Recognize – do not blame – change! Against an emerging or actual burnout syndrome, there are some significant rules of conduct for self-therapy. If from the compulsion to prove oneself, inner emptiness up to the feeling of not being able to get out of a perplexing situation alone arises, one speaks of a burnout syndrome. To change this pathogenic motivation, there are 12 golden rules of self-therapy, which teach the affected person to see life with different eyes and to recognize his misbehavior – without blaming himself for it.
12 tips against burnout
Dr. Vinzenz Mansmann, a long-time anti-stress expert, describes 12 golden rules to prevent burnout and treat it yourself:
- Denial is taboo. Trust your body’s intelligence. Admit to yourself the stress and constraints that have manifested themselves physically, mentally or emotionally.
- Change life circumstances. If your work, your relationships, a situation or a person makes you unhappy, try to change the circumstances or leave if necessary.
- Avoid over-commitment. Pick out the areas or aspects where you overcommit most violently and work toward “depressurizing.”
- Avoid isolation. Don’t do everything on your own! Make or renew close relationships with friends and people who are good for you.
- Stop being overprotective. If you habitually take problems and duties from other people, learn to politely refrain from it. Try to make sure that you yourself are also treated in a caring way.
- Cut back. Learn to delegate, not only at work, but also at home and among friends.
- Value change. Try to separate the significant values from the transient and fluctuating – the important from the unimportant. You will save time and energy.
- The courage to “no”. You reduce your excessive effort when you stand up for yourself. This means rejecting additional demands or claims on your time or feelings.
- Personal pace. Try to live a balanced life. You only have a limited amount of energy. Determine what you want and need in your life, and then try to balance work with play and relaxation.
- Attention body. Do not skip meals, do not torture yourself with strict diets, give in to your need for sleep, keep doctor’s appointments. Be sure to eat a healthy diet.
- Deal with worries and anxieties. Keep worries that lack any reasonable basis to a minimum, if possible. You will get a better handle on your situation if you spend less time ruminating and more time taking care of your real needs instead.
- Keep your sense of humor. Laughter is the very best cure for burnout. Breathe in and out mindfully 3 times a day and smile gently to yourself as you exhale.
Seek professional help for burnout
If you feel you are heading for burnout and do not feel able to break the vicious cycle on your own, do not hesitate to seek professional help.
