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Tag: Burnout

  • Redefine Boundaries Between Your Life and Career to Perform Your Best | Entrepreneur

    Redefine Boundaries Between Your Life and Career to Perform Your Best | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Does this sound familiar? You’re on the edge of burnout. You haven’t done anything “nice” for yourself in a while and you’re constantly putting other people’s needs above your own. The needs of your company, the needs of your family and the needs of your community are always a higher priority, and now there’s no more energy or room for you.

    As a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consultant with a background in organizational psychology, I understand why some people constantly put themselves behind others and, consequently, burn themselves out. Marginalized people often do that. They code-switch to fit in with the dominant culture as a means of survival. Their needs are always last in the hierarchy.

    It turns out, that up to 89% of Americans have experienced symptoms of burnout. That has to change. You can’t show up as your best — at work or with others — if you don’t take care of yourself first. I’m inviting you to take a step back from burnout and embrace radical self-care. Here’s how.

    Related: How Code-Switching Hurts People of Color in the Workplace

    What is “radical self-care”?

    Radical self-care is a continual process that involves the conscious and proactive decision to care for yourself by engaging in activities that regularly feed your wellbeing. Radical self-care allows you to prioritize yourself and put self-supporting needs before others’ needs to reduce the impact of stress, burnout and emotional disarray. Self-care isn’t just a “phrase;” it involves intentional actions that allow you to be more cognizant and aware of your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and relational health.

    Why radical self-care matters for professionals

    You’re running a company or you’re an employee with lots of responsibility and stress. People depend on you to lead and contribute. But if you’re burned out and exhausted, how can you be your best self? How can you show up when it matters most?

    Before burnout and ball-dropping happen, be radical about your self-care — that is, don’t just make it a “nice to have” practice in your routine. Make it a necessity. This is particularly important for professionals belonging to marginalized communities. Marginalized people face a disproportionate burden in society dealing with microaggressions, glass ceilings, and the like. Fortunately, prioritizing radical self-care can be a tool to counter some of the draining impacts of systemic racism, discrimination and trauma.

    Related: Women Founders Need Radical Self-Care. Here’s How to Make It Happen

    3 pillars of radical self-care

    If you’re new to self-care, here’s what it can look like in practice. The three pillars of radical self-care involve the mind, body, and spirit which — contrary to popular belief — are not all separate entities working independently to keep you alive. They’re cooperators in your lived experience, and all work to keep you balanced and well for all of your endeavors. For practical purposes, let’s reframe mind, body, and spirit and refer to them respectively as mental and emotional, physical and purpose. Each area needs nourishment, so schedule time to engage in activities that provide that nourishment. Here are some ideas.

    To nourish your mental and emotional wellbeing:

    • Have a lazy day.
    • Say “no” more often.
    • Limit your news consumption.
    • Spend time communing in nature.

    To nourish your physical wellbeing:

    • Eat healthy foods.
    • Go on a walk.
    • Drink water.
    • Sleep 6-8 hours per day.
    • Hit the gym or go to a studio.

    To nourish your purpose and get closer to it:

    • Meditate
    • Journal
    • Do a good deed.
    • Volunteer for a cause.

    How to prioritize radical self-care

    If you struggle to make time for yourself, try this: say “no.” I know it’s tough, but hear me out. When you say “no,” you make time for your “yes.” If you’re assigned an obligation that isn’t in your skillset and would take you days and weeks to figure out, you can say “no, thank you” and request it be assigned to someone else. If colleagues are meeting for drinks after work, but you know drinking alcohol isn’t great for your mental or physical wellbeing, simply say “no” and use that time to do something that nourishes your spirit instead.

    When it comes to your family, if taking a half day away from the kids or family members would be nourishing to you, say no to obligations that force you to be present and find a way to negotiate some private time. You have more power with the word “no” than you might think.

    For those with busy schedules, set aside a particular day or time of day as your radical self-care block — whether it’s every Friday or noon on weekdays. Tell your friends and colleagues you won’t be available and do something for you during that time slot. Don’t skip it when something comes up — instead, stick with it. Whether you’re simply going for a 30-minute walk on your lunch break or taking that time to journal and meditate, have a dedicated time every day or week that you can rely on to deepen your radical self-care practice.

    Related: Here’s Why Your Team Needs to Say ‘No’ More Than ‘Yes’

    Final thoughts

    Despite common belief, you don’t have to be “on” all the time, moving through the world as if you are impervious to trauma, stress and burnout. You can manage the effects of losing your stamina, falling out of touch with your purpose, and generally needing time to rest by implementing radical self-care.

