I once knew an airline pilot that told me he never worked a day in his life. He loved flying so much he would have just about paid them to let him fly. Unfortunately most of us experience some kind of burn out or periods of severe let down in our jobs no matter how much we may enjoy them. Here are five tips to help you avoid total burn out.
Tip number one is to be sure to get enough rest. The mind is the first to go. It demands a certain amount of sleep and down time to properly function. Each of us has a different sleep pattern. Get to know yours and stick to it. Every once in awhile we may need to deviate from our usual sleep pattern but try not to do it two nights in a row. Listen to your body. If it craves a mid afternoon nap then do it. If necessary reserve ten minutes of your lunch hour to put your feet up and close your eyes.
Tip number two; take a day and approach your job as if it is your first day on the job. Look at everything with fresh eyes. Pretend you are your trainer for the day. Ask yourself questions like “why do we do it that way?” Try to come up with a different or better way of doing what you do every day. Try writing everything down in a journal and discuss it with your co-workers or supervisor. Another way to stimulate your thoughts is to pretend you are the supervisor or even the president of the company and write a new business plan or mission statement.
Tip number three; take time for regular exercise. You don’t need to go to the gym several times each week. Start with some light exercise for ten to fifteen minutes each morning. Park the car at the far end of the parking lot or get off the public transportation one stop early and walk briskly. You will be amazed at the transformation that just a few minutes of exercise each day will provide. Your body is second only to your mind in giving you that extra edge you need to improve your job outlook.
Tip number four is to set some stretch goals for yourself. Is there a part of your job that requires a certain amount of work to be done? Try extending that amount just a little. Perhaps you can set some personal goals outside of work. These can take any form. They can be relationships. study, spiritual or financial. These goals do not need to be difficult. Be easy on yourself, at least at first. Make them fun and attainable.
The last tip is the most extreme. Sometimes we may need a change of venue. However, remember the old story about the frog that never jumped until he had another Lilly pad to land on. This should be a long range goal. Start by researching what you might want to do. The internet is a wonderful place to find out about anything. Do you need training? Do you need financial backing? What about equipment? Remember, the process of researching a problem or plan can be the catalyst for improving our situation right where we are. We may find that the grass is pretty green right where we are.
