The main reason we reach burnout is sustained stress over weeks, months, and even years.
There comes a point where it becomes unmanageable for the body , and that is why exhaustion, as a form of compensation, is the result.
The stress response is designed for situations where we feel in danger or threatened, and there are three mechanisms for dealing with this: fight, freeze, or flee.
If we imagine that we have a lion in front of us, our response would be one of these three, and once we are safe, the stress level would decrease. In other words, it would not remain in our body, because the reaction would put an end to—or express—the emotion.
This is the step we are missing every time we feel stressed, the one that releases stress and lets our body know that we are no longer "in danger."
So,
How can we convey this safety message in a practical and actionable way? How can we do it today?
Understanding that stress manifests itself physically, the best way to relieve it is to respond in the same language:
- Get moving: Go for a run. Go for a walk. Take a stroll around your neighborhood. Dance to your favorite song. Do something simple and enjoyable. Send your body the message that "the emergency is over" so you can take your mind off the problem.
- If you can't do that at that moment, tense all the muscles in your body: start with your feet, legs, abdomen, arms, back, neck, and then relax them.
- Breathing exercises: as we have already mentioned, breathing is one of the first things to speed up when we are stressed. Inhale for 8 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds. Repeat until you feel calmer.
- Call someone you love: And if they are nearby, hug them for about 20 seconds. This creates a feeling of security and instantly relaxes you.
- Watch funny videos. Laughter works magic.