    That can look like saying “no” to obligations that drain you and assigning those obligations to someone else. It can look like taking mental health days once a week or month. It can look like actually using your paid time off instead of letting it accumulate for the holidays. Self-care can be more of a choice than we think, and it’s not a selfish choice. Prioritizing it in your professional and personal life can help you stay well and present for all of the endeavors and people that matter most.

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    Nika White

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  • Boost Productivity with Coworking Spaces to Prevent Burnout | Entrepreneur

    Boost Productivity with Coworking Spaces to Prevent Burnout | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    This story originally appeared on Under30CEO.com.

    People who work remotely often overwork. In just roughly two months, there is every chance of professional burnout. An interesting paradox arises: when a person spends a couple of hours traveling to work and back, he feels freer. How do we identify the symptoms of burnout, enjoy work again, and make remote work comfortable? Let’s look into burnout and coworking spaces as thoroughly as possible.

    What problems can coworking solve?

    Professional burnout is not an empty phrase and not an excuse. This is a real state in which a burnt-out employee begins to work worse, loses interest in the business, and a previously attractive profession becomes unbearable for him. If nothing is done, a person may even develop depression. Therefore, the fight against burnout is also the responsibility of the employer. How can coworking spaces help with this?

    Coworking allows to go beyond the walls of the employee’s home. There will be more development opportunities. The employee will still be able to go to work at workshare offices and leave it at will. But at the same time, he will begin to meet people, make useful acquaintances, and exchange experiences.

    Working from home is likewise fraught with distractions. Trips to the grocery, obnoxious neighbors, and youngsters – the employee is in the thick of it all. Productivity declines since there is no conducive environment for work. Employees will benefit from coworking. Distractions are removed here, so people may concentrate only on their tasks. The house will become a comfortable location to unwind and spend time with family and friends. Finally, there will be a clear separation between their personal life and professional obligations, which will prevent stress and overwork.

    Coworking will help increase the company’s income. All visitors to the shared workspace can be potential clients or partners. They will help you find contacts of people who will provide profitable orders. You can also hold negotiations and business meetings within the walls of a coworking space. It has the necessary facilities for conferences, meetings with customers, and establishing long-term relationships with partners.

    What else does coworking offer?

    Friendly atmosphere

    Coworking spaces typically maintain a friendly business environment. Employees are surrounded by working people, which in turn allows them to get into a working mood. Moreover, the spaces are fully equipped with the necessary equipment and look great thanks to high-quality repairs and daily cleaning.

    Flexible working options

    Coworking is an opportunity to create a flexible office, one in which there are no strict regulations and employees are not tied to a specific location. Now the office sphere is changing in principle: people more often work from home, from cafes, from coworking spaces. Many people are introducing a flexible start to the working day so that both night owls and early risers can start at a time that suits them. This flexibility will allow the employee to organize their working time more comfortably, and therefore get more pleasure from work.

    Related: The 6 Best Non-Coffee-Shop Sites for Remote Work

    Equipped rest areas

    Coworking spaces allow you to relax and change your surroundings at any time. They are often equipped with kitchens and special relaxation areas, cozy and comfortable, allowing you to relax and not think about the difficulties of work for some time. Periodic breaks have a beneficial effect on the quality of work, so do not think that this will reduce efficiency. On the contrary: the experience of many large companies shows that employees who take better and more frequent rest, as a result, work more productively and are less prone to burnout. In addition, a pleasant environment, aesthetic design, and good views from the window are also factors that influence employee satisfaction.

    Wrap up!

    Protection against burnout is important and helps not to lose valuable employees, but at the same time increase their productivity. Coworking spaces can help with this – along with the competent organization of processes, entertainment events, and good working conditions.

    In addition to moving employees to coworking spaces instead of working from home, implement wellness programs.

    Many coworking space members enjoy perks like good Wi-Fi, coffee, and a nice desk. However, additional wellness benefits can go a long way toward helping members feel happier and healthier, which can help prevent burnout. This could include things like holding yoga classes indoors, bringing in someone to provide massages for members, or partnering with local spas and offering special deals on services for your members.

    You can also offer healthier beverages, host fitness classes or partner with a local gym, encourage walk breaks (or coordinate a group walk or run for lunch), and create outdoor spaces where participants can get some fresh air and vitamin D.

