How to Prevent Emotional Burnout and Relieve Stress

Emotional burnout can be defined as the difference between perception and reality of your life experience. An idealist meets up with the harsh realities of life, and crashes in a nosedive of frustration and crushing disappointment.

Most experts tend to agree that while there might be several different causes of burnout, the underlying problem is psychological rather than physical. It may be a feeling of helplessness or the feeling of loss of control. Even though it is thought to be a psychological problem, burnout can have physical ramifications such as fatigue, irritability or depression, lack of concentration, insomnia, self-doubt and anxiety. It may even manifest as physical ailments such as allergies, digestive issues or headaches.

To overcome burnout, you need to create an environment for your body, whereby it can recuperate and mend.

A change in diet can definitely help to repair a damaged system. Try cutting back on sugar and starchy foods like bread, rice and potatoes. This step alone, should help your energy levels to rise. You will soon find how much starch and sugar you can eat until they start to negatively affect you.

Emphasize the slow burning fuel of protein and the healthy fats found in foods like cold-water salmon, mackerel, trout and tuna. Cold-pressed oils like flaxseed, olive and safflower, along with nuts and seeds are also beneficial.

Rest and sleep is the key to recovery or preventing burnout. Get extra rest, whether in the form of extra sleep at night or a short daily nap. Sleep is generally restorative, so aim to get at least 8 hours per night. Meditation exercises may help you fall asleep faster as well. Look for meditation tapes and CD's to guide you into a restful state.

Exercise is an antidote to stress. Use some type of physical movement or stretching to change your energy. Even at the office, the simple act of getting out of chair, stretching, and going for a short walk, can rejuvenate you. Keep a comfortable pair of walking shoes at your office or in your car to make a quick stroll at lunch a convenient option. Aim for 20 minutes of walking at a time.

Surround yourself with the soothing scents of aromatherapy essential oils. Two of the most popular and relaxing scents are lavender and vanilla. These aromas can instantly take you to a state of relaxation, and restore your mind and body. Keep a small tube of lavender scented hand lotion at your office and give yourself a quick one-minute hand massage whenever you feel stressed. Use reed-diffusers in your home that have been filled with aromatic essential oils to create a calming atmosphere. Place a few drops of lavender essential oil on your pillowcase at night to soothe you to sleep.

Plan to decompress when you get home from work. Create a ritual in which you engage in the same healthy activity every day. This may include meditation, taking a hot bath, doing a puzzle, or engaging in your favorite hobby. When you practice this ritual daily, it will become part of your routine and normal.