Some companies, such as Nike, are starting to look at the risks of burnout in relation to employees. Burnout was previously described by the World Health Organisation in 2019 as an “occupational phenomenon”, conceptualised from chronic workplace stress. Since the start of the global pandemic hit in 2020, there has been a greater emphasis on the implications of burnout, particularly those working on the frontline as key workers, or the additional parental duties of home-schooling, and how it affects all aspects of our professional and personal lives.
The issue is one that more businesses need to be aware of, according to a Kalms survey, 87 percent of people in the U.K. says they have felt stressed, unmotivated, and exhausted at some point during the past 12 month.
The reasons ascribed to these feeling are attributed to financial pressures, a lack of control of everyday lives, and a poor work-life balance as the cause of their burnout.
Seeking to provide advice to Digital Journal readers, life design and career coach, Selina Barker, shares six simple steps to help reclaim a person’s energy. The advice is:
Learn how to manage your energy and design your day so that you feel energised, calm, and focused throughout: start the day doing something that energises you and sets you up for the day, take a 10-minute break every 90 minutes to recharge your batteries and in the evening do things that help you to unwind, release the stresses of the day and lift your spirits.
Use exercise to recharge. Whether it’s a daily walk around the block, or a 30-minute HIIT class, exercise comes in all shapes and sizes. If you are feeling physically, mentally, or emotionally drained, exercising can act as a restorative activity and give you a boost of feel-good hormones.
Try an adaptogen to help regulate stress and make you feel more alert throughout the day. Kalms Rhodiola is made from Rhodiola rosea, a powerful herb that can help your body and brain process stress more effectively. Studies have shown that one tablet twice a day of Rhodiola rosea can help fight fatigue and boost energy levels and it enhances our ability to concentrate, maintain focus, and promotes a positive mood.
Make sure that the environment you work in is one you can thrive in. If you have a demanding client, a bullying boss or find yourself in a toxic work culture, then you need to change that. Likewise, if you realise that the work you do is bringing no joy or meaning to your life, then it’s time to consider a career change to find work that makes you feel good.
Discover techniques and habits that help you to calm down when you are starting to go into an urgent, panicked, or stressed-out state. Things that can help you to calm down are going for a walk, calling a friend, doing exercise, meditation. Experiment and find the things that work for you and always have them in your back pocket when you need them.
Turn down the volume of your inner critic and start turning up the volume of your inner cheerleader. When you love and believe in yourself and support yourself the same way you would a friend or partner, you will increase your levels of happiness, self-esteem, and confidence.