    Again, these are simply suggestions; how you implement them is ultimately up to you, but the main goal is to empower employees to deal with the stress that might contribute to burnout.

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    Kimberly Zhang

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  • Stingy Paid Holidays Exacerbate U.S. Work-Life Imbalance | Entrepreneur

    Stingy Paid Holidays Exacerbate U.S. Work-Life Imbalance | Entrepreneur

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    The U.S. comes in second on the list of 10 countries offering the least amount of paid vacation time, according to a report from career-resource platform Resume.io. In the private sector, American employees receive 10 days of PTO on average, not including holidays and sick days — a shockingly low number compared to those in other developed nations.

    In many countries around the world, particularly those in Europe, it’s not uncommon for employees to take vacations for months at a time, in many cases due to the European Union Working Time Directive, which requires a minimum of 20 working days of paid vacation in all EU countries, CNBC reported.

    Related: How to Determine Your PTO Policy

    “In the U.S., it is estimated that less than 50% of workers who get paid vacation time use their full allotment each year.”

    “[The disparity] has largely been driven by American business resisting any kind of mandate to provide paid time off for workers,” Joe Mull, a 20-year HR veteran and author of the new book Employalty: How to Ignite Commitment and Keep Top Talent in the New Age of Work, tells Entrepreneur. “For more than 100 years, all proposed national laws guaranteeing paid leave to workers have failed to pass. In nearly every other developed nation on earth, workers are guaranteed paid time off.”

    Thanksgiving is around the corner in the U.S., and although 39% of private industry workers nationwide will have the day off, most of them aren’t grateful for the stingy vacation policies their employers subject them to year-round. And even those lucky enough to have more PTO at their disposal are tired of being unable to use it.

    Related: These Are the 10 Countries With the Least Paid Vacation — and Where the U.S. Ranks Might Surprise You

    “In the U.S., it is estimated that less than 50% of workers who get paid vacation time use their full allotment each year,” Mull says. “The most common reason given for not taking vacation time is fear of falling behind at work.” And many other workers feel they must reserve paid vacation time for when “life happens,” including issues surrounding childcare and elder care, sickness, transportation and more, he adds.

    “A functioning society with optimal mental health requires periods of rest and restoration.”

    What’s at stake if the U.S. doesn’t catch up? According to Mull, a lot: American employers can expect continuing high levels of burnout (77% of U.S. professionals have experienced burnout at their current job, per a Deloitte survey) and will struggle to attract and retain top talent.

    “Much of the turmoil in the labor market in recent years has been driven by employees changing jobs in pursuit of better quality of life,” Mull says. “So the business case here is that employers reduce employee churn and deliver better products and services to customers when they have a full complement of healthy, engaged employees.”

    Related: 3 Truths About Unlimited PTO — Why Employees Are Worse Off With Endless Vacation Days

    But there’s an even bigger issue at play, Mull warns: “A functioning society with optimal mental health requires periods of rest and restoration, and our current culture around work and paid time off doesn’t support this.”

    “It’s a symptom of several larger issues related to rising workloads, childcare deficiencies and more.”

    Mull compares the plight of U.S. workers to an engine that’s been racing at maximum RPMs for long periods of time — “eventually, it gives out.” That’s why time away from work, and the restoration it provides, actually makes for more productive employees and better work outcomes, he says.

    “What’s important to note here is that it’s not just about offering more vacation time,” Mull adds. “Employers must create the conditions that allow employees to actually use it. In many ways, the rate at which we take vacation time isn’t the problem — it’s a symptom of several larger issues related to rising workloads, childcare deficiencies and more.”

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    Amanda Breen

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  • How Restaurant365 CEO Tony Smith Uses Data to Make Better Decisions | Entrepreneur

    How Restaurant365 CEO Tony Smith Uses Data to Make Better Decisions | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Restaurant365’s Tony Smith knows he’s not a social media expert. Few people are. Still, the software company executive has been able to prove that authenticity is a powerful tool for building a devoted following online.

    He believes that true connections are built on honesty, not a facade. It’s important to let people see the real you, rather than hiding behind a persona.

    “For me,” says R365’s Tony Smith to Restaurant Influencers series host Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media. “I am not a master of social media, but luckily I’ve been able to build some presence there because what I do believe in is people knowing you — really knowing you for who you are — not some fake persona.”

    Tony Smith is the CEO and co-founder of Restaurant365, a company that’s helping improve the fortunes of more than 40,000 restaurants with its back-office management software. The leader stands out for his commitment to transparency and desire to help businesses thrive.

