Do you need some tips and hacks to soothe or prevent “Burnout”?

Is your life like this:

Ugh! I just can’t keep going like this!

I want to do this work—I Love this work! But my energy is in the tank, and I have to try hard just to care!

I don’t have time to eat the right food…It seems I just work all the time…

My dinners are always late (if I cook)—because I can’t get home in time to cook!

Any spare time I have at home I need to spend cleaning…

I never have time to do “fun” things…

I never have time to just relax!

I wake up too many times in the night…

I don’t sleep well when I do get to sleep…

And I sure don’t have time to work out!

And I’m totally worn out all the time!

Is this my life??

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Would you like to change this?

Everything works together. 

Our food fuels our bodies and our minds with good nourishment.  It gives us strength and energy.  It helps us think. 

Our sleep allows our bodies to recharge, ridding itself of the stresses of the day, and building reserves for the next day’s challenges. 

Moving our body well during the day allows our muscles to build strength; it puts oxygen into our blood; it lubricates our joints so they can work good; it clears our thoughts, and rejuvenates our brain; it increases our dopamine levels so we have a better attitude.  It works like medicine to make us feel better.

When we’re overstressed, we confuse our brains until we can’t think things through correctly.  We can’t react the way we normally would. We are tempted (and usually carry through) to just keep pushing through task after task—so we can get done… but we never get done…  We forget appointments; we work through meals or work while we eat. We don’t take breaks—no time.

          This affects our eating habits, it affects our sleep, and it robs us of any time we might have had to re-charge during the day.

Also, Caring, good-spirited, encouraging, people around you help build your thoughts to a little bit higher level.  They help your heart to be lighter.  They help you feel good.  They make a great difference in your life.

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What will your future look like if you continue “running on empty” until you can’t;

if you work through meal time, until you run out of all the energy you have; and don’t take time to plan your eating so you don’t have quality food prepared or ready to prepare; you eat junk because you feel it’s quick…(well, it is…)?

if you continue starting each day with little sleep and less energy?

if you continue having no time to enjoy your home-time?

if you continue crashing in your chair in the evening because you have no energy—as opposed to having some time to take a relaxing walk or doing something outside?

Really.  What will your future look like?  How long will your body and mind let you keep on, in this trend?

Over 90% of the major illnesses and diseases in our country are caused from the way we live our lives.  It’s a scientifically proven fact.  From cancer to Alzheimer’s to diabetes to heart disease, to arthritis…and so, so many more!

So Think about what you want your future to look like.  Let’s talk about some possibilities.

Health, right?

Energy?

Less Stress?

Body (and mind) working the way it was created to work?

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 Food:

Let’s see what food does for us…

Good quality Real Food is medicine and healing for our bodies.

Would you like that?

If you were able to plan ahead for one meal for the next week, what meal would it be?  Which day could you make plans to eat that meal?  Would it be a mid-day meal, or dinner?  What would you eat?

So.  Plan the meal. Plan what you will want to eat.  Make a list of the groceries you’d need to buy, and which day you’d want to buy them so they’ll be fresh. (I use “grocery pickup” to save time and energy.) 

Maybe the morning before the meal, you could get some of the ingredients organized to help you with timing that evening.

It makes a difference when you get home to cook in the evening, if have some of the ingredients out and ready, and when you know the rest are there ready for you to use.  Sometimes I even get the cookware out and ready.  Those things—if you have a plan—take 3-4 minutes of your morning.

If you only did one home-cooked, at least semi-healthy meal for the next week, would that be better than you’ve been doing?  And if you cooked enough, you’d have left-overs for a second day, with maybe just adding a vegetable for another good meal, etc.  (And I don’t call them left-overs; I call them pre-prepared food!)

If you could do that, I’d say you have a Victory!!  You can enjoy that victory each week.  And after some weeks, you might find you could add one more meal.

Now, you’re on a path to eating better!  On a path to making your body stronger and more resilient.  Before long you’ll be able to tell that your digestion will be better and if you keep it up, other symptoms of malnutrition will begin to fade away.

