When times are tough, and there’s a great deal of negativity in the air, not to mention stress, it’s vital to be mindful and practice self-care. This is something we at ProMedical place a huge emphasis on and invest in our people’s mental well-being and health. For us, it’s people first – always!

 

Lately, a lot has been said about self-care, focusing on improving one’s mental health. Considering life has been so tough for many years now, that’s not all that surprising.

Regardless of how positive you may feel and how on track your life may seem, you, like anybody else, could be at risk of burnout, especially if you find yourself constantly on the go, focussing on others, and not making enough time for yourself.

Burnout can affect anybody at any time, and it is not fun. Burnout can lead to mental and physical exhaustion, a risk of deteriorating mental health and/or breakdown, suppressed immunity, and many other negative health issues.

To help ensure this never happens to you, here are ten proven tips for preventing burnout.

 

Get more sleep

Forget about those so-called “influencers” on Instagram, spouting nonsense about only sleeping for 4 hours a night so they can have more time to “achieve their goals” because this is simply not healthy.

Medically, we need sleep for a whole bunch of different reasons. Sleep not only helps our bodies heal themselves and recharge, but it also helps to recharge the mind, metaphorically speaking.

A lack of sleep will leave your energy levels low, affect your motivation, increase stress hormones such as cortisol, and affect your mental health. Aim for 7 – 9 hours of sleep each night.

 

Get active

Exercise isn’t just great for the body; it’s great for the mind as well.

Burnout can result in physical exhaustion, but more often than not, it results in mental exhaustion, which is why it’s so important to get plenty of exercise.

Exercise helps release endorphins, making you feel happy, relaxed, and content.

It doesn’t matter whether you go to the gym, play a sport, go cycling, go walking, or go for a walk in the countryside; just get moving.

 

Listen to your body

One of the best ways of preventing burnout is to listen to your body and act accordingly.

If you experience any symptoms of burnout such as fatigue, irritability, headache, mental fog, a lack of motivation, poor bouts of mental health, or anything else, recognising the signs nice and early gives you a great advantage.

 

Make time for yourself

It doesn’t matter how busy you may be; you should always make time for yourself.

Self-care is so important when it comes to burnout prevention, so make sure you’re making time for yourself.

If you enjoy reading, make time to read. If you enjoy watching movies, make sure you watch movies. Basically, if you enjoy doing something and it makes you happy, find the time to do it.

 

Lead a healthy lifestyle

An unhealthy lifestyle has been linked with burnout and poor mental health in general, which is why you should make sure you’re leading a healthy lifestyle.

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is detrimental to your physical and mental health, so don’t binge drink. Eating large amounts of unhealthy junk food is bad for you for the same reasons.

Drink plenty of water, eat healthy and nutritious food, exercise like we mentioned, and ensure you get enough sleep.

 

Don’t deprive yourself entirely

Despite unhealthy junk food and alcohol being bad for your health and putting you at an increased risk of burnout, you should still make sure you treat yourself now and then.

A glass or two of wine after a busy shift now and then is not an issue, and neither is ordering your favourite takeaway once a week because you’re too tired to cook. If these types of things give you pleasure, don’t cut them out entirely; just enjoy them in moderation.

 

Don’t feel guilty for taking some time off

Far too many people that suffer from burnout find themselves working themselves into the ground because they feel guilty for not working.

Yes, we understand that some roles are more hands-on than others, and you may need to work harder than the average person, but even so, you still deserve time off, and you should not feel guilty for taking time off.

 

Learn how to say no

Unfortunately, a large percentage of people who suffer from burnout are people pleasers who place other people’s feelings and emotions over their own and who go out of their way to help others for various reasons.

If work call you on your day off and ask you to cover a shift because they’re short-staffed, don’t feel guilty by saying no. Once in a while, you may agree and cover the odd shift here and there, but if it’s frequently happening and you’re being asked to work shifts when you’re supposed to be off, that is not acceptable, and you are well within your rights to refuse.

 

Take a device detox

While electronic gadgets can bring a great deal of pleasure to our lives, and while they are necessities, studies have found that people that have too much screentime are more likely to suffer from burnout and/or poor mental health.

Each night, try to limit your screen time and switch off all gadgets one hour before bedtime.

 

Don’t suffer in silence

Finally, if you are feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, or simply just burnt out, don’t suffer in silence. Instead, reach out and ask for help.

Whether it’s a friend, a partner, a family member, a support forum online, or a trained expert, if you are suffering, reach out and ask for help. It’s always a good idea to talk to your GP and explain to them honestly how you feel – they’ve heard all this before, and they will support you to recover from this burnout.

Burnout can hit anyone at any age, so ensure you care for yourself and make wellness and self-care a real priority.