    Restaurant365, or R365, is a fast-growing SaaS company, whose cloud-based software provides a unique, all-in-one accounting, store operations, and workforce solution for restaurants. Their mission is to facilitate optimal productivity and profitability.

    With R365, restaurants can manage back-office productivity from one platform. It also integrates with your POS (such as Toast, the sponsor of this series), banks, vendors, and more. This results in less time spent on manual tasks, with improved visibility and control of the bottom line.

    Tony Smith’s journey as the CEO of Restaurant365 is a testament to the power of authenticity, the value of personal connections, and the importance of seeking help when needed.

    Leaders often find it challenging to ask for help when they spend so much time helping others. But Smith has a unique approach to avoid burnout.

    Employing a quadrant strategy to evaluate his tasks, he divides responsibilities into categories: “love it,” “don’t love it,” “great at it,” and “not great at it.” Once he recognizes areas where he doesn’t excel or doesn’t enjoy, he proactively seeks assistance.

    Tony Smith knows that trying to do everything himself would be a disservice to his company.

    “I have to be honest and admit I’m probably not the best person here to do that thing anymore,” he says. “If you do too many of those things you don’t love, that’s the burnout zone.”

    In an era where virtual interactions dominate, Tony Smith values the richness of in-person connections.

    The Restaurant Transformation Tour, an ongoing series of events by Restaurant365, reflects his passion for meaningful face-to-face encounters. He believes that personal connections are formed best when you can “rub shoulders” with someone, exchange ideas informally, and create valuable relationships.

    “I think that some of that really does come best in person.”

    Subscribe to Restaurant Influencers: Entrepreneur | Spotify | Apple

    About Restaurant Influencers

    Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience.

    Toast — Powering Successful Restaurants. Learn more about Toast.

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    Shawn P. Walchef

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  • Concerned About a Coworker’s Burnout? Here’s How to Approach the Topic Safely and Tactfully | Entrepreneur

    Concerned About a Coworker’s Burnout? Here’s How to Approach the Topic Safely and Tactfully | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    When a coworker starts showing signs of burnout, it’s only natural to feel a strong urge to assist them. Yet, many of us are uncertain about how to approach the situation or even whether we should intervene.

    Drawing from my burnout coach and advisor expertise, I recommend approaching this topic without forgetting about your own best interest too. However, if you hold a managerial or HR position, you may require specific guidance beyond what is provided here.

    Related: How to Spot Entrepreneurial Burnout (Before It’s Too Late)

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    Joanna Kulbacka

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  • This 1 Thing Can Reduce Your Kid’s Chances Of School Burnout

    This 1 Thing Can Reduce Your Kid’s Chances Of School Burnout

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    When you think of back-to-school season, you may imagine kids sitting at desks, pencils sharpened, ready to focus on math and reading. But what if the key to kids doing well in school is actually to get them outside and moving?

    We know that exercise benefits kids’ physical health, but new evidence shows that it also has a positive impact on their academic performance and prevents school burnout.

    Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland examined data collected from over 34,000 adolescents in the 2015 School Health Promotion study cohort, which included almost half of all eighth- and ninth-graders in Finnish comprehensive schools. Their findings, published on July 24 in the European Journal of Public Health, showed that the effects of physical activity differed according to the type of activity.

    Researchers looked at two common types of physical activity: “active school transport,” as in walking or biking to school, and “leisure time physical activity” that was “moderate to vigorous,” such as participating in sports. Both kinds of exercise showed positive benefits.

    “In our study, active school transport was associated with higher odds of high perceived academic performance and self-reported competency in academic skills. Moreover, walking or cycling to school was linked to higher school enjoyment,” Juuso Jussila, a doctoral researcher at the University of Finland and one of the study’s authors, told HuffPost.

    Leisure time physical activity (i.e. sports) had an even bigger impact on students’ well-being. In addition to stronger school performance, which was more pronounced in mathematics, “adolescents who engaged in leisure-time physical activity for 4 to 6 hours a week had nearly 50% lower odds of experiencing school burnout compared to their physically inactive peers,” Jussila said.

    While even modest amounts of physical activity had a positive impact, more exercise yielded greater gains. Students who engaged in active school transport for 10-30 minutes daily showed 30% higher odds of “high perceived academic performance” and “high reading competency.” In comparison, the most physically active students in the study showed 86% higher odds of high perceived academic performance.

