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5 Tips forAvoiding Burnout
I know a woman who is teetering on the edge of burnout or perhaps even a breakdown. She’s a wife, mother of three young kids and works full-time in a stressful job. She’s had to add some personal stress to her plate and she needs a break. Her biggest complaint is that she never has a moment to herself. She works all day and cares for the house and kids after work and on weekends.
I remember times in my own life where I pushed myself until I either got sick and had to stop due to intervention by my body or I got depressed and had to stop. I finally realized that I was the only one who could change my life. I couldn’t control anyone or anything except myself. I could control how I responded to stimulus and I could set boundaries around stimulus. I did change my life and I’m healthier in my 60’s than I was in my 30’s. Here is what I learned:
1. Rest
I’m a type A+ personality, always thinking, doing and overachieving. When I was younger I pushed myself hard and thought sleep was for the weak. It wasted my time. I had too much to do!
One day I figured out I was sleep deprived and started researching sleep studies. I found that lack of sleep can accelerate aging and put us at risk of a myriad of health problems. I decided to start getting eight hours a night and made a huge discovery.