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The following article was published in Your Health Magazine. Our mission is to empower people to live healthier.
Monica Marusceac, owner
Prevent Holiday Burnout
NOVA Hypnosis and Wellness
. http://novahypnosisandwellness.com

Prevent Holiday Burnout

In the DC Metro Area, we are always trying to do more and be more to everyone, aren't we? For some of us, the focus is our work helping humanity; for others, it is a commitment to our family and friends. For others, the focus is taking our business to the next level, and the next, and the next.

But what is the price of consistently exerting such super-human effort?

Burnout

Burnout is best described as a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion brought on by excessive and prolonged stress. You can think of it as an accumulated need for rest after months of pushing beyond one's normal limits. When the emphasis between achievement and rest, and between outward and inward focus is out of balance, burnout soon follows.

While the term “burnout” usually refers to occupational burnout, generalized burnout can occur as well. At the root of generalized burnout is stress in combination with the lifestyle of “high achievers.” Many high achievers try to exude a healthy, highly-efficient demeanor, while under the surface feeling a deep sense of exhaustion. Too little sleep, not enough restorative physical activity, insufficient mental white space all decrease our overall ability to respond appropriately to the demanding events in our lives, resulting in feeling depleted, spent and “burned out.”

As December approaches, how many of us high achieving Northern Virginians are approaching burnout and are ill-equipped to navigate upcoming holiday stressors after a year of pushing ourselves past the comfort zone?

Does This Sound Like You?

I find myself feeling stressed or irritated when others make even simple demands of me.

I seem to be running just to stay still doing more but achieving less.

I seem to forget things more than usual.

After I sleep, I wake up feeling tired.

I feel weighed down by responsibility.

These five questions, inspired by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), can give you an idea of whether you might be approaching burnout yourself. Burnout is a multi-faceted condition and, while there is no one-size fits all solution, reliable tools do exist for preventing burnout.

Breathe Differently

The way we breathe can affect whether or not we interpret situations as stressful. Diaphragmic breathing (i.e. belly breathing) stimulates a relaxation response in the body, releasing feel-good hormones such as endorphins and turning off the stress response. Meanwhile, chest breathing stimulates the stress response, releasing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Hormones color our perception of our environment and influence our classification of events, people, conversations, etc. as negative, positive or neutral.

The Rule of Two

Many of us have “To Do” Lists that are a mile long, don't we? In his book, The 4-Hour Workweek, author Tim Ferris challenges readers to identify two “To Do's” a day as “Top Priority” and to avoid tackling non-essential tasks until those two top priorities have been completed. Non-essential tasks are tasks that do not contribute directly towards completing those top two priorities. That means not cleaning out your inbox, not doing your laundry, and not organizing your closet until after those two “Top Priority” tasks have been completed.

Take Back Control of Your Mind

Stress only exists if we perceive it as stress, especially as negative stress. Studies have shown that hypnosis is an excellent adjunct therapy for changing our perception of our environment and preventing burnout. By taking back control of your perception of your environment, you can insulate yourself from the demands of modern life and remain focused on what keeps you balanced, thriving, and free from burnout.

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