    Another outcome the study examined was school burnout. Similar to work-related burnout in adults, school burnout was indicated by “exhaustion at school, cynicism towards the meaning of school, and a sense of inadequacy at school,” Jussila said. Symptoms included “feelings of being overwhelmed by the amount of schoolwork or losing interest in schoolwork,” he continued.

    Psychologist Jennifer Hartstein, who practices in New York and was not involved with the study, told HuffPost that “burnout is a real phenomenon for students.”

    “It occurs when students are managing a great deal of frustration and stress, with little time (or ability) to rest or recharge.” Many students rise early and manage a full day of school, activities, work and family responsibilities. Even on weekends, “they don’t get much time to just breathe, which contributes to feeling overwhelmed and ultimately burnt out,” Hartstein said.

    In the Finnish study, active school transport did not have a significant impact on burnout, but leisure-time physical activity did. The odds of school burnout were lower (dropping from 40% to 24%) in students who engaged in leisure time physical activity, and the more time they dedicated to physical activity, the lower the odds. Not only were they less likely to report signs of burnout, they were more likely (90%) to report signs of “high school enjoyment” than those who didn’t engage in such activity (35%).

    These findings corroborate those of previous studies. “Studies across the world suggest that physical activity — particularly leisure-time physical activity — improves academic performance and mental health among children and adolescents,” Jussila said.

    “Burnout is a real phenomenon for students. It occurs when students are managing a great deal of frustration and stress, with little time (or ability) to rest or recharge.”

    – Jennifer Hartstein, psychologist

    This particular study looked at physical activity outside of school, but Jussila said there’s reason to believe that exercise in school has similar positive benefits: “Research suggests that in-school physical activity, such as physical education, can be even more beneficial for improving learning and academic performance among youth.”

    While the correlation between exercise and improved mental health is well-established, the mechanisms by which this occurs are not well understood. There are plausible neurobiological explanations, Jussila said. “Long-term regular physical activity can increase the brain’s neuroplasticity, which refers to the brain’s ability to change and reorganize itself. Moreover, even a single bout of physical activity can reduce stress and lead to acute improvements in mood, working memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility.”

    Hartstein explained that “movement activates endorphins, which help to create a more positive mood.”

    In addition, there is ample evidence that exercise increases the quality of sleep, which we know has an impact on mental health.

    In terms of exercise’s impact on academic performance, Hartstein noted: “According to the CDC, and within other research, physical activity does have a positive impact on one’s ability to pay better attention and concentrate better. These two components are key in having solid academic performance.”

    With clients, Hartstein said she frequently recommends exercise as a way for young people to manage stress. “We talk a lot about how to regulate emotions most effectively and how to build skills for tolerating distress (which can’t be avoided). One of the skills we talk about is movement.”

    In addition to increasing endorphins, movement “can provide a great outlet for releasing challenging emotions and providing a reset,” she explained.

    While parents should be aware of the connection between physical activity and mental health, Hartstein warns against forcing kids to exercise or elevating some types of movement over others.

    Forcing kids to do something “will just turn the young people off to doing anything out of spite,” she explained.

    Adults also need to be open-minded and creative in suggesting activities for their children. “Talk with your child about what might be of interest to them and encourage them to try. They don’t have to be an ‘athlete.’ They can walk, hula hoop, jump rope,” Hartstein said.

    “Find ways to make movement fun and start early and encourage it to happen often,” she added. You can be confident that any physical activity your child is engaged in, whether a 10-minute bike ride to school, varsity soccer or modern dance, will have a positive impact.

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  • 3 Simple Daily Practices I Used to Stop Mental Burnout | Entrepreneur

    3 Simple Daily Practices I Used to Stop Mental Burnout | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Mental burnout, unfortunately, compliments entrepreneurism. There’s no denying this sentiment, but I’ve discovered three proven practices that continuously help bypass much of that mental exhaustion.

    The practices — rooted in physical health maintenance, meditation practices and mandatory downtime — take minimum effort or time. These insights will help keep you energized in your entrepreneurial journey without burning out — something I experienced multiple times throughout my ongoing entrepreneurial journey and promised myself that burning out would never happen again.

