress on many levels. I meditate every day for 10 minutes first thing in the morning. It makes me feel like I’m cloaked in a protective blanket all day long.
6. Exercise
Our bodies are made to move. People have a lot of energy and sitting still for too long can drive us stir crazy. Exercise, even a little bit, is important – every day. It releases negativity and makes us feel good. It gets our heart pumping and our lungs breathing. My favourite ways to exercise are walking the dog, biking, hiking, yoga, dancing, skiing, snow shovelling, gardening and sex.
7. House Plants
It’s nice to share space with other living things. House plants are natural air filters. They live on water and sunlight – that’s affordable! They also bring relaxing and cheerful energy into a room.
Plus they are quiet, and if you have to vent, houseplants are great listeners.
8. Stretch
Practising yoga, even a little bit, breaks up the” fuzz” between our muscles and fascial tissue. A good stretch can give us the “space” we need to buckle down and take care of our responsibilities.
9. Get Enough Sleep
Our bodies are rejuvenated with a good night’s sleep. Enjoy a relaxing ritual before bed to ensure a restful night. Have a cup of chamomile tea, meditate, take a hot epsom salt bath, or read for 15 minutes.
10. Laugh
Read something funny. Talk to someone funny. Watch a funny video. Amuse yourself. Laughter really is the best medicine.
In today’s busy world, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Using creative solutions to deal with stress can help us prevent burnout.
