If you are unable to detach yourself from work even when you take breaks or you find yourself constantly thinking about goals, then you’re likely a workaholic. These persistent thoughts are indeed good for the growth of your business but not for your health.
Being a workaholic means that you’re already at great risk of suffering from insomnia, heart-related issues, anxiety, depression, and even struggle with self-acceptance. To avoid burnout, we have devised some tips and tricks for you.
1. Change Your Perspective
If your job is making you a workaholic and you’re not even enjoying working, then the best option might be to change things up. Perhaps this involves finding a new callingr simply reorganizing your schedule. If you’re becoming very work-obsessed, find positive improvements to implement that will make your work/life balance easier, and focus on the things you enjoy. Doing so will remind you of the purpose of this, and change the way you look at your job; you’ll finally treat it as work and not a matter of life and death.
Work you’re not passionate about can often become the reason for burnout. So, one way to combat this is to make friends at your workplace. This will reduce the monotony of work. The most important thing is to indulge in activities that keep reminding you that you have a life outside of business. Only then, your whole perspective of looking at things will change for good.
2. Ask For Help From People
A workaholic struggles to depend on others or delegate. They tend to believe they must be monitoring their business 24/7, or the business will be at a loss. However, the excessive stress of this is more likely to lead you to make errors. In these situations, it may be time to relinquish some control. If you struggle to find reliable help, you’ll seek comfort when you ask a trusted legal team for advice. You can’t be everywhere all the time, and sometimes, you also need someone to look out for you, to have your back if you make a mistake. In times like these, seek legal help to achieve the best outcomes.
You can also ask for help from people closest to you. Your close ones will be happy that you finally trust them with your business problems and are not letting the work-related issues get the better of you. Lastly, you can turn to your staff and give them more responsibility and even seek advice from other business owners who may have suffered from similar problems at one point or another.
3. Set Priorities
Don’t give yourself more than required. This will leave you physically and mentally drained. You should know when to set some boundaries and take time off. Learn to decline the things that don’t align with your goals or negatively affect you in some way.
Set half an hour each day to focus on yourself, and polish your creative side. You can devote this time to self-care or any other activity you enjoy other than work.
4. Don’t Compromise Your Diet And Sleep Schedule
A healthy body has a healthy mind and needs nutrients to function. Workaholics are notorious for overdosing on caffeine. Don’t do that to yourself. Reduce your sugar intake and junk food like pasta, preservatives, unhealthy fats, and french fries. These foods are responsible for ruining your mood and not only give you a sudden burst of energy but also make your energy levels fall dramatically. So avoid consuming these foods.
Replace these foods with healthy foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like walnuts, fish, and seaweed. Moreover, workaholics also turn to nicotine as a temporary fix to calm their nerves and reduce stress. The calming effects of 5 minutes cost you a lifetime of anxiety and depression. So, it is advisable to reduce nicotine levels in your diet.
Another vital aspect to combat burnout is to get enough sleep. Give yourself enough time to prepare yourself for bed and sleep comfortably. Without sleep, you cannot function properly. A lack of sleep also results in digestive problems and mental health issues.
5. Be Strategic
If you’re a business owner who is consumed by ordinary tasks, then who will plan the leading strategies and ensure the smooth running of your business. Who will take care of the actual managerial tasks of a business? Hire qualified people to do the day-to-day work, allowing you to focus on the big tasks necessary for business growth. Do yourself a favor and ensure you’re taking the necessary measures to sustain the whole company.
Take a moment to pause and think about your performance. Change the way you think, and through some assessment, determine what operations will benefit from an upgrade. Monitor the tasks taking the most time and energy to avoid overworking. Schedule your tasks and meetings and do whatever it takes to be practical and innovative in everything you do. Introduce the people working under you to assistance programs and training so they can also learn to do things in a more efficient way.
Always remember that big things lie ahead when you set your priorities right. So, think out of the box and don’t be afraid to take calculated risks. Never underestimate the initiatives you take, and don’t let anyone else underestimate them either.
6. Exercise
Exercise is important to recover from overworking. Exercising in nature, specifically, is linked with reducing anger, confusion, and depression, increasing your decision-making power. When you’re constantly working in an office, you’re barely moving your body. The maximum body movement you’re doing is grabbing your lunch or walking to a conference hall, and that’s about it. This lack of body movement and unhealthy lifestyle may lead to heart problems, obesity, and back pain.
You can start with small exercises that require limited body movement. Gradually, you can start working out daily as this will reduce heart problems. Exercising will also keep you mentally fit, increasing your capacity to work more.
Running is the best form of aerobic exercise. Do it for 10 – 20 minutes daily to achieve the most benefits. Secondly, weight lifting is the best example of anaerobic exercise. You can start with small weights and gradually work your way up. Doing so will develop your muscles and shape your body. You should also consider different stretches to maximize your body’s flexibility. Finding time to fit in little exercises throughout the day will help you sharpen your mind for work and relieve stress.
The tips mentioned above will change your lifestyle and help improve burnout dramatically. You need to understand that your health is more important than business. Statistics state that people with a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of heart disease by 60-70%. Now, this is your reminder to step back and think of yourself.
