FIVE WAYS TO HELP MANAGE STRESS & BURNOUT

Stress is a common and natural response to challenging situations and the demands of life. Everyone experiences stress differently.
Stress can trigger our "fight-or-flight" response, releasing hormones like adrenaline, prompting us to take action.
Short-term stress can be a positive and motivating force to help us overcome challenges.

Stress rarely shows itself overnight but rather, gradually builds over time. We can be impacted by stress a little or a lot every day, and unless we manage the stress, the effects accumulate within us and can gain momentum.

In today’s world, there are often many roles and responsibilities to juggle. We might be able to juggle well for a while, but over time, the weight of stress might become too much or it might be that one thing happens, which causes a tipping point.

Prolonged stress can impact our daily function, our health, our sleep, our relationships and our work.

When stress continues for long periods of time without addressing the cause and symptoms, or without taking the time to recover and recharge, stress can significantly affect your wellbeing.

Recognizing when we are feeling stressed is one of the first steps to help manage stress.

Signs of stress might include;

Irritability and Impatience
Burnout and Fatigue
Headaches and Mental Exhaustion
Muscle Tension
Difficulty relaxing or switching off
An upset belly
Increased heart rate
A lack of concentration or ability to make decisions Constant worry
Difficulty sleeping
Difficulty maintaining healthy eating Withdrawing or avoiding others
An increase in the use of alcohol or caffeine.

5 Coping Strategies:

We cannot control others and we cannot always control stressful situations, but we can utilise strategies that can help us build resilience and how we respond to stress in our lives.

1. Have a Daily Self-Care Routine: Can include:

Getting enough sleep, eating well, daily exercise, creativity, music, gentle movement, or a brisk walk, daily meditation and mindfulness, gardening, take regular short breaks through the day and short daily ‘brain-dumps’ through writing and journaling.

2. Breathing and relaxation techniques can help prevent negative, long-term effects of stress.

Two Breathing Strategies to help calm your nervous system:

4-6-8 Breathing

Inhale for a count of 4.
Hold for a count of 6.
Exhale slowly and fully for a count of 8. Repeat for 5-10 rounds of breath.

Relax Your Jaw Breathing Technique

Pause. Inhale deeply through your nostrils. Hold for a count of 1 or 2.
Exhale slowly and fully as you relax your jaw. Repeat for 4 rounds of breath.

3. Reframe negative thoughts.

4. Take Short Breaks During the Day

Small pauses during the day can help prevent stress from continuing to build. Stepping outside, stretching, or taking a brief walk can help reset the mind and body.

5. Boundary Setting

If you are feeling stressed or burnt out you might need support, direction or personalised strategies to cope, please reach to me.