Here's how you can identify warning signs of burnout and intervene early with personal coaching.

Burnout is insidious. It begins to chip away at your wellbeing slowly and persistently. Burnout happens when we become unaware of our own needs, when we become automatic in our reactions and have little resources left over to care for ourselves. Buffering against burnout is a proactive stance one can take to stay ahead of this drain. Do what makes you feel alive, name and honor your values, quiet your inner critic and remember you always have choice- that cannot be taken away from you.

We are not robots (yet). Humans need to fluctuate between moments of high-stress (sympathetic nervous system) and periods of deep rest (parasympathetic nervous system). Sympathetic stress "fight or flight" system used to be beneficial when it would give us the energy to out-run predators. Unfortunately now, it's triggered by 24/7 emails and workload. The longer we spend in this heightened state, the more "chronic stress" we're exposed to, the more likely it is we will eventually suffer burnout.

Growing an awareness about your own level of burnout takes observation and curiosity. Why am I more fatigued? What is making me cynical? Why am I short-tempered at work? Once we are aware that we may be suffering from burnout reaching out is the next step, but pride and ego often hold us back, sometimes until it is too late. Humans thrive in connection, and connecting with others is a vulnerable position to be in, because we often wonder if we are safe. If you knew you had safe confidential support with someone who is trustworthy who would guide you to be your best self, would that help? You bet it would! This is why coaching is of benefit. With coaching we encounter a thought partner who is willing to listen and simply be present with us.

As we advance in our careers saying “yes” becomes a habit. It might help us climb the corporate ladder, set us up for a promotion, earn us more dollars. But once that neural pathway of saying yes becomes the default path, we have a very difficult time saying no. And yet saying no is a vital part of self-care. It is a boundary-setting word. By including it in our vocabulary we become more decisive and ruminate less over choices. Also, setting a boundary does not require giving a reason, excuse or lie. Simply let the boundary stand alone. Try “no” on for size today. If it feels awkward it’s because you are simply developing a new neural path that will likely improve your wellbeing.

Managing time has replaced managing energy in our thought processes today. Time is limited, finite, bound to the clock. Energy is limitless, can be replenished, and is life-giving. What might it look like to switch our mindset to one that focuses on our energy: “ I have a busy day at work tomorrow and cannot possibly finish all my work before the end of the day” might become “Tomorrow has many tasks, maybe heading to bed early, packing snacks and lunch, and planning a short walk at break tomorrow will help me keep my energy bucket full enough to choose to leave at 5pm.” Remember criticizing and berating ourselves for never doing or being enough is energy consuming too.

My one suggestion that has yielded the best result for clients (base on their feedback) is to treat their own time with the same respect they treat others. Go to your calendar right now and book yourself in across the week for periods of rest or wellness. My one rule: If you MUST, you can drag and reschedule your self-appointments but you can NEVER cancel. Why would you treat yourself with less respect than you would give a co-worker? Your time is just as important.

Since it is spring time “cultivate” is a great word to use in talking about wellness. Let’s grow in our wellness, let’s fertilize and water it regularly by paying attention to what we need. Emotions arise because of needs and we, as humans, tend to have limited words for describing our feelings and needs. We also tend to demand our needs be met. Think of the fragile seedling sprouting. It should be tended with gentleness, fed lovingly, and spend time feeling the warmth of the sun. Growing wellness can be just that for ourselves: tend yourself with compassion, love and warmth. These are the first steps in cultivating self-care.

In my experience, many people try and "out-work" their stress. Those familiar with the Stress-Bucket concept will know that this isn't a wise choice. Rather than forcing wellness onto our bodies, sometimes it's about understanding how to recharge. The base of the recharge pyramid in my opinion is all around stress-management. Sleep, breathwork, mindfulness etc. Secondly, a focus on active recovery ie walking along with good nutrition practices will help recharge your body. Like all wellness attempts though, the most important thing is finding what fits your lifestyle and is sustainable.

Reflecting takes time and energy, both of which are on short order in our world today. Yet, we always have choice. Think of what can shift to give you more time to reflect. Think of how you might do it also. Is it sitting in nature thinking about a current life challenge? Is it journaling to get the words on paper in order to clear your mind. Even the desire to reflect ebbs and flows depending on mood and general state of mind. I used to think I had no real baggage to unpack until I worked with a coach and realized I had indeed been denying myself the time to reflect, the time to get to know my self better and grow in self-awareness.