Laying A Foundation Of Self-Care To Avoid Burnout
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stress is “a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives.”
Unfortunately, stress is all too common in our lives. While the WHO tells us that “everyone experiences stress to some degree,” it seems that today’s business leaders come to expect it as a normal part of their everyday life. That stress not only wreaks havoc on our physical and mental health but also leads to major unhappiness and burnout.
Conversely, I have seen clients with what I can only describe as “positive” stress. They are excited about a project, and the desire to do an excellent job is a motivator. However, if that stress becomes an overwhelming pressure that takes away from the excitement of a project, then it becomes detrimental.
Creating A Self-Care Foundation
Laying a solid foundation for self-care is fundamental in the art of managing stress.
Be aware of your physical state. In general, doctors recommend seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep a night, making healthy food choices and getting 30 minutes of exercise or movement three to four times a week. These suggestions from medical experts are widely known, but are you following their advice? I can attest to the benefits of a good night’s sleep, and my mood is always lighter after taking a walk. Simple changes to your lifestyle aimed at improving physical well-being can really improve morale and lower stress.
Right alongside taking care of your physical health comes mental well-being. Take mental breaks throughout the day. Easier said than done, I know, but see what works for you. One of my coaching clients has a daily meditation routine built into her schedule. She has a 10-minute video that she uses at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and right before bedtime. The two daytime meditations help calm her mind so that she can better process the work constantly coming her way. The videos are a “reboot” for her overstimulated brain.
Physical and mental health breaks can be intertwined. The pre-bed meditation my client implements allows her to calm down both her body and hyperactive mind after a long day—setting her up for better sleep. Walks are also good for both our mental and physical health. I have a colleague in New York who walks to her local coffee shop every day at 2 p.m., often not bothering to order anything. Just the act of escaping a workplace environment for 20 minutes and moving her body enables her to calm her mind.
Obviously, there is more to stress management than just taking care of your physical and mental self. However, by doing so, you can better manage external stress from a place of internal calm and objectivity.
The next step is self-reflection, examining previous situations in which you felt overwhelmed. What pressure points do you have that take you from excitement to dread? Were there any physical symptoms? What calmed you down in those situations?
Identifying those triggers and weaknesses allows you to notice them or see them coming in current or future projects. Then you can take steps to prevent or manage them. For example, if you are loving a project but tight deadlines are a trigger, see what you can do about tweaking it. Often at this stage, communicating with teammates and supervisors is crucial.
Turning Negative Stress Into Positive Stress
Every person and situation is unique, but I can share a few examples of how communication helped some of my clients manage their individual stress triggers:
Kensley was charged with overseeing the redesign of the company website. She was excited and proud of this major responsibility but felt overwhelmed with all the components and moving pieces that went into the project. Her brain felt overwhelmed and pulled in too many directions. She spoke with her manager, and together they broke down the process into clear and manageable steps and priorities.
Robert oversees teams that create data models for analysis. However, most of his annual projects were put on hold so that he could put out fires elsewhere, and he did not meet his year-end goals. He felt stressed about how this “failure” would be perceived, but after talking to his boss, he quickly realized that he was a valued and appreciated member of the company. Contrary to what he believed, his managers were impressed at how well he pivoted and prioritized in the face of those challenging situations. Feeling validated and appreciated reduced his stress immensely and restored his sense of pride.
Hannah felt stress with her work-life balance. She spoke with her team and supervisor and worked out a schedule in which she was able to get off work a couple of hours earlier on Wednesdays to spend time after school with her children. That one day a week of extra quality time with her family enabled her to lower stress and feel more focused on work when she was in the office.
In all these situations, communication was key. My clients laid out a foundation of physical and mental self-care, named their triggers and communicated their needs. We are all different, so by knowing yourself and engaging in creative brainstorming, you are better equipped to find a solution to your individual situation.