6 Powerful Ways to Beat Stress and Prevent Burnout

Photo by Christian Erfurt on Unsplash

As the country emerges from its holiday haze, it’s back to real life. Boardshorts are packed away and replaced with chinos. Flops make way in the cupboard for heels & daytime naps become a thing of the past.

Many people struggle to get back into the swing of things. And as soon as you’ve made your way through your unread emails, the paperwork is piling, deadlines are approaching & the risk of burning out lies just around the corner.

To make sure a burnout doesn’t make its way onto the list of things you’ve accomplished in 2020, learn how to beat stress; by reading this article.

1.    Unplug and Switch Off

You might think that playing games on your phone or mindlessly scrolling through your social media feeds is a good way to destress, but it’s not. Our SmartPhones are merely a distraction and a huge source of stress in its own right.

If you can’t switch off completely, aim to limit your time online. Social media apps such as Facebook and Instagram have settings that allow you to enter your daily usage limit and, when that time is up, they notify you so you can log out.

2.    Catch some Zs

It’s a fact: when you’re tired, you’re more susceptible to feeling stressed. And when you’re stressed, you struggle to sleep. How unfair is that? To keep your stress levels at bay, try and get a good night’s sleep—we’re talking between seven and nine hours—as often as possible.

If you struggle falling asleep, try going to bed earlier, breathing exercises, listening to soothing music or podcasts and drinking caffeine-free teas that promote sleep. The best teas to help you sleep well are:

• Chamomile
• Valerian
• Lavender
• Lemon balm

3.    Change your Diet

According to this article, what you eat not only has a huge impact on how your body manages stress, but certain foods can actually cause it. Foods such as white flour, salt, sugar, processed meats and caffeine can contribute to your overall levels of stress.

Thankfully it’s not all bad news! Food such as nuts, red peppers, salmon, spinach, oatmeal and even dark chocolate have stress-relieving properties. Simply swap out one of the “bad” foods for one of the “good” foods and you’ll soon start to feel less stressed.

4.    Take a Break

Everyone needs a break every now and again to rebalance, recentre & refocus. Whether that break is in the form of a long weekend at home, a quick trip to the local spa or even an extended stay at one of the continent’s best private island getaways is up to you.

Taking time off is good for your health and wellbeing, in more ways than one. Going on holiday is scientifically proven to reduce stress, improve sleep, increase productivity and even reduce the risk of heart disease. Time to start planning that holiday, friend.

5.    There’s an App for That

If you think you’ll struggle to put down your phone, use it to your advantage. There are countless apps that have been developed to help people beat stress and navigate their lives.

Apps such as Worry Box act as an online journal while apps such as Breathe2Relax teach you how to breathe your way through stress. Other popular apps to help you cope with stress include:

• Headspace
• GPS for the Soul
• Pacifica
• Happify
• Stress Doctor
• The Mindfulness App
• Personal Zen

6.    Try your Hand at Meditation

This last way to beat stress is not for everyone, but it is incredibly powerful. Contrary to popular belief and media portrayal, meditating consists of far more than sitting cross-legged in complete silence. Don’t allow its misconception to stop you from giving this stress-busting technique a shot.

In fact, one of the best parts about meditating is that there is no one way to do it. From yoga to spiritual practices—there are many  different forms of meditation. Find the one that best suits you.

Final Thoughts

Burnouts have such a scary name for a reason. It can jeopardise your entire career and potentially wreck your personal relationships. And stress can be a killer—don’t let it drag you into an early grave. Work at preventing stress and burnouts as far as possible & use the powerful ways listed here to beat it when it does rear its ugly head.

Have you ever had a burnout? How did you deal with it then and how do you prevent one from happening now? Leave a comment in the section below. You never know, it might be exactly what someone needs to read.