5 Ways to Prevent and Overcome Stress and Burnout

Stress in your life and on the job can lead to significant job dissatisfaction and burnout, and can ultimately impact your career in harmful ways.

It's important to develop strategies for dealing with stress that enable us to face it in healthy and constructive ways. Consider the following.

Get and stay organized. When everything around us is disorganized and out of control it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Use technology and apps to your advantage to keep your emails and files organized and easily accessible. Keep a clean desk or work area. Make a plan to take on your most difficult or dreaded task first on order to prevent procrastination. Knocking off a major task early in your day will inspire confidence and help reduce stress.

Work around interruptions. Schedule your interruptions when possible by setting specific times to answer emails and respond to phone calls. Also attempt to schedule meetings during times that are convenient to your work load and also at a time during the day when your energy level is high. Meetings, especially unproductive or disorganized meetings, can certainly be an energy drain.

Breathe and meditate. Even before you are feeling stressed out develop a practice of breathing slowly and mindfully in order to refocus your attention and energy. Start a daily habit of meditation and you'll be better equipped to handle stress and anxiety when it arrives.

Watch what you eat and drink. Too much caffeine can cause you to feel jittery or anxious so if you're dealing with stress it's best to reduce or eliminate coffee or soda. In addition, alcohol can have a negative impact on your emotions and stress levels. Focus on food that energizes you and provides strength and focus. Drink a lot of water and be sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep.

Build your support system. Be sure to surround yourself with positive and encouraging co-workers and colleagues. We can't always choose who we work with but we can choose who to have lunch with, talk to over a quick break, or socialize with outside of work. These colleagues can provide great support during times of stress and burnout. In addition, don't neglect to discuss the situation with your supervisor. A good manager desires to support his or her team and can often identify changes in a process or work situation that can mitigate some of the stress, so it's beneficial to do your best to cultivate a positive relationship with your supervisor.

Focusing on these five basics will place you in a good position to deal with job stress and prevent burnout from overtaking you.

6 Practices That Will Make You More Successful Tomorrow

We all want to be successful in our lives and in our careers but sometimes we let the busyness of our personal and work lives interfere with taking care of ourselves and doing the things we need to do.

It can be easy to get off track and find ourselves filled with anxiety while we struggle to meet deadlines and prioritize competing demands.

Apply the following 6 practices to your day today and you'll have a better day tomorrow.

1. Turn off the social media. Avoid your Facebook, twitter, and Instagram accounts. These take time away from the important things and we often find ourselves unfavorably comparing our lives or circumstances with others we barely know.

2. Forget multi-tasking. Focus on only one thing and work at it until you complete it. Attempting to multi-task is a distraction and might even lead to taking a look at those social media accounts we suggested turning off.

3. Replace negative self-talk. When you're stressed out or struggling with work you can find yourself stuck in a rut of negative self-talk. You're not good at this. It will never get done. No one will like this. The self-talk can be ruthless. It's important to recognize this and replace the self-talk in your mind with positive affirmations: I've got this. I'm good enough. I'm brave and capable.

4. Take a walk outside and breathe. Get outside into the fresh air, go for a walk, and focus on your breathing. You'll feel better, more relaxed, less stressed, and ready to take on the world.

5. Eat a healthy and energizing meal. Be sure to get at least one meal in every day that consists of healthy food that will make your body feel strong and provide the energy you need.

6. Sleep. You need good and adequate sleep to be at your best. Make sure you get 7-8 hours in order to be rested and focused to start your day well.

5 Steps to Improve Your Mindset

Our thoughts and the attitude we bring to our jobs and careers significantly impacts our career success and enjoyment.

Consider the following 5 steps to improving your mindset and attitude on the job:

1. Sleep. Our attitude and mood is greatly influenced by the amount of sleep we get. In order to have a positive attitude about your career (and life in general) start with getting eight hours of sleep each night.

2. Eat well and exercise. Additionally, it's important to eat foods that energize and avoid a lot of caffeine, sugar, and alcohol. Eating well should be complemented with a routine of physical activity. Consider walking or biking to work, if possible.

3. Meditation. Take some time to meditate every morning before starting your day. It can be as simple as 3-5 minutes of standing or sitting quietly, or you might meditate on one or two things that you are grateful for.

4. Breathe. Be sure to breathe deeply throughout the day. This will help calm you and center you again on the priorities in your life.

5. Smile and laugh often. Greeting everyone you meet with a smile will not only improve your mood but also the attitudes of those you work with.

These are just a few of the many steps you can take to improve your mindset on the job and at home. Implement one or two this week and experience the difference.