You’ll never have to be perfect.  If you don’t get it done like you planned, give yourself some grace.   It’ll be ok.  Then eat some more good, nutritious food.

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Sleep:

Benefits of good quality sleep: it regulates our brain function, helps stabilize our mood, heals our body and brain, and prevents disease.

Could you get outside for a few minutes, in the early sun?  That’s a good way to start your circadian rhythm, to let your body know it’s morning, to get the rhythm started, so it will be ready to look for the night-time signals.

Continue to work diligently during the day, but give yourself breaks.  Taking a short “get up and walk around a little bit” break every hour would be wonderful during the day.

Enjoy your caffeine in the morning—leave it off in the afternoon.  And just leave off the energy drinks totally.

Eat dinner as early in the evening as you can.  2-3 hours before bed if possible.  It makes a difference.

Make a list of things you want to accomplish tomorrow.  It’s also good to make a list of things you’re thankful for.

Talking or working with finances or serious matters, take care of as early as possible in the evening.  And morning is actually best, if sleep is your priority.

Blue light work and play/social media (phone, computer, TV) off at least an hour before bed.

Develop a night-time ritual.  This will teach your body and mind that at this time in the evenings, it’s that time.  Time to wind down and relax.  Move slower, dim lights, relax as you get ready for bed.  Feel at peace.

Your bedroom should be dark and quiet.  If there are electronic lights, do your best to cover them; and temperature-wise, cool is better than warm.

These practices should help you begin to train yourself to have good quality sleep.  If you can’t do them all at once, do one thing.  Just pick one thing and try your best to do that one change every day.  And if you miss a day, just make it a point to not skip two in a row.

One of the best tips for sleep is to feel at peace and thankful at bedtime.  No alcohol also helps your sleep.

Try one or a few of these tips for Better Sleep.  Challenge yourself.  Then after you get used to that and are forming it as a habit, pick another one.  Before you know it, you’ll be sleeping better, truly resting your body.  And you’ll be feeling better.

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Exercise:

It improves our mood, helps prevent dementia, makes new brain cells, improves bone strength, and helps you sleep better.  It helps our skin to be clearer; helps us breathe better; improves our digestion; keeps our heart pumping strong; it relaxes our mind and keeps our joints working.  Strong muscles and bones help us live healthy longer.

If we’re working and living a productive life, behind a desk, or in a professional atmosphere, or just about anything else, none of us “have time” for exercise.

But our bodies need to move.  A LOT.

You can use online programs.  You can use video of any kind.  You can do walking programs, dancing programs, or any kind of more in-depth exercises, according to your level of ability and what you want.

But we all need to be exercising in some way.  If you use walking, outside is best.  Mornings outside = great.  A relaxing atmosphere is good.  Anywhere is good.  We just need to get our body moving.  Our health…Our Life depends on it. 

The BodyGroove app is good—it’s dancing with your own vibe.  Bloom Young app is good—it has levels from very easy to hard.  Both of these work great in your living room.  There are so many other good ones on YouTube—any kind you’d like.

And there’s nothing wrong with just plain walking.  Consistently.  These aren’t just “good ideas” to “help you”; they’re things that actually change your life and your health.

Our bodies were made to move, and we can not protect our health without it.  Make it a determination that you will move your body—a lot, every day.

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Stress:

So, we need stress.  But we have ‘way too much!  Stress is very detrimental to our health—it can actually kill us if left unchecked.  If you calm your mind, you heal your body.

One of the best remedies for over-stress is Meditation.  There are many tips and hacks to alleviate too much stress.  But meditation seems to be the most powerful antidote.  Reduction in your over-stress improves your immune system.  Helps you sleep better.  Meditation boosts your serotonin (the happy mood chemical), and increases your productivity.  It calms you down, helps you focus and learn, enhances your memory.

Have you ever tried meditation?  I think you’ll be surprised if you try it.  Just taking a few minutes—even 5 minutes, to just “breathe” and concentrate on your breathing, will help you.

If you’d like to do actual meditation, there are lots of apps that can help you.  Headspace is one.  Calm is one.  Muse is one.  Soultime is a Christian app. 

