Recharge Your Energy and Beat Burnout…
One of the symptoms of burnout is a constant feeling of energy depletion and exhaustion. Being physically fit isn’t enough by itself for you to avoid, what the WHO define, as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress.
Our energy comes from four main springs: the body, emotions, mind and spirit. In each area energy can be recharged with specific behaviours and habits.
When we need more energy it is often the physical that we first think of – we should be fitter as well as improve our sleep and what we eat. It’s true that exercise, sleep and a healthy diet are the three pillars of good health. And it’s absolutely important that we pay attention to all of these if we want to feel at our best.
Matthew Walker, in his book, ‘Why We Sleep’, would argue that sleep is the most important and “the best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep”. Walker also recommends other habits to incorporate into our daily routines (and not wanting to sound like the fun police) include limited caffeine and alcohol consumption – caffeine stays in the system for twelve hours and alcohol is a no-no. It’s somehow both a sedative and stimulant and on those days when you want to prioritise sleep it’s best to give it a miss completely.
Emotional energy is something that is often overlooked - we perform at our best when bursting with positive emotions. Working remotely has made many people feel more isolated and it has added barriers to random acts of kindness, so we have to make an extra commitment to it.
Displaying gratitude has been shown to decrease depression, work as an antidote to negative emotions as well as increase empathy and self-awareness. It also helps us recognise the beauty of simple, every day things.
It can though be easy for other little things to send you into a downward spiral – traffic jams, being late, spilling your (one, early in the morning) coffee, Zoom crashing, people not getting back to you – before you know it you’re in a bad mood!
One of the great benefits of a daily gratitude practice is that you force yourself into a positive frame of mind – you build awareness of your emotions and reactions to everyday occurrences. Start viewing each challenge as a learning opportunity – when people don’t respond to you, you are building resilience!
When we are low on mental energy we can feel overwhelmed and drained. Our responsibilities and problems seem impossible to overcome and it’s difficult to make decisions and concentrate on the task at hand. Adam Grant, the organisational psychologist, quotes research that we check email on average 74 times a day and switch tasks every ten minutes.
Meditation has been described as exercise for the mind and helps us build awareness of thoughts as thoughts and not to be overrun by them. It also teaches us to be present in the moment and when that thought appears that nags you to check your email and change tasks you can smile, notice it and carry on with the job in hand!
No matter how much you sleep, how many miles you run, how well you eat and how often you meditate, you’ll experience natural ebbs and flows in your energy throughout the day. Those are your ultradian rhythms. You can match them to the work you choose to do – the difficult task you’ve been putting off for ages when your levels are high and the simpler one when they are low, such as email.
Why is it our best ideas come to us in the shower or on a walk? It’s scientifically proven when not actively thinking, the dominant left hemisphere of the brain gives way to the more creative right hemisphere with its greater capacity for ideas and imagination. This is why it’s important to build in breaks for rest and recovery - take a walk and, of course, baths and showers (including cold ones!).
Spiritual energy is our energy of purpose. When we are low on it we might ask ourselves, ‘what is it all for?’ People tap into this energy of the human spirit when their everyday work and activities are consistent with what they value most and with what gives them a sense of meaning and purpose. This is why volunteering is proven to boost wellbeing and people also find it in religion. If the work really matters, we typically feel more positive energy and demonstrate greater perseverance.
But this also adds pressure – if you work in the sector for one of many inspiring organisations, you can assume you have this energy of spirit. But we are human and we will have dips and that’s okay, it’s normal. We can revisit our values, understand what’s important to us in life, help others, be kind to ourselves and ensure we find time to connect with our passions.