Tips To Avoid Burnout

Your mental health significantly impacts your physical health, and too much stress takes a toll on both. Chronic stress can lead to a weakened immune system, tummy troubles and even interferes with weight loss. 

Some stress in daily life is unavoidable, but being in a constant state of stress is unhealthy, and eventually leads to burnout. Whether it be for your weight loss journey or life in general that’s pushing you over the edge, we’ve got some tips on how you can avoid burnout. 

We know exercise is necessary for optimal general health and wellbeing and that’s because there’s some science behind it. When we exercise, we get a short-term spike in the stress hormone "cortisol", followed by a reduction and an adrenaline boost. 

There’s a reason people go for a walk or jog to “clear their mind”, exercise creates more blood flow to the brain, so afterwards you truly are able to think more clearly. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to relieve feelings of stress!

Easier said than done, we know, but negative thinking can trigger feelings of stress, and when we’re stressed, we think less rationally.

Cognitive activities like journalling or simply venting our frustrations on pen and paper engages the logical and rational parts of our brain, helping us to think more realistically. If you struggle to get in touch with your emotions, you might just benefit from scheduled sadness.

Breathing exercises and meditation can reduce our cortisol levels, so practicing mindfulness through self-care, or engaging in a slow morning can help soothe us.

Another effective self-soothing technique is having a good cry. There’s a reason our body responds to certain situations with tears, and it’s always better to let it out. Crying releases stress energy and increases endorphins!

Burnout can sneak up on us, and if you can’t pull yourself out of it, it could be an indicator that something in your life needs changing. If stress is interfering with your quality of life, then do some self-reflecting and seek support. Stress can be a silent killer, so it’s important to recognise when enough is enough!