We’ve talked about how to monitor for signs of burnout in yourself and your colleagues.
Now, in honor of Entrepreneurs’ Day, celebrated on Tuesday, 11/17/2020, let’s take a look at how those running their own business can focus on self-care.
We would be remiss if we didn’t highlight the most important step first – check with your health professionals! It’s important to make sure you’re on track with seeing your Primary Care Physician (PCP) regularly and checking in with a mental health professional if you’re feeling like you might be reaching a limit in what you can handle on a day-to-day basis.
Revolutionize rest – consider taking the last 10 minutes of every hour to move away from your desk, phone, all devices, to practice mindfulness techniques and self-care. Refilling your water, taking a bathroom break, writing down three things you’re grateful for today, and meditating to clear your mind are a few ways to build a routine around rest during your workhours. After work, be mindful of boundaries around engaging with colleagues or on projects and be sure that you’re getting enough hours of sleep each night.
Open up to your trusted relationships – filling your downtime with warm, loving interactions will provide a protective barrier against how much burnout is impacting you in general. If you can, talk through the issues that you’re experiencing that are causing you stress, whether it is long hours on the job, being cooped up during COVID, or interpersonal concerns related to everyone being on edge. It’s best to ask if they’re open to listening, without offering advice, and if they have the capacity to be that person for you during this time. Feeling pro-active about burnout? Offer to be this person for your loved ones!
Listen to music while you work – we recently expanded on the benefits of playing some tunes instead of ignoring what is happening in the background noise. Explore different playlists and styles of music to find out which ones are the best fit for different tasks – one type might be best for responding to emails in bulk while you prefer another while you’re writing blog posts.
Work exercise into your day – when burnout symptoms are present in your team, encourage dedicating a few break times each day for those interested to take a walk around the building (or their neighborhood, for those working from home). Imagine the bonding that could take place if team members go for a quick 5-10 minute walk while on a conference call together. Your mileage may vary depending on weather – we’re loving the cool mornings in Scottsdale for our walks, ourselves!
Laugh more – find ways to incorporate humor into your day, even when it doesn’t feel natural. Watch a comedy to unwind instead of a dark, horror show. Supplement your news intake with some satire – sometimes that dark humor is what takes the edge off and reminds us that we’re not alone in our feelings during these times. Save a meme that makes you chuckle and forward it along to someone close to you to put a smile on their face.
