Rise or Sink?

Are you actively boosting your resilience??

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week!?

What a great time to be giving your resilience a boost to rise with resilience!

Let's avoid sinking into overwhelm and burnout at all costs!??

Yesterday 85% of you voted in my poll that you would be interested in workshops or resources to build resilience and prevent burnout in your organisation.

This is excellent news that boosting resilience and so preventing burnout is on your radar......

Particularly during Mental Health Awareness Week and that The World Health Organisation (WHO) officially classified burnout as a medical diagnosis.?

The International Classification of Diseases defines burnout as:?

??“A syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”?

A definition is great…

However……

It’s so important to know the signs so you can nip it in the bud if you notice it in yourself or in any of your team:

Burnout is traditionally diagnosed by four symptoms:

1. Feelings of energy depletion, exhaustion and fatigue.
2. Increased mental distance from your work.
3. Feelings of negativism or cynicism related to your job
4. Reduced professional efficacy.

The Mayo Clinic identifies add a few more of the common signs as to how burnout shows up in reality:

1. Headaches and muscle aches
2. Upset stomach
3. Fatigue
4. Anxiety
5. Irritability
6. Lack of focus
7. Changes in diet and eating habits
8. Angry outbursts
9. Social withdrawal and isolation

How many of these can you tick if you are being truly honest with yourself?

Oh my! I’ve had a few in my time…

This? is why I am so passionate about helping organisations and their teams working within it to ‘rise with resilience’!

What if we changed the narrative?

We stepped off the treadmill and took a breather?

Scary? Concerned if you get off it you won’t be able to get back on it again??

What if this could be your defining moment?

?? You start to experience joy again?

?? You start to sleep through the night again? No more waking up at 0400 wondering how you’ll get through the day!?

?? You get out of bed with a spring in your step?

?? You are more present with your family?

It’s so easy to reframe ‘burnout’ as ‘stress’.

Sadly from my experience working with organisations, there can be a lot of shame around burnout.?

Some organisations don't even want to acknowledge they have it in their organisation as it might indicate they are not looking after their staff properly.?

This is while individuals don’t want knowledge for fear of burnout being seen as a sign of weakness ‘surely I should be able to cope better than this!’

What if we reframed it?

That? our? body is giving us signs to inform us that we need to step back a little bit….?

Like a warning light on our car dashboard telling us we need to refuel!?

A bit of stress is good for us - it's not great when it becomes excessive .

Here are my top 20 tips to boost resilience to send the risk of burnout packing:??

1. Set Boundaries:?

Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to prevent overwork and ensure time for relaxation and rejuvenation. Take the email app off your phone!?

2. Practice Self-Care:?

Prioritise self-care activities such as exercise, meditation, and adequate sleep to recharge both physically and mentally. Even a few minutes of stillness calms the brain.

3. Ring fence your relaxation time.?

Create more of what gives you joy - even 5 mins in the garden with a cuppa. Block off time in your calendar first before you fill it with meetings etc.

4. Practice gratitude

This is for the smallest thing - such a that cuppa.? Gratitude reates endorphins and calms the brain, we can’t feel anxiety or overwhelm when we are feeling grateful.

5. Change your thinking

See ‘negative’ emotions as a barometer to learn about yourself and as normal to pass through our body so they don’t fuel stress.

6. The power or curiosity

Move from self judgment, criticism and comparison to curiosity instead - ‘what do I need to do next to feel better?’

7. Notice the story

If you feel stressed seek the real facts not the catastrophe that you might be creating. Often we feel stressed by our thoughts, not the reality!

8. The power of choice

Notice the choices you are making - are they supporting you or adding to your stress?

9. Focus on what you can control

Focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t! We can’t control the weather - we can control that we wear to combat/ enhance its impact!?

10. Sleep

Take sleep as seriously as your work.

Wind down an hour before bed and charge your phone outside the bedroom - this stops scrolling before sleep! We need to sleep to clear our brains of a protein called amyloids which is thought to contribute to Alzheimer’s.

11. Focus on your fuel

What you eat and drink affects your stress levels. We are what we eat! Even mild dehydration can flood our body with cortisol.

12. Take Regular Breaks:?

Incorporate short breaks throughout the day to rest and recharge as this improves focus and productivity.

13. Delegate Tasks:?

Delegate tasks when possible to lighten your workload and prevent feelings of overwhelm.

14. Manage Time Effectively:?

Use time management techniques to prioritize tasks, set realistic goals, and avoid procrastination.

15. Seek Support:?

Reach out to friends, family, or colleagues for support and encouragement during challenging times.

16. Communicate Openly:?

Express concerns and challenges with supervisors or coworkers to address issues before they escalate.

17. Set Realistic Expectations:?

Avoid setting unrealistic goals or expectations for yourself, recognizing that perfection is not attainable.

18. Engage in Positive Activities:?

Engage in activities that bring joy and fulfillment outside of work, such as spending time with loved ones or pursuing hobbies.

19. Monitor Stress Levels:?

Stay mindful of stress levels and recognise warning signs of burnout early, taking proactive steps to address them before they escalate.

20. Be SOBER

This stops overwhelm in its tracks:

S Stop

O Observe what’s going on

B Breathe - 3-4-5 - breathe out longer than in?

E Evaluate - What’s going on

R Respond?

So which one are you going to focus on today?

Want to know more?

Let’s discuss a Lunch and Learn in your workplace!?

Let’s speak or DM me - Discovery20?

Here’s to your confident, resilient leadership as you rise!! ??

Take care?

Lizzy x