Help for busy families in Montgomery County, Maryland.

This year more than ever, it can feel impossible to achieve a satisfying balance in work and life. We may feel we have no choice but to hustle and stay ahead. But constantly pursuing deadlines can harm your mental and physical well-being and ultimately lead to burnout.

Not only can this harm your work life and career, but it also takes a toll on your family life. Being mindful of the risk of burnout and the measures you can take to prevent it is essential to both your overall health and the well-being of your relationships.

Monitoring Your Mental Health: Can you recognize the signs of burnout?

When you feel like work is taking up all your time and energy. And when you find that it is exhausting or mind-numbing rather than invigorating, you are likely in the early phases of burnout.

If patterns continue unchanged, you will begin to feel frustration, impatience, and even bitterness and resentment. So take steps to alter routines so you can keep on loving your work while also devoting time for yourself and your loved ones.

Mindfulness practice can help your time management. Especially if you have ADHD.

One reason burnout happens is that we are constantly racing to stay on schedule. This means less time away from work. It also means less time simply to focus on and invest in the task at hand.

Mindfulness practice can train your brain to focus. Find more about mindfulness as a coping skill here. Once you’re able to focus, it’s time to get organized.

If you can’t remember tasks or don’t have easy access to documents or information you need, you might lose a lot of time rushing around trying to find things or making up for work errors. Once you are organized, you can plan with clarity.

Be sure to prioritize your most pressing duties. When the important tasks are done, you may be able to put less important ones on the back burner. And when possible, delegate and outsource jobs to others you can rely on.

Our Licensed Family Therapists say this works in families too!

Stress busting tools for families

Different people find different activities helpful when it comes to stress relief. Some may need quiet time alone, whereas others benefit from decompressing through socialization. Others may find exercise beneficial.

Yoga is one practice that many find especially helpful when it comes to stress mitigation. Not only is yoga physically beneficial, but when combined with meditation, it also helps with depression and anxiety.

Some may also find their stress relief via tech, whether through watching entertaining videos, using social media to communicate with friends, or getting into gaming.

Healthy relationships matter! Set aside time for family and loved ones.

If you’ve had to bring home a lot of work or been working remotely lately, you may be finding it difficult to set a boundary between career obligations and family life. This puts a strain on both your job and your relationships and increases anxiety.

As difficult as is may be, it’s important to arrange your schedule so you have time to spend with those you care about. This can be as simple as sitting down to watch a favorite program with your family or meeting a friend for a walk in the park. The important thing is to be able simply to put work aside and relax with those you hold dear.

Once you are able to take a breather and step away from work, even for a little, it will be easier for you to recognize how rewarding your career can be and to once again take satisfaction in your accomplishments.

As a bonus, spending time with loved ones can boost your mental health and theirs! This is especially important if you are approaching burnout. So take measures now to create opportunities for relaxation and self-care.

Want more support to find that perfect balance? Request a free 15 minute consult today.

This post was authored by Amy Collett of Bizwell.org. Find more posts from Amy here.