Avoiding burnout in business: how to stay healthy and productive
The CoachLab.hu Executive CoachI am delighted to share with you my advice and experience on avoiding burnout. In today's business world, constant stress and high expectations can easily lead to burnout if we don't pay attention in time. Below I detail how to stay healthy and productive in the face of everyday challenges.
Waking up at dawn and having trouble sleeping are common signs of burnout.
Many managers wake up early and are unable to go back to sleep because of the myriad of thoughts that await them that day. If this happens to you often, try to do quiet, calm activities such as a short walk, meditation or light reading. These activities can help restore your calm and you may be able to get back to sleep. A further solution, and the one that worked best for me, is to get up, don't stay in bed and toss and turn, go for a walk instead. It's fine if it's at dawn, it's quieter and a pleasure to walk, and even if it's dark. Of course, those who like to run or other forms of exercise to relax and recharge, they do it.
It's OK if he slept less that day, he'll make up for it the next time he sleeps. 🙂
If the problem persists, it is always worth seeking professional help, as the quality of sleep has a profound effect on daily performance.
When we are struggling with illness, we often feel that we don't have time to rest because our work demands our presence.
This is particularly true for people in management positions, who have many responsibilities. However, it is important to listen to our body's signals. If it's a simple cold, you may be able to work from home, but if you're dealing with a more serious illness, you should stay at home and rest. Health is a priority and in the long run the company is better off if a rested and recovered colleague returns to work. Remember that our own personal and workplace effectiveness is at its best when we are well ourselves.
Meeting deadlines is important in business, but striving for constant perfection can easily lead to burnout.
We often find ourselves in a situation where we have missed a deadline but are still not satisfied with the material. It's worth reminding ourselves that time and energy are limited, and that we should focus on efficiency rather than constant rework. Realistic self-criticism is important, but accept that everyone can make mistakes. One of my clients, a corporate executive, reported that when she accepted that not everything could be perfect and focused on more important tasks, her performance improved significantly and her stress levels decreased.
Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining physical and mental health.
I often hear from my clients that they can't make time for training because of their busy work schedules. (I'm a firm believer that everyone has time for what they want to have time for, or what they want to make time for, we are happy to help with focus or time management in a coaching process.)
Exercise (and there are many kinds of exercise) increases productivity and reduces stress in the long term.
One of my clients, who used to exercise daily, neglected this habit because of work, and as a result her health and work performance deteriorated. After reintroducing regular exercise into her life, she not only felt better, but also worked more efficiently.
Rather than skipping meals, plan ahead and eat healthy, energy-dense foods that will help you maintain the right energy levels throughout the day.
Constantly saying yes to every request can quickly lead to burnout.
Learn to say no and draw your own boundaries. One of my clients, a middle manager, always said yes to every task she was given because she was afraid that saying no would disappoint her colleagues and superiors. But the constant saying yes made him so overwhelmed that he ended up suffering from severe burnout.
Once she started to consciously say no and set priorities, she noticed that not only her own well-being improved, but also her work performance. In addition, more and more people could count on him because he was not only getting on with his tasks, but he was completing them on time and to a high standard, and he was also spending more time on building internal relationships with his colleagues at work.
It's important to recognise that to work effectively and to be successful in the long term, you need to learn to draw boundaries.
Work-life balance is crucial to avoid burnout.
When you get home, try to spend as much time as possible with your family and really relax. One of my clients, a successful entrepreneur, told me that she was constantly checking her email and working in the evenings, which made her neglect her family. This not only affected his family relationships, but also his mental health also had a negative impact. Once she started to consciously make time for her family and relax in the evenings, her family life and her performance at work improved significantly.
In the business world, managing feedback and criticism also plays an important role.
It is important to listen to the opinions of others, but we should not let constant criticism determine our self-evaluation.
One of my clients, a middle manager, was constantly worried about the opinion of his colleagues and superiors, which put him under constant stress.
With our help, she has learned to be selective in her criticism and to focus only on constructive feedback. This made her more confident and relaxed, which had a positive impact on her work.
Setting and tracking daily, weekly and monthly, quarterly and annual goals can help you stay focused.
Expecting too much of ourselves can easily lead to burnout. One of my clients, a young manager, reviewed her goals every night and if she didn't get everything done, she tended to work late into the night or finish tasks over the weekend. This led to exhaustion and burnout in the long run. Once he started to be more realistic about his objectives and set priorities, his quality of life and work performance have improved.
Friendships and recreation are an important part of life and contribute to mental health.
One of my clients, an ambitious careerist, had cut back on social programmes because she thought they were a distraction from her career. But this led to isolation and loneliness in the long term. Once she started to make time for friends and recreation again, she found that these activities helped her to recharge and gain new perspectives, which had a positive impact on her work, and - although not her primary goal - these relationships could also help her career plans.
If your partner complains that you don't spend enough time together, it's a good idea to organise activities and spend time together.
One of my clients, a corporate executive, often bought expensive gifts for her partner to make up for the time she missed with him. However, this did not make up for quality time and their relationship became increasingly strained. Once they started to organise activities and spend time together, their relationship improved significantly and my client became more balanced.
Striking a balance between business success and personal well-being is not easy, but it is possible.
It is important to be mindful of our own needs and boundaries, and to find the right work-life balance. If you feel overwhelmed and need help, don't hesitate to seek professional help, because prevention is always better than cure.
In the modern business environment, constant pressure and high expectations can easily lead to burnout.
However, by being mindful of our own health and wellbeing, and adopting appropriate strategies to manage stress, we can maintain our productivity and success in the long term. Be mindful of your sleep, don't be afraid to rest when sick, set realistic goals and remember the importance of exercise. Also learn to say no and set boundaries to protect your own health and well-being. their well-being and mental health.
Remember that business success is worth nothing if you lose your health or personal relationships in the process.
One of my clients, a successful entrepreneur, experienced this first hand when she was hospitalised due to the constant work and stress. This experience prompted her to reassess her priorities and since then she has been paying more attention to her health and spending time with her family.
The result is not only a more balanced and happier life, but also an even more successful business, where he is no longer just focused on chasing successful deals and getting better results every month, but also on enjoying and finding the beauty in his work and what he does. He is still a successful entrepreneur, but he can now also claim to be a successful, well-balanced private person.
Overall, striking a balance between success in business and personal well-being is challenging but not impossible, and goes a long way towards avoiding and preventing burnout. By being mindful of their own needs and limits and learning to manage stress, they can maintain their health and productivity in the long term. If you feel that you need help, don't hesitate to seek professional help, because prevention is always better than cure. A CoachLab.hu/en Executive CoachAs an individual, I am happy to help you on this journey to find your own balance and avoid burnout.
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