TO SET LIMITS OR RISK A BURNOUT?

About a month ago, I had to be very honest with myself. I was not feeling like myself, I was constantly unmotivated at work. I ignored it at first, but then decided to actually sit down & take note of what my body/mind was trying to tell me.

I said to myself  – “Set your ego aside. Let go of the fear. Release the need to please & impress everyone. Be truthful about how you’re feeling.”

What came up was:

• I was causing myself to be overworked. I was volunteer taking my laptop home every night and working until 10pm.
• I would have nightmares about work and wake up tense.
• I was emotionally eating
• I was constantly stressed
• I had migraines
• My muscles were tense
• I was not feeling fulfilled in anyway
• I was canceling plans because I felt so exhausted

‘There are two options here’ I told myself ‘Do I risk burnout or do I set limits with myself and work?’ I decided to set mindful limits to ensure that I was keeping my mind and body healthy.

Before I get into what I did, I want to put out a PSA on burnout. Burnout is real, so much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) now acknowledges it as a medical condition. If you feel yourself burning out, please know it is preventable!

It’s okay to ask for support, slow down, and take time for reflection and self-care. In fact, these things are essential & most employers support it!

Constantly working more & doing more just leads to exhaustion. Take one step at a time and remember that balance is essential. You do not have to sacrifice your well being for a job. There should be no fear is setting limits:

• STAYING LATE: Only staying late in the office one day a week, instead of four
• HIGH EXPECTATIONS: Work on letting go of the expectation you can do everything
• HAVE MORE FUN: Make fun plans for after work. I scheduled dinner dates, happy hours & yoga classes with friends
• SAY NO
• DELEGATE: Any extra work that you’re taking on & is not ‘yours’ – delegate it to the right person. You do not need to take everything on.
• TAKE BREAKS: sit in the lounge, go on a walk, make a nice coffee
• SLOW DOWN: take a minute to just breathe during the day
• ASK FOR SUPPORT