Dealing with the pressures of everyday life can leave us feeling a range of emotions, from grumpy to more than a little overwhelmed.

Finding enough time to spend with friends, attempting to keep up with a healthy diet — these can be minor stressors that dampen our days. However, our personal lives could face even more serious issues like financial strain, living with a chronic illness, raising little children, etc, which can be incredibly difficult to maneuver emotionally.

Likewise, pressure that stems from working in high-stress environments, working long hours or even working at a hated job, can easily lead to emotional burnout.

Emotional burnout is the body’s reaction to prolonged stress in personal or work life. It's constantly feeling worn out, overwhelmed or chronically fatigued. This burnout can very strongly impact daily life, behavior and our most cherished relationships. 

Due to extreme fatigue, it requires extra effort to overcome emotional burnout. This is why practicing appropriate self-care to avoid exhaustion from constant stress at home or in the office is absolutely important. Here are quick tips to avoid emotional burnout:

 

1. Take a break Give yourself a break, literally! Whether it is making time out everyday, away from disturbance, to do something you enjoy. Or taking some time off work (where possible), to take your mind away from the stress.  Using this time to reconnect with friends, watch a movie, engage in a hobby, anything that takes your mind off pressing issues can immensely beneficial to your emotional and mental health.

2. Speak to someone you trust

Catching up with friends or family, sharing jokes, reminiscing and perhaps even having the chance to speak about whatever issues might be troubling you, within a trusting, judgement-free and safe environment, can be very important in relieving stress.

It might not necessarily provide a permanent solution to issues-at-hand, but it can allow for a needed break and a great distraction.

 

2. Know when to set boundaries

Being the friend everyone can unload their emotional baggage on, or the colleague co-workers and managers can trust with an increasing workload, might seem initially laudable, but can have a negative emotional impact in the long run.

This is why to prevent emotional burnout, knowing when to turn down the demands of friends who try to pile you on with their additional emotional needs, or colleagues who attempt to rope you into extra, demanding work — is very important for mental health and wellbeing.

 

5. Try a healthy diet

It's always a good time to switch up your diet for a healthier, balanced alternative. But when your emotional health is concerned, the importance of fruit, vegetables, lean meat, etc, in the right proportions becomes absolutely necessary.

 

6. Take the time out to exercise

In addition to the many benefits of exercise for the body, fitness plays a powerful role in improving mental and emotional wellbeing. While observing any physical activity, the level of endorphins and serotonin in the body increases.

Endorphins, the body's natural "feel-good" chemicals, are great for pain relief, as well as boosting happiness. Serotonin is another happy chemical that can improve the mood and promote happiness.

Beyond these emotion-boosting chemicals, exercise also acts as a great distraction from whatever stressor is dampening your emotions.

 

7. Ensure you get enough sleep

There’s a reason a good night’s rest is always recommended to reset the body to its optimal settings. Sleep is directly linked to the mood. Depriving your body of enough rest can be a catalyst for increased stress on the mind.

However, sometimes emotional stress can stand in the way of getting a good night’s rest. In such circumstances, cultivating healthy sleep habits –like avoiding gadgets and keeping regular hours – can help in getting the required hours of sleep.

 

8. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness techniques like meditation, yoga and breathing exercises have been proven to reduce stress. Mindfulness is especially important in preventing emotional burnout, as it requires complete focus on the present, taking your mind away from anything potentially stressful.

Another mindfulness technique: keeping a journal, could also help you make sense of, and rationalize your emotions when you consistently put down your thoughts.

 

9. Meet with a professional

In addition to giving yourself a break, eating a balanced diet, exercising and making other lifestyle changes, seeking professional help to assist with navigating through the difficult aspects of emotional strain and mental stress, can be a deciding factor in preventing emotional burnout.

Professional help can come in the form of therapy, applied relaxation techniques etc. These can provide the required help to get through a stressful period.

In these uncertain times, it is normal to feel overwhelmed over the future of your health, employment, finances or the wellbeing of your loved ones. Constantly worrying about these aspects of life can have a snowball negative effect on your emotional health, eventually leading to a burnout. This is why practicing appropriate self-care tips: exercising, taking breaks, eating healthy etc, must be observed to prevent emotional burnout.