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10 Ways to Fight Burnout
# 2
Understand that burnout is a stress-induced condition. Burnout is the result of chronic, unmanaged stressors (WHO, 2019). As a result, burnout is most effectively resolved by addressing the underlying stressors that are the root cause. This is not a condition that resolves through quick, “pop psychology” band-aid fixes. Understanding your stress reactions is beneficial for resolving burnout.

10 Ways to Fight Burnout
# 1
Focus on what you can control. So much of stress mitigation and prevention is about gaining an internal locus of control. Feeling out of control in and of itself is stress-invoking. Taking responsibility for your own stress and focusing on what you can control can be quite effective in resolving burnout. From there, reflecting on which stressors are controllable and which are not lays the groundwork for the next nine considerations.

By definition, burnout is an extended period of stress that feels as though it cannot be ameliorated. If stress is short-lived or tied to a specific goal, it is most likely not harmful. If the stress feels never-ending and comes with feelings of emptiness, apathy, and hopelessness, it may be indicative of burnout.

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress. Though it’s most often caused by problems at work, it can also appear in other areas of life, such as parenting, caretaking, or romantic relationships.

Sometimes a change of scenery can help you approach your task with fresh eyes (and a new sense of motivation). This is called the novelty effect—a short-term boost that comes from altering your environment.

Practice gratitude (including for yourself). It might seem like gratitude would lead to complacency and acceptance of the status quo. Yet some studies have shown otherwise.

It feels good to be rewarded for our work. But rewards can also improve motivation and performance. Rewarding yourself for reaching small milestones and completing big goals could boost your interest and enjoyment in the work you’re doing.

Seeing progress can be highly motivating. You’ll find many tools out there to help you track your goals. This could be as simple as a to-do list or calendar where you can cross off tasks or days as you complete them.

One way to boost motivation on difficult days is simply to plan for them. As you think about your goal, jot down a list of the things that could get in your way.

It’s great to feel excited and confident about achieving your goal, but it’s also possible to be too optimistic. Not every day will go exactly as planned, and that’s okay. Life happens.

One way to give a boost to your internal motivation is to create a target date. Whatever it is you’re aiming to accomplish, put it on the calendar. You may be working toward a goal with a set finish date built in. Examples include preparing for a test or taking a course with a fixed end date.

What to do if you lose motivation
Sometimes you just need to take a break and start afresh.

What to do if you lose motivation
Take motivation from others – feel inspired by reading a book. Talk to your mentor, or friends or family who have reached similar goals to the ones you have set.

What to do if you lose motivation
Remember why you wanted to get motivated or reach that goal in the first place.

What to do if you lose motivation
Review your goals and see if they are realistic in the timeframe you have set. You may need to break your goal down further into smaller and more achievable goals.

Use exercise as one of your daily goals to improve your mental health.

Surround yourself with positive people. Positive friends and family enhance your positive self-talk. This also helps to manage the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Find mentors, for example, someone you look up to who is experienced in the habit you want to change. Finding social or support groups with the same interest can help you find a mentor.

Keep the momentum up. It takes most people about 2 months to develop a new habit, but for some people, it can take much longer. Keeping the momentum and routine helps it feel more automatic over time.

Continue to set new goals. Think about what you want to achieve next week, next month and next year. Tackle one goal at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

Regularly review your goals and progress. Seeing progress is a great motivator in itself, and also improves your self-esteem.

Reward yourself when you have completed each step or entire goal.

Start a class or join a support group. Support groups can be an effective way to stay motivated.

Mindfulness helps keep you relaxed and focused.

Positive self-talk is important and effective in managing depression or anxiety. Instead of saying 'I can't', say 'I can try'.

Make your goal part of your routine by using a diary or app for reminders.

How can I get motivated tip 4
Use your family and friends as support – tell them about your goals and encourage them to help keep you motivated.

How can I get motivated tip 3:
Break your goal into small, easy tasks and set regular reminders to complete each step.

How can I get motivated tip 2:
Think about how to include that goal in your life, what you need to do to make it happen. Then put a timeframe on it (such as one week or one month).

How can I get motivated tip 1:
Set yourself one specific, achievable goal.

Motivation is important because it:
• provides you with goals to work towards
• helps you solve problems
• helps you change old habits
• helps you cope with challenges and opportunities

1. Motivation is the drive to achieve your goals or needs. It is influenced by:
• how much you want the goal
• what you will gain
• what you will lose from not achieving your goal
• your personal expectations

Problem-solving helps you lower stress by helping to identify and solve problems that arise from life stressors, both big and small.
5 steps of problem solving
Identifying the challenge
Finding the cause
Brainstorming solutions
Implementing a solution
Tracking progress

How are you feeling right now? On that scale we spoke of are you a 2 or 5?
1-2 very low stress, feeling well in body and mind (keep doing what you’re doing).
3-4 some stress, maybe a little irritable not feeling 100% (use self-care and look for resources).
5-7 High stress, physical and mental challenges of stress begin to show (problem solve, check boundaries and use stress management tools)
8-10 overwhelmed, not able to focus, outbursts (Get help, talk with someone to get support).

Stress Relief Tip 3
If you live a high stress life try to add a 30-minute cardio workout 2 to 3 days a week. This will help you burn off stress, so you are able to take on more. Just remember to burn the stress off when you can.

Many times, people do not know what in their life is stressing them. When this happens, take the time to reflect on your life perhaps write on a piece of paper what you like and don’t like on a piece of paper. This can give you insight into what’s happening and where you may have unneeded stress.

Stress Relief Tip 2
Do something you enjoy, go for a walk, exercise, concentrate and try to solve problems, become more self aware by reflecting on what gives you stress.

Stress Relief Tip 1
Breathe - One of the easiest ways to remove stress is to breathe…
When to breath:
When you are upset
Feel anxious
Worried or Scared
Overwhelmed
When you want to relax
Before sleep
To clear your mind

Signs of Stress -
Changes in mood
Clammy or sweaty palms
Decreased s*x drive
Diarrhea
Difficulty sleeping
Digestive problems
Dizziness
Feeling anxious
Frequent sickness
Grinding teeth
Headaches
Low energy
Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders
Physical aches and pains
Racing heartbeat
Trembling

Private Self-Awareness - when people become aware of some aspects of themselves, but only in a private way. For example, seeing your face in the mirror is a type of private self-awareness or feeling your stomach lurch when you realize you forgot to study for an important test or feeling your heart flutter when you see someone you are attracted to are also examples of private self-awareness.