    Related: 3 Insights From the First Large-Scale Study on Burnout and Entrepreneurs

    Identifying and checking for mental burnout

    According to the nonprofit HelpGuide.org, mental burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. I’ve recognized the following multiple times while leading my agency and productivity consulting practice:

    • Feeling overwhelmed or emotionally drained
    • Lack of motivation
    • Irritability
    • Insomnia or excessive sleep
    • Loss of interest in once enjoyable activities
    • Decreased productivity at work or school
    • Increased anxiety or depression

    These factors can quickly creep in without you noticing it. Author and lecturer Chris Bailey helps us better understand this. In his latest release, How to Calm Your Mind, the productivity hacker says understanding and being aware of the six burnout factors within our work life can help us overcome it.

    The six factors are:

    • Workload (How demanding the workload is)
    • Lack of control (How much autonomy, resources and freedom over workload)
    • Insufficient rewards (Financial, social or intrinsic)
    • Community (Quality of work relationships and interactions)
    • Fairness (Treated respectfully)
    • Values (Does the work have a sense of purpose aligned with values?)

    Bailey says to set reoccurring calendar events to check in on yourself to create awareness around the six factors. He says he checks every six months; I have bi-monthly calendar alerts set now to check on these six factors. It’s shocking how much they pop up, although I’m aware of them.

    With that said, it’s essential to recognize when you are starting to feel burned out so that you can take steps to prevent it from getting worse. Mental burnout can be difficult to identify, but recognizing the signs early on is key in developing strategies for battling it.

    For new entrepreneurs, the following tactics can be eye-opening, regardless of how simple each sound. And for seasoned entrepreneurs, it’s always good to get back to these basics. For example, I recently acquired an entrepreneurial assessment software company and quickly lost myself, forgetting many of these basics.

    Related: An Entrepreneur’s Greatest Asset Is Wellness. Here Are 5 Ways to Protect Yours.

    1. Prioritize energy

    Although many slog through work and become successful, the efforts take more time and longer-term health suffers. This leads to mental burnout. Focus on creating sustainable energy through proper diet, exercise and sleep, and you’ll be able to focus not only sharper but also longer.

    After nearly two decades of biohacking and testing various diets, I mostly follow Dr. Gundry’s diet laid out in Breaking the Keto Code. Still, I tend to rely on more supplements and longer periods of fasting. Exercises include only two strength-training resistance workouts weekly, along with much walking/hiking, stationary biking, off-road motorcycling and bouncing daily on a mini trampoline in my office.

    As for sleep, I learned to regulate my sleeping patterns and use Circadian Optics lighting every morning when I wake up to start the day off through reading, writing or meditating. I hack my sleep in various ways, but my favorite includes a proper cocktail of magnesium, zinc, potassium, GABA, ashwagandha and Kava, along with no food or alcohol at least three hours before snooze time. So test, tune and find what works for you.

    2. Practice meditation and mindfulness daily

    Although the benefits are proven, and it’s well-known across the world of entrepreneurism, many still don’t meditate. It’s a mindset that one must discover, and once discovered, the benefits of relaxed and focused thinking help you produce more quality work in less time.

    I treat meditation like brushing my teeth; it’s just part of life now. It helps clear the mind and provides some insight into any problems causing stress. I’m a huge fan of Vishen Lakhiani’s 6-Phase Meditation Method, which works wonders in roughly 20 minutes per day and doesn’t require traditional methods like sitting in the lotus position or clearing the mind of any thought. Want to make it even more rewarding? Compliment the meditation with a FAR Infrared sauna blanket. I typically do the 20-minute 6-Phase, followed by another 20 minutes of the sauna while listening to theta or delta wave sounds.

    Meditation and mindfulness techniques can clear your mind from negative thoughts and allow you to focus on the present moment instead of worrying about what’s ahead or what’s happened in the past. The outcome is less stress and a fresh look at everything. Others are 5 a.m. Club workoutaholics, but I have more energy and focus on meditation.

    This will help relieve stress levels significantly and enable you to approach work with more clarity and purposeful action steps.

    Related: How Mindfulness Can Take Your Entrepreneurship to the Next Level

    3. Enforce downtime for mental relaxation and productivity

    Scheduling regular breaks throughout the day allows for some time away from work, giving your brain a chance to relax before returning to full focus. My threshold for deep, focused work is about 1.5 hours straight; then I can feel my mind slowing. That’s when I take a break for an analog activity, sometimes a mere 10 minutes of reading something drastically different from what I’m working on or challenging myself for 20 minutes with jazz guitar lessons.

    Working nonstop without any breaks will eventually lead to feeling overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done within a certain period. On my deepest workdays, such as writing or creating client strategies, I break for an hour, typically around noon, to take a bath. This supercharges like no other.

