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Dealing with burnout or being overwhelmed are both consequences of high stress. With being overwhelmed, you might be experiencing stress for a long time, which leads you to become overwhelmed with everything you are thinking and dealing with at the same time.
Burnout is similar, though it is typically when you become so exhausted mentally and physically, then it can affect your work, motivation, and energy.
Here are some hacks and tips to help you overcome burnout and overwhelm.
1. A Healthy Body Means a Healthy Mind
Getting past your burnout, stress, and overwhelm always starts with your physical health. Not just because stress can affect you physically and make you ill, but because when you eat right and exercise, it has a long list of benefits.
You need to start with a healthy body if you want a healthy mind. This means eating a healthy, well-balanced diet with lots of fruits, veggies, lean protein, and whole grains. Get regular exercise, and don’t forget to drink water daily.
These small changes will make a big difference in your physical health, which will, in turn, help your mental health as well.
2. Stop Focusing on Time
Everything is always about time. Making time for your family and work, looking at the clock every few minutes during your workday, and try to get out of the house with enough time to spare. All this focus on time, whether you feel you wasted time getting stuff done or feel like your time is running out, causes unnecessary stress.
There are certain aspects of life where time is relevant, such as getting to an appointment or meeting on time but don’t make your entire life revolve around time. It can be very overwhelming.
3. Stay Mindful of Positive Changes and a Better Outlook
When you have full-on burnout, it can be hard to use standard stress relief methods. By this point, you are having trouble getting the bare minimum done, especially when you simultaneously add in stress and overwhelm.
Instead of putting too much pressure on yourself, just start slow. One excellent “hack” is to be mindful for one moment every day. During that moment, give yourself a few minutes to re-focus your energy from a negative thing to a positive thing.
Maybe you are in your office after a meeting that caused you a lot of stress and tension, so you sit for 5 minutes and are mindful of something positive you feel right now.
This could be grateful for this job you worked so hard for, happiness for your family and friends, or just understanding that the stressful situation is over and now you can appreciate you got through it.
4. Don’t Work Through Lunch
Stop working nonstop! Working more is NOT going to help you overcome burnout. You need a break. Your body and mind need rest. If you work too much all week long, then when the weekend comes, you have no energy left to live your life.
One small thing you can start doing right now is taking proper lunch breaks. Stop eating lunch at your desk, and stop talking to people on your phone when you’re out of the office. Turn off your phone, enjoy this time, be mindful of your meal, and just relax. Work will be there waiting for you when your break is over.
5. Find What Gives You Positive Energy
Look for that thing in each day that makes you feel positive and happy. This will encourage more positive energy, which can help relieve some of the stress and tension you have been experiencing.
Again, this will be unique to you and your situation. It can be related to your home, your job, the people in your life, achieving your goals, having accomplished something you put your mind to, being more physically healthy, losing weight, or just about anything. Sky’s the limit on this one.
6. Start Saying No
Even if you have always been someone others can count on to help them, you don’t have to be everything to everyone. You have every right to say no to hosting a party or declining an offer to go out on your only night off this week to do an extra project at work.
You need to learn how to say no when you are already overwhelmed with all your responsibilities.
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Remember when you are burnt out or overwhelmed and dealing with high stress there are nutrients being deplete which are:
B Vitamins- these provide a boost of energy during a stressful event. These will allow you to either fight or flee if necessary.
Incorporate these foods that have B vitamins- Bananas, spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, avocados, nuts (Hazelnuts, Almonds, Brazil nuts, & cashews), seeds (sunflower & pumpkin), and also meat, chicken, fish, and dairy products should be consumed to obtain the different B Vitamins.
Vitamin C – We cannot make vitamin C, a crucial antioxidant essential for immune function and collagen. The vitamin also helps remove toxins and oxidative stress that increases when a person is stressed.
Good sources include fruits and vegetables such as oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, green and red peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, and spinach.
Magnesium – The stress response increases chemical reactions in the body, which can use up magnesium. In addition, magnesium can help to relax the muscles. Magnesium intake can be expanded via taking an Epsom salt bath, which is absorbed through the skin.
Improved by consuming magnesium-rich foods such as raw pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, leafy greens such as spinach and Swiss chard, raisin, broccoli, almonds, quinoa, or beans.
Zinc- Zinc is also a key element in the body.
Sources of zinc include beef, pumpkin seeds, cashews, lentils, garbanzo beans, pork, turkey, and green peas.
For more on stress click the link for a previous blog post below-
Reach out.. share your thoughts … the journey doesn’t have to be alone! It takes a community of support, compassion, kindness and understanding…. let’s end the stigma.