Importance for a moment of self-reflection TO AVOID STRESS OR burnout
In our professional careers and personal lives, it’s important that we find the right kind of balance to ensure that we are performing at our optimum best.
If you have not taken a moment to think about this, today onwards, take a minute or two to ask yourselves these simple self-reflecting questions:
Am I alright?
How is my mental wellbeing? Is it good?
Am I taking care of myself ?
Am I doing enough to exercise self-care?
Do I smile a lot?
If you’ve answered yes to all of the above – kudos to you! Keep doing what you’re doing.
In contrast, ask yourself:
Have I lost myself ?
Have I become tense at work or with family and
friends?
Do I get triggered off easily?
Have I become irritable, cynical or critical at
work or at home?
Do I frown a lot?
If you’ve answered yes to some or worse still, yes to all, then you must do something now before it is too late and suffer from what many know as burnout. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.
It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.
If you fall into this category, understand this first – you are not alone.
Whatever field you’re in either at work, at school, and even if you are a stay-at-home-mum or dad, burnout can happen to any of us.
Be it in result-driven, deadline-driven, high-performing fields and teams, you need to muster up the courage to raise your hand and ask for help.
Don’t hide it. Rather talk about it, share it with a loved one, a colleague, talk to an expert, your HR manager, your leader.
Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist, Mar Cabra, led the technology and data work for the Panama Papers investigation.
Because of the overwhelming work pressures and perhaps her personal life she suffered burnout as a result.
Today, she leads The Self-Investigation, a foundation that provides a variety of services aimed at improving media professionals’ well-being.
Some of her tips on helping media professionals avoid or overcome the burden of stress that could lead to burnout are also useful in other areas of profession.
They are:
Physical and mental stress
Adequate water and nutrition
Sleep, napping
20-60 minutes of regular restorative or other
movement outdoors
Breathing exercises/meditation
Unplugging from devices
Social-emotional rest
Positive social interaction Affection
Emotional release
Creative and spiritual rest
Nature
Art and images
New and current hobby
A fulfilling activity – volunteering
You can also add prayer to either of the lists, as it is a powerful tool that helps rejuvenate your thoughts for self-reassurance.
So today, when you wake up in the morning to face the day, ask yourself: Am I okay? Do I need me-time? It isn’t selfish, it’s self-care. This can lead to a fulfilling life and enriching life. And if you want to climb up that ladder of success, you will need it.