For this post, I thought I would try something different, and experiment a little with another post type I hadn't tried before but enjoy reading. Before giving you the strategies, let's get to why I thought of them in the first place.
Why?
I talk a lot about the burnout crises I had but little have I talked about why and how I had them in the first place and what I would do in the future to prevent them. I've mentioned in several posts that in the last four years, I've worked in two tech start-ups.
In this fast-paced corporate start-up environment, burnout has become an all-too-common phenomenon. The large demands of work, coupled with long hours, high expectations, and constant connectivity, definitely took a toll on my and many other colleague's well-being and lead to burnout. Working from home, in my case, also led me to be unable to stop and recharge. I was responsible for teams that worked different shifts and my life revolved around it.
However, there are practical strategies that we can employ to prevent burnout and cultivate a healthier work-life balance. By implementing these strategies, I hope we can prioritize mental and physical health, establish boundaries, and develop effective coping mechanisms to navigate the challenges of the corporate world while maintaining our overall well-being. Shall we dive into them?
Set Clear Boundaries (for yourself)
Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Define specific working hours and prioritize time for relaxation, hobbies, and self-care as much as you can. There will be days when you got to put the extra hours in, but don't let it become the rule.
Practice Self-Care:
Prioritize self-care activities that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This can include exercise, mindfulness or meditation, enough sleep (!!!), healthy eating, and regular breaks throughout the workday. It can feel like using productive time to not be productive, but at the very least, you will have much more mental energy to face it all later on.
Take Regular Breaks:
Incorporate regular breaks into your work schedule. Short breaks, such as stretching or walking away from your desk, and taking five minutes to make yourself a fresh expresso or hot chocolate can help refresh your mind and prevent mental fatigue. Don't overlook it.
Prioritize Tasks:
When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. Been there, done that (tks Pitbull). Try to use effective time management techniques to prioritize tasks and focus on high-value activities. I like Pomodoro and the Trident method. Ask for help to identify the most important and urgent tasks, and tackle them first, while considering realistic deadlines and workload distribution (when you can). Be real with your leaders and respect your learning times.
Develop Healthy Coping Mechanisms:
Build a repertoire of healthy coping mechanisms to manage stress. This can include deep breathing exercises, journaling, talking to a trusted colleague or friend, or engaging in a creative outlet (such as this blog for me). And if you can GO TO THERAPY! I can't even begin to explain how much it helped. On that note...
Practice Mindfulness:
Try as best as you can to incorporate mindfulness practices into your daily routine. This can involve being fully present at the moment, observing thoughts and emotions without judgment, and engaging in mindfulness meditation or other mindfulness exercises. Judging every random thought or feeling you get drains so much mental energy you need to cope with your day-to-day and it's one bad habit that drives you faster to burnout.
Seek Support:
Reach out for support when needed. Vent to a trusted colleague, seek guidance from a mentor or coach (I know I have and can see the importance of it now), or (again) consider therapy to help manage stress and gain perspective.
Engage in Regular Exercise:
Regular physical exercise is known to reduce stress and promote overall well-being. Find activities you enjoy, whether it's going to the gym, practicing yoga, or practicing any outdoor sports. Me, I enjoy running and aerial silks and I try to make exercise a consistent part of my routine.
Pursue Work-Life Balance:
Strive for work-life balance by setting aside time for activities that bring you joy and happiness! Make time for relaxation, cultivate hobbies, spend quality time with your loved ones, and prioritize activities that make you feel recharged.
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