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Avoiding The Burnout Trap

Written by: Lisa Whaley

Article Overview: We live in a fast past society with more demands on our personal and professional lives than ever before. If we're not careful, we will find ourselves trapped in burnout feeling like there's no escape.

Avoiding The Burnout Trap

Several years ago, I sat in my car with the garage door closed and turned on the engine ready to end it all. A marriage on the rocks, an out of control pre-teen daughter, a sick father, and a super-demanding job that I dedicated myself to as a workaholic, had all caused me to neglect even my own health--and had driven me nearly to the unthinkable.

Two last-minute thoughts gave me the courage to turn off the engine, call a hot line, and live to write about my experience. The first thought was for my 12-year-old daughter, who, coming home from school, would have been the one to find me slumped behind the wheel. The second was for my own example as a role model to so many others who looked up to me.

I document the very real dangers of corporate burnout in my first book, Reclaiming My Soul From the Lost and Found. I document the role that technology plays in the burnout trap in my latest book, Prisoners of Technology - Time to get UNPLUGGED!

10 guiding principles to maintain a healthy work/life equation:

1) Be yourself and don’t try to be someone that you’re not. Success is not dependent on who we are as much as on what we do. As we get older, faking it, or trying to create a different personality, can require an exhausting amount of energy, and inevitably lead to failure.

2) Set realistic goals for yourself that aren’t in conflict with your personal values. Goals can keep us moving forward in the right direction, yet they shouldn't clash with one's individual standards and priorities. For example, set as a goal not to accept a job that requires a lot of travel, if your personal values require you to be home in the evening with your children.

3) Be confident on the outside even though you may not be on the inside. Career growth can occur only when we push ourselves out of our comfort zone. Don’t act overconfident, but behave as though--and say--that you can handle new challenges.

4) Be passionate about what you do, both in your work life and your personal life. Given the number of hours we spend at work, it’s important that we feel enjoyment and a sense of pride and passion about what we do. If not, find another line of work.

5) Take charge of, and responsibility for, your own career and your own life. Be proactive, not reactive, on a personal level. Don't let outside actions and events alone dictate your decisions. Measure your progress toward the realistic goals that you have set. When reverses and disappointments occur, adjust your goals accordingly but keep moving toward them

6) Develop marketable skills that can be of value both inside and beyond your current workplace. Today’s business environment demands that you continually develop new skills with an eye to their marketability inside your company and elsewhere.

7) Have a work-life support network and use it. Networking is a powerful tool. Don't be afraid to ask people to be your mentor. Have at least two supporters in your personal life and two in your business life. Utilize them. If you do not have such a support team, you have work to do.

8) Make time for yourself. Schedule your calendar to make sure you have sufficient hours for your own relaxation. Remember, you are the most important person in your own life. Whether it’s a hobby, exercise, meditation or just getting your nails done, take time to enjoy your own company.

9) Celebrate successes and learn from failures. Even small milestones should be celebrated. Robert F. Kennedy said, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” There is no shame in failing or making mistakes. Just don’t make the same mistakes over and over again.

10) Enjoy life. Have fun. Tomorrow isn’t promised to you. Do not let work consume your existence. Whatever you want to do in life, do it now.

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