Most watches or rings that track your fitness have meditation apps included.  The Oura ring for example, has meditations built in the app, from guided meditations to “body scanning” to breathing.

Improved sleep at night helps your daytime stress level.

And again, I suggest you give yourself breaks during the day to just change the scenery from what you feel you should be doing.  Just get up and change what you’re doing.  For just a few minutes.

Especially if you work in any kind of healthcare or any type of work where you give care to other humans, where you give…give…and GIVE of yourself until there’s nothing left to give.  It makes it SOOO much more important to give yourself a break—a few long, deep breaths in the quiet, in between each client/patient if you can, but otherwise, as often during the day as you possibly can.  Some Kind of Break.

You’ll be able to think better.  You’ll begin to feel more relaxed.  You’ll be more ready for your next appointment.

Walking is also good for your stress.

Quality music is good for stress.

Leaving off eating junk (standard American diet) is good for your stress.

Plan something fun.  Maybe even once a month—more often if you can.  If you can’t think of anything, believe me, it’s time you made something up.  An outing with a friend.  A date night with your someone special. Even just a hike with a group.  A cookout of hot dogs even.

Take a day off.  I’d say a good goal would be once a week.  If that’s totally impossible, I’d still make it a goal, and take a day off in a month, or every two weeks, then work your way up to once a week.  Don’t spend that day cleaning house—unless you love cleaning house.

Spend some social time with someone you enjoy being around.  You’ll laugh, and enjoy the break.  Do this as often as you can.

The main point here is to give yourself some space.  Space to see who you are as a person—without all the 100% work and pushing through.

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So we’ve covered the several hacks for the Four Main Lifestyle Issues that will affect your Burnout: Food, Sleep, Exercise and Stress.

Which one is most important?

They ALL work together.  There truly isn’t ONE that’s most important to everyone.

If I had to choose one thing that’s most important, it would be TWO; Well, three.

1.     Give yourself some space—to breathe, to think, to consider your life, and who you truly are. And

2.     Put yourself in the company of good people.

3.     Believe in a Higher Power.

Then, choose some of the other tips, and go all-in with your changing process!

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These things I’ve mentioned are some thoughts and ideas for making your life better, for feeling good and for being healthier and more relaxed.  It’s a very brief recipe for a better life.  A longer life.  A healthy and calmer life.  A more enjoyable and stronger life.

There are other very important things that would help; some of them are:

Drink lots of water;

Drink green tea;

Surround yourself with caring people;

Journal about your life;

Be thankful for things every day;

Be social as much as you can;

Trust in a higher power, and pray in faith.

This is by no means an exact recipe for the life you want.  Everyone is different, and has different needs and priorities—and different lives.  But these will make a good start for you.  A very few changes like some of these can change your whole life.

If you dedicate yourself to making your life different, you’ll learn you can enjoy living.  You’ll look forward to your days.  You’ll look forward to your workdays.  You’ll be more relaxed.  You’ll be able to see yourself as relaxed.  And you’ll be relaxed.

It takes time and willingness to make these changes.  And time won’t just come and sit down beside you.  You’ll have to figure out how to carve it out.  And figure out which changes you want to begin with.

Most people have a hard time making changes on their own without support and accountability.

If you’re ready to make some changes and need help figuring out your path to change your life, I, as a health coach, can help you find your path, help you stay on track while you’re forming new habits, and I’ll help you recognize if those plans need tweaks along the way.  

Little bitty changes make huge differences when they’re done consistently. 

And with your coach, it will always be:

Your choices;

Your path;

Your timeframe;

Your Victory = Enjoying your Life without Overwhelm.

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I am offering a Coaching Special through the month of May. 

          Sign up for a (free) 30-minute coaching session with me.

After that if you would like, a 4-week coaching series will be available to you, to guide and support you to a relaxed and enjoyable life, and at a reduced price.

Your initial 30-minute coaching session will give you a personalized strategy for going forward.

Click here for your FREE 30-Minute Personalized Coaching Session.

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Thank you for reading.

Blessings for your Health…

Sharon