The Sixth Thing to Focus on Is Recovering From Stress

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If you get better at saying no, putting up boundaries, you're going to have more time for yourself. But what are you going to do with that time? You need rest to fully recuperate. Put in your diary. We put our work commitments in our diary because we're prioritizing them and we know we have to do them. It's a very simple move that can be really, really effective. And it's something you can work on and get better at with practice.

Burnout is a type of chronic, unmanaged stress that has significant consequences for our physical and mental health. It’s characterised by feeling exhausted all the time, with no energy for everyday tasks, and little enjoyment in everyday activities. A survey by YouGov for the charity Mental Health UK in 2020 found one in five people felt unable to manage pressure and stress levels at work. Other research found that 88 percent of the UK workforce has experienced burnout since 2020.

It’s staggering statistics like these that led me to record this bonus episode. It’s a different format from usual: rather than a conversation with a guest, this is my take on what burnout is, why we often don't recognise it until it is too late – and why I believe it’s so important that each and every one of us is aware of it.

Many of us think we can keep pushing day after day, week after week, without any consequences. But we can’t. What I have seen time and time again is that this constant pushing always come back to bite, it is just a case of when. Many of us are on the road to burnout without even realising it. In the past, we might have thought of burnout as a phenomenon that only affected high-flying CEOs. But it’s fair to say the world of work has completely transformed over the past few years. Pressures on everyone are through the roof, no matter what your paygrade or level of responsibility. Add to that the rise in home working, the cost-of-living crisis and the fact that boundaries between work and home have become increasingly blurred means that it is something that more and more of us are experiencing.

In this podcast, I outline 7 signs that may indicate you are on the road to burnout: things to look out for in your mood, your behaviour, your habits and your health. I then walk you through 10 practical tools you can think about introducing into your life that will quickly start to help. I truly hope you find this episode helpful and, of course, if you know someone in your life who could benefit from listening, please do share this episode with them.

PLEASE NOTE: the signs I mention in this episode are very common and are not exclusive to burnout. If you have the odd sign and it is short lived - please do not worry - we all will experience some of these signs from time to time. Just be mindful if these signs are becoming longstanding. Also, please note that some of these signs can also be found in a variety of other conditions, for example, depression. If you have any concerns, please seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional ***

***DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard in this podcast.

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