Week #18: Starting to run out of steam? A few ways to refresh your energy
April 30, 2006
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This Week's Topic: Starting to run out of steam? A few ways to refresh your energy
Dear Friend, Do you sometimes feel like you
are balancing more responsibilities or rarely have to time to catch
your breath? If you are not intentional about giving yourself a break,
an overloaded schedule and an overdrive mode of operation can leave you
feeling burned out. Have you begun to feel that way in some area of
your life? Perhaps at work or in a relationship. Even extended periods
of financial stress can leave you feeling burned out. This
week, I'd like to challenge you to take a break, lighten your load and
ask for help if you need ot. Here are a few of the signs that it's time
to do something different:
- Loss of motivation - You don't feel like doing things you usually love to do
- Feeling that too much is expected of you
- Irritability and mood swings
- Inability to concentrate on work
- Feeling resentful of your work
- You haven't had a vacation in over a year
If any of these signs look familiar, consider these strategies this week to regain your strength, passion and motivation. 1. Take a break
It
is important to your health and well-being to take regular vacations.
That means twice or more per year, you should take a stretch of time
(one week or more) to simply relax and rejuvenate. A long weekend away
can boost your energy as well, but be sure to take a week or more off
to slow down, clear your thoughts and enjoy time to focus exclusively
on what brings you joy. When you step away from the routine of life,
you gain perspective. 2. Evaluate your life
Your
vacation should not be the only time you focus on joy in your life.
Often, we become burned out when we forget to enjoy the journey. By
focusing exclusively on the goals we seek for the future, we can forget
to appreciate our present moments. Ask yourself, "What brings me joy?"
Then add more of it to your daily work and personal life. 3. Celebrate your milestones
If
you are driven and focused, you likely accomplish a great deal on a
regular basis. This is terrific. However, if you do not take time to
celebrate the milestones on your journey, your spirit can become worn
out by the constant drive with no reward. Celebrate your progress
often. You may not have reached the big goal, but taking consistent
steps forward is something worth celebrating! 4. Focus on slowing down
In
our fast-paced, high-tech world, it seems we move at a faster and
faster pace. Keeping up can leave you burned out. It's like taking your
car to 100 miles per hour indefinitely. It wouldn't be good for your
car - and it isn't good for you. Everything in life is not an
emergency. So don't treat the things that can wait as though they are
just as important as the things that really can't. 5. Change your routine
Sometimes,
you can get burned out from simply doing the same thing day in and day
out. From time to time, change up your routine. Go out instead of
eating in, or stay in instead of going out. Try a new way of
accomplishing a project at work or tackle the project you've been
procrastinating about. If your life calls for it, make a major change.
Severe burnout may be life's way of telling you that it's time for a
new job, new career, a new city or a new way of living. Follow your
intuition and be open to change. Journaling assignment:
In what way are you feeling overloaded or burned out right now? What could alleviate that feeling and leave you feel refreshed? My challenge to you this week:
Take a measurable step to refresh your energy, lighten your load or ask for help.
Until next time ... Warm wishes,
 P.S. Encourage your friends and family by sharing this newsletter and invite others to subscribe! Just send them to
www.valorieburton.com, where they can enter their email address on the home page. Valorie
Burton, a life coach and speaker, is the author of Listen to Your Life,
Rich Minds, Rich Rewards and her latest, What's Really Holding You
Back?. She coaches groups and individuals to live their best lives.
Learn about her coaching groups and subscribe to her FREE,
inspirational e-newsletter at www.valorieburton.com.
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