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These days, lots of people are experiencing burnout and there’s no shortage of books, articles and posts about how to avoid it and maintain some balance in your life. Most advice for steering clear of burnout includes the same recommendation - that we need to unplug and recharge. While these terms are often used interchangeably, “unplugging” and “recharging” are actually two different concepts.
According to psychologist and emotional health expert Dr. Guy Winch, the reason people - including himself - end up burning out isn’t that they spend too much time working, it’s because they can’t stop thinking about work when they’re not working. Those thoughts are often focused on the things going wrong at the job, rather than anything positive, so he says it ends up being a big source of stress. To stop ruminating on work, we need to unplug and recharge.
- Unplugging - This refers to taking some kind of deliberate action to transition out of “work mode.” It involves setting clear boundaries, which Winch calls guardrails” to shift your physical and mental state. It could be changing clothes after work or leaving your designated work area if you work remotely and he recommends turning off work-related notifications and not checking work email after you unplug.
- Recharging - Unplugging is the first step, then you can move on to recharging. Winch says that involves doing something that “leaves you feeling energized mentally, and pleased with yourself for doing it.” For some, going to the gym recharges them, while making others feel anxious or drained. Whether it’s crafting, meditating, cooking, your recharging activity should make you feel good and along with unplugging, it’ll help you avoid burnout.
Source: Lifehacker
Photo: Getty Images