How do you manage burnout and emotional stress to boost creativity?

Self-awareness isn't a technique so much as a state of being which is developed over time with application and honesty. With self-awareness comes the ability to sense emotions and thoughts as they arise and thus the choice to act consciously. It is this honesty with oneself that enables one take right action.

It is important to be self aware it would help you to properly manage your emotions. You should also consider knowing your triggers as you work with your colleagues and Team.

Key to recognizing your emotions is vulnerability. Dr. Brene Brown, the expert on vulnerability, in her book "Daring Greatly", says, "Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome". Before being honest with others, we have to first be vulnerable and honest with ourselves. It is this honesty and vulnerability that enables us to truly understand our emotional state, and thus lays the foundation for effective emotional management.

When we move into a place of curiosity vs. judgement, we can enhance our self-awareness. Emotions are bad or good - they just are. Once we are in a space of curiosity about our emotions, we have increased self-awareness and can take advantage of the "space" between our emotions and what we say. It takes practice, and the cool thing is that we can grow our EQ capacity.

Expressing oneself is either done consciously or unconsciously, and the latter is often quite damaging. When done consciously it needs to be accompanied with a sense of responsibility for oneself and those on the receiving end, and yes journalling can be a great channel for release. There are also methods of anger release which can be learnt and these can be remarkably healing. Holding on to, or suppressing emotions is very unhealthy and eventually the body will find ways to express, normally through some kind of illness, so it's much better to find healthy ways to release.

Most people are scared of this element, to express themselves in a true and authentic way has been thought of as a weakness, a true Leader does so from the front and is Strong, Powerful, Trustworthy and someone you look up to. This is true, BUT a true Leader is one who cares, shows empathy, expresses emotion and is REAL, a real human first, leading by example and showing the world that together we can make it better. Everyone has good days, and bad days, recognizing this and being authentic enough to be able to express this at ALL levels is essential. Too many times I have seen CEO's who feel they are alone, no one to talk to, no one who cares, the ones everyone else looks to for answers and for their strength, bu what about them??

"Courage is not the absence of fear; courage is fear walking". expressing emotions can be scary, becuase it makes us vulnerable. it's important to understand that having fear or stress isn't a weakness but a human response. Encouraging open dialogue about these feelings in the workplace can foster a supportive culture where employees feel safe to express their feelings and thus help mitigate the effects of burnout and stress.

Conscious/intentional breathing is the most powerful way to regulate your emotions. It is especially effective because it acts immediately to shift your emotions away from being reactive to a more objective, creative, problem solving state of mind. A few slow deep breaths when you notice your emotions heating up can help you to take control of your emotions before they take control of you!

"If your emotional abilities aren't in hand, if you don't have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can't have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far". Daniel Goleman's perspective underscores the importance of emotional regulation in achieving success, beyond just cognitive intelligence.

Emotions can be triggers for us, and we want to think about how we want to show up in the moment. If we are able to step back, find the 10% of what could be a benefit of what is being said we can increase the likelihood of showing up in a constructive way. By taking advantage of tools of mindfulness and focused breathing we will be more successful in regulating our emotions.

You may never understand another's emotions. We are all unique and at the same time we are hard-wired to sense emotions in others - this is the root of empathy. Sometimes the most powerful way is just to be with another person, without trying to do anything - silence with real presence can be very healing for both parties. But if you're the person with burnout, it pays not to have an aim to try to heal someone else, this is just deflection and an avoidance of facing one's own situation. Being with someone else who has empathy and can just be with you can help lift the stress and alleviate the burnout.

empathy and active listening are key to helping understand others' emotions. notice that *problem solving* is not listed here. before you try to help solve other people's problems, first seek to understand them. you'll be surprised by how often people don't actually want you to fix their problems for them. they just want to feel seen, heard, and cared about.

Maya Angelou said it best, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Help people feel seen for their work by shouting them out. Be a listening ear when things are messed up. Influencing others starts by gaining trust. Gaining trust starts by going above and beyond for your people.

To avoid burnout, an organization require psychological safety, and a purpose that transcends individual or corporate interests. Working in an environment where we feel safe and included not only encourages us to contribute but also lets us enjoy the process and foster fulfillment that acts as a buffer against burnout. Furthermore purpose plays a vital role. When we are part of something larger than ourselves, we are motivated to contribute to a bigger picture. Lastly, overloading employees, discouraging them from taking time off, and adhering to rigid work hours, especially in today's virtual work, stifles growth, freedom, and autonomy. The equation for burnout can be expressed as the ratio of 'purpose + trust' to 'workload.'

A high salary is no compensation for burning out or worse dying early due to stress, we must remember that from whole breadth of the team, from the lowest paid to highest and everyone in between, we all have our OWN place, and our own story to write, no one can write it for you. In conclusion, lets support each other to be REAL, to be TRUE and to be able to be AUTHENTIC without barriers.

Research, which I have carried out, with teachers highlights key aspects that can be developed and enhanced using EI. To this extent, teachers in the experiment group were asked to consider their own EI over a 6 month period during their training v a control group who had no training. Results indicated that teachers used their own levels self-awareness to recognise and reflect on their teaching practices. Once these aspects of self-awareness were established, the teachers started to use strategies and skills of deep breathing and setting process goals in the class. Outside of class they started to exercise more and reflect, using a handbook, to help control their emotions and manage burnout.