I want to talk to you today about something so many of us are dealing with – exhaustion and feeling worn out from all the stresses and demands at our workplaces. Do you relate? I know that feeling all too well myself.
I’ve been reading this book by Emily Nagoski called Burnout, and it really opened my eyes to what’s happening inside our bodies when the pressures just keep piling on. We’ve got this built-in system to handle stress through hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. It gives us a burst of energy to deal with a crisis or huge challenge. But if we stay in that heightened state for too long without a break, that’s when problems start.
Those hormones keep flooding our bodies in an endless loop because our systems are screaming “Danger! Danger!” That can really mess with our other biological processes over time. And we all only have so much in the tank to deal with before we’re running on empty. Job demands, feeling out of control, not getting appreciated or respected, family responsibilities pulling us in all directions – it just sucks our resilience reserves bone dry before we know it.
But here’s the key – we can refill our tanks. We just have to be intentional about taking real breaks. Schedule relaxing activities you enjoy into your calendar like appointments.
- Get more sleep.
- Hang out with people who energize you.
- Take 5 deep belly breaths. ( Do this often!)
- Go for a walk.
Those are the rejuvenating pit stops that allow our bodies to go “OK, phewww, false alarm – I can finally hit the reset button.” Then we’re not stuck going 180 miles an hour until we crash and burn in a stressed-out puddle of goo. Prioritize your self-care. You’re worth it!
Have an Amazing Monday (and everyday!),
Leanna Fredrich, Leadership, Career and Stress-Management Coach
PS: Interested in Coaching? Please email me at Leanna@amazingmondays.com