Seven Ways to Cope With Burnout
If you reach a point where you feel you can't take it anymore,
you've arrived--at a point of overwhelm that pop psychology
refers to as "burnout." It is a point of emotional exhaustion,
mental confusion, and even physical fatigue.
The word itself originated from a description of a busted light
bulb.
However, while you can't do anything about a light bulb that
won't work anymore, there is plenty that you can do with
psychological overwhelm. You might even say that unlike a light
bulb, a human being is a self-renewing system.
Here are seven simple remedies to renew your mind, body, and
soul.
One. Step out into nature. Go to the mountains, the forest, or
the ocean. And if you're really strapped for natural resources,
go to a local park. I'm not sure how this works, but when you
spend a sufficient amount of time in nature, you feel
rejuvenated and your mind comes up with fresh ideas on how to
cope with your pressing situation.
Two. Reframe. If you feel stressed because you are doing a task
that you dislike, use your imagination to make it more
enjoyable. For example, if you're raking leaves, and you just
hate gardening, then imagine that you're raking in money, and
that each leaf represents a hundred dollar bill. This will
actually spark creative ideas in your mind on how you can
improve your income.
Three. Energize. Go to a health-food store and get an energy
supplement. Vitamins, minerals, and herbs can help your
metabolism recuperate from the stress. Most health-food stores
have someone to assist you, as well as reference books and
videos on what to take for your particular condition.
Four. Introspect. In a notebook, write down everything that
bothers you until you can come up with a way that you can change
the situation. Start with a question. "What can I do about...?"
Then keep writing until you come up with an answer. I once did
this for two hours and came up with a new model on how I could
radically improve every aspect of my life.
Five. Try music. Listen to beautiful, serene, uplifting music.
Don't do anything else as you listen to the music--or you'll
simply find a way to tune it out. Listen to every note, every
word sung, and every interval of silence in the music. It's
amazing how this will transform you. Music has been said to tame
a wild beast. It will do the same for the wild beast of your
major upset.
Six. Relax deeply. Massages, hot baths, and stretching exercises
can all be used to unknot your muscles. It's impossible to be
unhappy when your body is completely relaxed. The rise of stress
hormones in your body, create a fight-or-flight response in your
nervous system. Systematic physical relaxation reverses this
condition.
Seven. Talk to an expert. Visit someone who can help you or read
a book or hear an audio program by a stress reduction expert. As
you open your mind to new information, you shift your stuck
thinking and find new ways of dealing with the troubling
situation.
Using any of these simple remedies or a combination for burnout
will help you get your perspective back.