I recently reached out to my social networks and asked what they had been told to do to manage their stress and burnout. Here are the things they shared with me:
- Beer
- Coloring
- Wine
- Chocolate
- Video Games
What is interesting is there were comments of how these recommendations felt more like a temporary bandage and less like a solution that really helped them. The problem with coloring books, alcohol, chocolate, bubble baths, etc. is they are not long-term solutions and they do not address the problem the person is experiencing.
- Coloring is not going to change the fact your boss is concerned about your work performance.
- Alcohol is not going to help you deal with a coworker who you think is undermining you.
- Chocolate doesn't make a difficult patient any easier to deal with.
- As much as I love bubble baths, it won't make the excessive overtime I am doing any better.
So what exactly can you do to better manage stress and burnout? Here are a step-by-step guide to help you stop using bandages so you can begin making shifts in your stress and burnout.
1. Recognizing what exactly is causing your stress and burnout.
Burnout and stress at work are individual to each person. By recognizing what is creating your burnout and stress, you can then begin creating a solution to deal with it.
Start by writing down on a paper all the reasons you are stressed at work and see if there is a common theme or a pattern (coworkers, job performance, leadership, etc.)
2. Problem Solve for the Real World, Not the Perfect World.
One thing I see a lot with my clients is they want to solve for the perfect world where they don't have a condition that limits their activities. Or where everyone acts in a way that makes them happy.
Once you pick the area you want to work on, take a new sheet of paper and start brainstorming on ways you can address this issue. The key thing is your solutions have to be things you can do and cannot involve changing another person.
If it's a job performance issue, it may be meeting with your manager or mentor for specific ideas of how to improve. Or maybe you want to find a job that allows you to work more regular hours, you might begin to apply for new jobs.
3. Commit to doing it for 30 days.
This is the implementation phase where you take the solution you created from the a plan and move forward with it.
Create your plan on how you are going to do your solution and STICK. TO. IT. everyday for a month. No if, and, or buts.
4. Evaluate
The final step and the most important step is evaluation. A lot of times people like to skip this step, but it is crucial to help you know what you did well and what to do differently to be more successful next time.
Sit down and ask yourself these questions.
1. Did your plan work? Why or why not?
2. What did you do well?
3. What didn't you do well?
4. What are you going to do different next time?
Now that you completed your evaluation, start over with step one and see if there is another area you want to focus on and repeat the same formula.
XOXO,
I believe in you and your possibilities.
Mary B.
P.S. We are starting the 30 Day Resiliency Challenge in the Burnout Ward Facebook Community. It's 100% FREE and it's not too late to join, so what are you waiting for? Click here to join.
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