Burned Out?

by Dr. Robert Swain

Q. Am I burned out or overwhelmed?

A.  These terms are often confused.  Burnout is when you think there isn't much left to do except keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Sometimes you feel pessimistic about the future, detached, or disengaged.  Not a great place to be.

When information, requests and tasks that demand your attention fly at you from every direction, you become overwhelmed.   The to-do list never improves, and the smallest of demands make you unable to cope.

With the advancement of digital information network we all tend to get overwhelmed at times. First you must assess your situation and then manage it.  To assess your situation consider these questions — Is the overwhelming primarily internal?  How are you really spending your time?  How organized are you?  How do you view your state of being overwhelmed?

Here are some strategies you can take to turn the situation around. 

1.  Manage your health.  Once you take control of your health with proper nutrition and exercise you, become healthier and more resilient.  You become better able to cope on every level — physically, socially, professionally and emotionally. 

2. Manage your moods.  Watch how you respond to others when asked to do something. 

3. Slow down.  By slowing down and focusing on only one task at a time, you will increase your capacity to be more productive and actually get more done. 

4.  Recognize your limits.  By realizing you cannot do everything you are asked, you keep yourself from becoming in a state of burnout. 

5. Respond more thoughtfully to requests.  When asked to do something you have four choices.  A. Yes. Sure I'll do that.  B. No. Sorry I can't do that.  C.  I won't be able to do that but I can… ( counter offer)  D.  I'll get back to you.  (Committing to commit to a future time.) 

6.  Take it off the list.  Remove items from you to-do list that are constantly being moved to the next day or week.  They're not that important. 

7. Delegate. Self  explanatory. 

8.  Improve processes.  Install better and more productive procedures that will ultimately save you time. 

9. Engage pros. Time management, organizers, etc. 

10.  Take time for renewal.  This is the most important information.  Slow down occasionally.  Make a reasonable schedule for your time. 

Lena Horne said "It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it."  Control the overwhelming obstacles in your life now before they become burnout.

Answers to last months state quiz: 

Rugby, North Dakota is the exact geographic center of North America.
First coca cola was in Georgia (1886). 
Illinois is most corrupt state in the union. 
Maine is largest New England state.

New Quiz.  These are giveaways. 

1.  Which state has the largest economy?
2. Which state has parishes instead of counties.
3. If you spent 10 minutes in each store in this mall it would take you nearly three days. 
4. The smiley J was first used in 1980 by what computer scientist at Carnigie Mellon University. 

Good luck. 

As always if you have any topics you would like to read about please email me.  Thanks and have a Happy Holiday!!!