How to battle burnout and get downtime

If you have ever experienced burnout, you know that it’s not a fun thing to deal with. Burnouts basically happen when you’re constantly under stress mostly at work or school. You get physically and mentally exhausted and it’s hard to concentrate on your work and be as productive as you usually are.

The pressure of it all can overwhelm your body so it’s important to find ways to deal with it or even better, ways to avoid it altogether. Here are some of the ways you can handle a burnout if you ever experience it.

Time management is an important aspect of life. You need to keep time in everything you do in order to be as productive as possible. Here in Africa, however, many of us operate on ‘African Time’ where we leave everything to the last minute.

When you translate this habit to the school or work environment, you end up bulking all your work and rushing to finish it all at the last minute. The end result is usually mental as well as physical fatigue. Always ensure that you keep time to avoid problems that come with procrastination and lateness.

Work policies usually protect workers’ wellbeing by giving them vacation days. The main purpose of them is to help you recuperate so that you can be more efficient when you come back after the break.

No one is Superman so we all need those days off. Forcing yourself to constantly work will slowly but surely wear you out. Vacation days are just as important as workdays, so always keep that in mind to prevent burnouts.

While you work or embark on major projects, it’s important to take breaks during the day. If you’re constantly staring at a computer, spare some time away from the screen so that you can give your eyes a break.

If you’re constantly sitting down, go for a walk and stretch your muscles for a few minutes, then come back and resume what you were doing. Taking breaks is like taking mini-vacations to help your mind and body release some tension and stress.

Identify things that you like to do that are not work-related. If you enjoy bike riding, painting, meditation or even going to the gym, make them a priority too. These activities are important because they help you maintain a healthy mental and emotional balance, which is essential for your wellbeing. The main thing is to identify healthy ways which you can release some of that work or school-related stress. These always work best.

The purpose of building relationships with people around you is to have someone you can rely on. We sometimes struggle with different problems, so talking it out is crucial. Consider getting a therapist, counsellor or even have friends who can be there for you. It’s not embarrassing to have a counsellor who you talk to from time to time because having someone who can listen to you and help you through hard times is vital.

The best time to deal with burnout is before it happens. When it starts to manifest, you’re able to see some warning signs. You might notice that your productivity level has gone low or that you’re making many mistakes at work for some reason. You might even realize that it’s hard to concentrate and you barely get any sleep at night.

One way of arresting it before things get worse is by keeping a journal. Writing down your day to day experiences will help you avoid this kind of stress when you notice certain patterns and trends that often trigger your burnout.