Originally posted on https://www.bizcatalyst360.com/chill-out-dont-burn-out/

It can be difficult in the twenty first century to find the ideal work life balance. We can be at work for over eight hours a day with an overbearing boss and unrealistic targets to meet. The risk of burnout is immense if you are heading home after your day in the office, only to whip open your laptop to continue working into the small hours. When do you get time to think about your own mental well being? Without the capability to be able to switch off, you risk running yourself into the ground. This is when burnout can occur.

Stress and anxiety can build up slowly over time resulting in poor mental health. You need to take a step back from your work and give yourself time to work out what is most important to you. You need to be proactive in revolutionizing your lifestyle so that you can chill out, rather than burn out. While life can be busy and manic on occasion, this shouldn’t be the norm, and it certainly shouldn’t dictate the way you live. Take a look at how you can take care of yourself while still enjoying a positive and fulfilling existence.

Take A Break

You may adore your job and love the thrill of working under pressure. Things can cross the line when your employer becomes like a micro manager and you feel like you don’t have the freedom to perform your tasks autonomously. If you can’t bear the atmosphere in the office or your working life is getting you down, don’t stick your head in the sand. Instead, do something about it because nobody else will.

Take the holiday that you are owed and go away for a couple of weeks. This could be a two week treat to an all inclusive in the Caribbean, a road trip across the country or a city break in Europe. Use this time traveling to reassess your working life, your career, and what you want from a job. If your current role isn’t fulfilling this criteria, it’s time to start planning. You need to apply for new jobs on your return.

For some people the act of traveling helps clarify thoughts. Escaping to a whole new environment can help you see the wood for the trees. You don’t have to worry about having your smartphone on all the time or being near your laptop should an email ping. Instead, you are free to get up when you want, meet new people and immerse yourself in an entirely new environment. Only on your return do you need to worry about the practicalities of applying for new roles.

These new positions don’t have to be promotions. Just because society pressures you into forever climbing the career ladder doesn’t mean that you have to. Perhaps you want to take a sabbatical, maybe you want to go back to school, or perhaps you want to strike out on your own and begin your own startup. All of these options are viable ways of spending your time.

Health

Your health is the most important thing. It is a blessing and a luxury to be able to get up in the morning without a niggle or an ailment or a worry. If you are struggling to sleep because burnout is ever encroaching, it’s time to consider your mental health. Think about the sheer volume of supplement manufacturer companies out there that produce products to aid in relaxation. These aren’t the defunkt holistic medicine types and instead are scientifically proven to work and fully regulated by the FDA.

Alternatively, you could choose to look into doing something new for the benefit of your own mental well being. Starting a new hobby, taking up a pastime or planning something for the future can give you something else to focus on other than your stressful job. If you want to have a go at learning the flute, take a lesson. If you want to take up golf, enrol on a beginners course. And if you fancy heading to Peru to trek the Inca Trail, start planning your trip. These sorts of new and exciting activities give you the chance to become engaged with new aspects of your life. You’ll end up meeting new people, making new friends and extending your social circle. Making any sort of change to your routine can be scary but it can shift your mindset from the mundane and stressed to the exhilarated and content.

Physical Activity

If you ask any jogger why they enjoy running, the majority will tell you that it helps to clear their minds and helps them to maintain a level of fitness. It is this mental aspect to physical exercise that often gets overlooked. You don’t have to head to the gym to pump iron and get yourself all buff and muscly. Instead, pop to the gym with a friend and enjoy a fun Zumba class or a boxercise session. Sweating it out can release endorphins which can leave you with a euphoric sensation. This can be addictive and can lead to you seeking out different forms of physical activity to benefit your mental well being.

If physical exercise isn’t really your bag, then consider taking a stroll and making it a point of business to head outside every day. Catching some rays and surrounding yourself with greenery can be a great way to lower your blood pressure and relax.

Consider taking some time out every month and heading for a relaxing reiki massage, going for a swim or being pampered at a spa. These relaxing activities can leave us with a sense of calm.

In our every day lives, we can become so busy that we don’t have time to eat, have a drink or tear ourselves away from our laptop screens. While acute periods of stress can be good for us, if this becomes chronic and you have zero form of relaxation in your life, then you risk burnout. Burnout is terrible for both our physical and mental well being. To combat this you need to be proactive and seek out a change in your routine. You may need to reevaluate your entire life and make some positive changes, moving jobs, traveling or doing something new and exciting, to help you chill out rather than risk burn out.