How to prevent burn out

It is great to have goals. They give us focus, helping us know what to say no and yes to. That is why we set such a wide range of them – for the next day, the next week, the next month, and even the next year and beyond. However, you can’t stay focused all the time. Just like your muscles need time to repair and get stronger after a workout, so does your brain.

Without those rest periods, you are likely to burn out. In fact, one thing that often gets forgotten in conversations about time management and productivity is the importance of recovery. We need to set ourselves rest periods at regular intervals the same way we set goals. Below are some tips on how to put a recovery to prevent burnout.

DAILY REST AND RECOVERY

Regulate your energy. In other words work with, rather than against, your natural rhythms.

Some of the most common routines, yet things that many of us skip, like taking a lunch break away from your desk, going on a short walk outside, or getting a drink, can help you optimise your energy on an hourly basis. Don’t push try to push harder when your energy takes a nosedive. Take a break and recharge.

Think about what’s going on. Just like you need to set aside time to work through your to do list, you need to tie up your mental and emotional loose ends, too. That’s where daily habits come in. Spend time on your way to work or exercise time thinking through any emotionally charged situations you confronted, like a contentious meeting or an employee performance issue. Alternatively spend time before bed or in the morning quickly noting down your thoughts in a journal. The point is that you clear a small amount of space in your day for reflection. By consciously processing daily challenges, you can avoid them building up and weighing you down mentally and emotionally.

WEEKLY REST AND RECOVERY

Take a real day off. Having one real day off a week will do wonders for your mood and mental agility. You may be tempted, like me, to finish off a few hours’ work on Sunday morning, thinking you’ll make your Monday easier. It may not seem like much, but those habits can take a toll: Work is still work, no matter in what proportions or where you do it.

If you can’t step away for the entire weekend, you should reserve at least one day that’s totally off-limits to any form of work whatsoever. This gives your brain time to decompress so you can feel more focused and motivated when do return to work.

Recalibrate. Blocking out a few hours at the beginning of your week, the end of your week, or even both can be invaluable. Think back on what you learned over the past seven days, the things you accomplished, and the top priorities you’ll need to tackle in the week ahead. Do any other organising that helps you confront the next week from a position of strength and clarity.

MONTHLY REST AND RECOVERY

Take a walk. If you can spend a weekend away once a month or once every other month, that’s ideal. Even if it’s just for a day, like going for a walk in the countryside or exploring a new part of town, doing something new can boost your energy and creativity.

Review your goals. Put a monthly reminder in your diary to spend time reflecting on your quarterly goals. Use that time to evaluate whether they still make sense, given what’s taken place in your life over the previous weeks.

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