    My office is a rented lake house, which makes day baths simple. If you work in a traditional office building, try working from home on the days you need the most focus and spend some time soaking. All my greatest client strategies and business/investment ideas manifested while soaking.

    It is vital not only to take short breaks daily, but also to schedule mandatory downtime away from work. For example, I totally shut off every Wednesday after 5 p.m. and one entire day on the weekend. That means zero emails, computers, answering calls or anything related. This helps avoid burnout.

    Mental burnout can be a difficult obstacle to overcome, but with the optimal tactics, such as the simple ones above, you can learn how to battle it. By taking time for sustaining energy through physical health, meditation and mandatory downtime, You can become a better you and have time to focus not just on the day-to-day work duties but on ideas that will change the world — a mission that should be the sharpest focus for every entrepreneur.

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    Ron Lieback

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  • 5 Things Tech Employers Can Do to Mitigate Employee Fatigue | Entrepreneur

    5 Things Tech Employers Can Do to Mitigate Employee Fatigue | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    To say the U.S. is home to an enormous labor market, specifically technology, would be a gross understatement. According to data published by the International Trade Administration, an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that promotes the export of non-agricultural products and services, the U.S. is home to one-third of the $5 trillion global information technology market, thus making it the largest tech market in the world. But that’s not all; there is far more to it than that.

    The same International Trade Administration data revealed that the tech industry accounts for nearly $2 trillion of the U.S. value-added gross domestic product (GDP) and some 12 million jobs. Yes, you read that correctly — 12 million jobs. The software and electronic devices we use in our professional and personal lives helped make the U.S. a leader in the global tech market.

    As far as tech companies go, the U.S. is home to more successful ones than any other nation. And these are the same ones that have created the roughly 12 million tech jobs that help keep unemployment numbers low and the country’s economy chugging along nicely. Based on market cap, some of the largest and most successful tech companies in the U.S. include the following:

    • Apple

    • Alphabet (Google)

    • Microsoft

    • Meta

    • Dell Technologies

    • Intel

    • IBM

    • HP

    • Tesla

    • Cisco Systems

    The one thing these companies have in common is that they are all highly competitive. And that competitiveness is the mechanism that drives their marketing strategies, fuels their innovations and enables them to bring to market the software and devices that most of us use in our day-to-day lives.

    To achieve these things, many companies offer tantalizing financial incentives to compel employees to work harder and longer than they otherwise would. Some go as far as to make working overtime compulsory. Studies show that an estimated 18% of employees in the U.S. work 60 or more hours per week. And instead of the usual 40-hour work week, many are working 47 hours each week. These long workdays can and often do take a toll on an employer’s workforce.

    Related: How to Deal With Employee Burnout

    Employees in some of America’s largest tech companies report feeling fatigued and burnt out

    According to ZDNet, an esteemed business technology news website, roughly 2 in 5 tech employees say they want to quit their tech jobs due to excessive stress, exhaustion and poor work-life balance. A separate study published by CNBC echoed the same as it detailed the state of affairs at Microsoft, a multinational technology corporation and the world’s largest purveyor of computer software. The study revealed that roughly 50% of employees and 53% of managers said they frequently felt burnt out at work.

    In the fast-paced world of technology, employee burnout and fatigue have become increasingly common. With long hours, tight deadlines and a constant need to stay updated with the latest technologies, tech employees can quickly become overwhelmed and exhausted. Here are some ways to mitigate tech employee fatigue in 2023:

    Related: Become a Better Leader By Helping Your Team Manage Stress

    5 things tech employers can do to boost employee morale and combat workplace fatigue

    1. Encourage work-life balance: It is essential to encourage tech employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This can be achieved by setting reasonable work hours, providing flexible work arrangements and encouraging employees to take regular breaks. I am also a big believer in offering employees extra days off as needed, especially when they have stressful personal life issues they are dealing with.

    2. Promote a positive work culture: A positive work culture can significantly reduce employee fatigue. By fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment, tech employees are more likely to feel valued and motivated. I like to do employee game meetings with prizes, where the sole goal of the meetings is to have fun and not discuss work.

    3. Offer training and development opportunities: Regular training and development opportunities can keep tech employees engaged and motivated. It can also help build their skills and knowledge, reducing the likelihood of fatigue caused by feeling overwhelmed or unprepared. These training opportunities can be directly related to their jobs or personal skills that they would like to develop. I once paid for a cooking class for an employee because they were stressed out about cooking dinner for their family every night. The fact that this class had nothing to do with their job made it even more rewarding for this person.

