How To Avoid Burn Out
“You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction. ”
Like many of my clients, having a whole afternoon completely to myself is a rarity. Life, particularly when you live in a city, can feel extremely full on. Some people (myself included) respond well to being constantly on the go but being human means that that lifestyle is not sustainable without implementing some self-induced time outs. The burn-out chat is something I’ve worked through with several clients. You reach a point where your body shuts down because the impact of everyday life completely overwhelms it. My coaching approach is to help our clients recognise what the triggers are, know how to remedy them and prepare for getting back into it without feeling overwhelmed or anxious.
Burn out is something we’ll revisit on the blog but for now, I wanted to share with you the tactics and habits I take to help guide myself through it.
Fuel - Eat breakfast. Period. I cannot stress this enough. I know a lot of people have differing opinions about this, but I believe that this is a key factor to how I can push myself throughout the day. Those early morning nutrients help regulate my blood sugars & give me energy so I always make sure I get something healthy into me, even if it’s just some fruit. I also always keep healthy snacks in my backpack. My go to snacks are Deliciously Ella balls, cliff bars & bananas with peanut butter.
Supplements - Now these are always discretionary to what your body specifically needs, so always consult your GP, a dietitian or nutritionist, but my daily pills are Fish Oil (EPA & DHA helps support normal heart function & vision), Magnesium (helps regulate sleep patterns & reduces fatigue) & Potassium (helps maintain normal blood pressure & muscle function)
Drink Up - I always drink at least one glass of lemon water in the morning on an empty stomach (this is detoxifying for your liver specifically and helps brighten your skin too!) I am caffeine free for a year and a half now and have found this helps avoid crashes throughout the day so I stick with water & tea throughout the day. And last but not least, find some time to drink the wine! I believe everything should be enjoyed in moderation, so do not deprive yourself of a glass of your chosen tipple.
Stay Grounded - I try to meditate for 10 mins each day using the Calm app (Headspace is great too - whichever you feel most comfortable with). I find the guided meditations give me inspiration for my classes and client sessions and allow me to turn off my day and recharge. I dab lavender oil on my wrists and neck and am instantly calmed (sounds excessive, but it’s like I’m transported to the Four Seasons spa!). When life gets hectic it’s important to check in with yourself and meditation has been a great way for me to tap into how I am feeling and catch any early signs of burn out.
Mingle - I find it’s easiest to cut out the fun, social activities when we’re busy but it’s important to keep mingling by staying connected to your friends and family. I’m not great with it, but I try to Facetime with friends from back home once a week & make one social plan during the week. I usually convince my friends to do something active: Psycle (duh) or a walk in a park and then tie in a dinner or beer in a pub (yes, I do drink beer)!
We associate the term ‘athlete’ with sports, but really, anyone who is excelling and pushing the boundaries of their life is a form of an athlete. You can be a corporate athlete in business or a creative athlete in the arts, so why should we treat our bodies any differently than sports athletes do?
You are exercising a muscle too: your brain, which is the most dense and most complicated muscle in our entire body. So if we want to excel in life and be able to take on more we have to be willing to fuel ourselves the same way sport athletes do.
I would love to hear what habits you swear by or have tried that have helped you live a more fulfilling life so comment below or send me a message