3 Simple Ways to Restore Balance and Avoid Burnout
Stress can impact nearly every aspect of our daily lives. When we feel stress, it can be difficult to regulate our emotions, self-monitor, and not allow our internal dysregulation to showcase externally. Self-monitoring allows us to assess where we are at and make adjustments along the way. A key Executive Function skill which is often essential to making other skills like time management and organization fall into place.
Maria struggled to not let her emotions show. As a mom of two kids under five, a wife, and a project manager, she was called upon to reflect the needs of those around her. She needed to stay calm, provide feedback and direction, and actively listen to her coworkers and family so she could best assess a situation and help those around her. She was able to adapt and reflect the situation at hand which made her very effective at work and at home but left her feeling spread too thin and depleted. Her lack of self-care and not taking time to fill her cup created stress and pushed her to the brink of burn out. Showing up for everyone else meant not showing up for herself and it eventually became unsustainable.
On the surface, Maria appears very high functioning. No balls were being dropped and everyone around her seemed to have their needs met. Inside, she was constantly turning her wheels. What would tomorrow bring? Did she forget to do anything? Will she be prepared for her presentation tomorrow? This running soundtrack made Maria feel a sense of urgency which made her productive but also stressed. She lacked balance and flexibility in her schedule which will inevitably lead to burnout.
When we see our clients in this pattern, it’s a great opportunity to return to Executive Functioning basics and reassess time management and prioritization. Good organization and task initiation are best when balanced with breaks and self-care. Maria found herself in a constant state of meeting other’s needs, which only caused her to feel unsettled and unrested. There are many moms out there who know the feeling!
Here are three things you can try this week to restore the balance, and tune into your body’s needs and behaviors:
Daily reflection
Schedule 5-10 minutes everyday to “check-in” with yourself. What do you want to accomplish today? How are you feeling? What is something you can do today to feel your best?
Self-care appointments
When we are stretched a little too thin and feeling overwhelmed and stressed, one of the best things we can do to avoid burnout is schedule self-care. Treating self-care as a non-negotiable enables us to stay accountable and prioritize our own wellbeing.
Braindump and Prioritize
When our tasks are increasing, it can be difficult to objectively see what really needs our time and what can be postponed. Ask yourself, what can you delegate? What needs to be chunked up? Taking a few minutes to plan helps decrease decision making and lowers the feeling of overwhelm.
We have all been there! There are tasks that need to get done, and whether it’s our kids, coworkers, teachers, or parents who need our time, it’s important to carve out time for us too. Take some time to check-in, reflect, and see how you're operating within the different spaces of your world. Little tweaks which prioritize your wellbeing, help restore the balance, minimize stress, and empower you to be your best self.
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