    4. Provide mental health support: It is essential to prioritize mental health and provide resources and support for employees struggling with burnout or fatigue. This can include access to counseling, stress-management workshops and other resources to help employees manage their mental health. I also allow my employees to have additional days off as needed to help them decompress and not be as stressed about their job responsibilities.

    5. Recognize and reward employees: Recognizing and rewarding employees for their hard work and contributions can help to boost morale and reduce fatigue. This can be achieved through bonuses, promotions or other incentives recognizing employees’ efforts and contributions.

    In conclusion, mitigating tech employee fatigue is essential for maintaining a productive and healthy workforce. By encouraging work-life balance, promoting a positive work culture, offering training and development opportunities, providing mental health support and recognizing and rewarding employees, tech leaders can help employees stay engaged, motivated and energized.

    Related: High-Stress Companies Need to Invest in Employee Mental Health

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    Steve Taplin

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  • Boost Your Solopreneur Business with These 3 Proven Tips | Entrepreneur

    Boost Your Solopreneur Business with These 3 Proven Tips | Entrepreneur

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    It can take up to 18 months for an entrepreneur to finally feel like they have a working business model — if ever. And while there are no hacks, there are shortcuts to success that can save you time and accelerate your revenue growth.

    These shortcuts are centered around the main obstacles any new entrepreneur will face:

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    Terry Rice

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  • ‘Bare Minimum Mondays’ Can Result in a Week of Productivity ‘Hell’ | Entrepreneur

    ‘Bare Minimum Mondays’ Can Result in a Week of Productivity ‘Hell’ | Entrepreneur

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    By now, you’ve probably heard of “bare minimum Mondays” — the latest TikTok-born workplace trend that’s trying to find a way around burnout.

    “Bare minimum Mondays” exemplify the ongoing “collective awareness” that employees have to start putting their mental and emotional health first — and stop accepting additional work and responsibilities without an increase in pay, Brooks E. Scott, executive coach and CEO of Merging Path, tells Entrepreneur.

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    Amanda Breen

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  • 5 Easy Tips for Entrepreneurs to Avoid Social Media Burnout | Entrepreneur

    5 Easy Tips for Entrepreneurs to Avoid Social Media Burnout | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Nowadays, it seems like you can’t start a business without having a social media presence. Indeed, 77% of marketers feel that social media marketing is an effective practice for their business. While that’s all well and good for the company as a whole, there is no denying that for entrepreneurs who often take on social media in addition to other responsibilities, it can be a lot to handle.

    After all, there is a lot that goes into managing your social media profiles, and that time commitment can easily get overwhelming — especially with so much negativity online. If you’re not careful, you could soon get burned out on social media. The good news is that there are some simple practices every entrepreneur can use to become more effective and avoid burnout.

    Related: 7 Proven Ways to Beat Burnout

    1. Set clear boundaries

    One of the first important things you should do is set clear boundaries for how you will use social media as an entrepreneur. Internet users spend an average of 147 minutes — nearly two and a half hours — per day on social media. It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking you’ll log in for five minutes to check your notifications, and then mindlessly scroll for half an hour.

    Entrepreneurs can’t afford to waste their time like this. You should have a clear plan to ensure you don’t spend more time on social media than necessary. Whether that involves setting a five-minute alarm for each time you check your notifications or determining certain times of day as “off limits” for social media use, a well-defined plan is a must.

    2. Limit how many social networks you use

    As part of the process of setting clear boundaries for social media use, it may be wise to limit your focus to a select number of social media networks for your business — at least until you have more team members to help you out.

    Consider what you want to accomplish with your social media use, being especially mindful of the platforms that see the highest level of engagement from your target audience. By focusing your efforts on two or three platforms rather than a half dozen, you can create higher-quality content without overreaching yourself.

    3. Align strategy with your goals

    One way to avoid social media burnout is to consider how to align your marketing strategy with your personal goals. For example, in a case study from The Coach and Grow Co, entrepreneur Stephanie Latawiec was directed to have social media content go to her program’s sales page instead of sales calls so she could have more time in her day for other interests and needs.

    By adjusting her social media marketing strategy, Latawiec was able to grow her revenue to reach $16,000 over a two-month period by automating certain social media practices and ensuring that her marketing was focused on generating passive income.

    This resulted in more time to focus on what mattered most to her in her business and personal life — directly countering the burnout she had previously experienced.

    Related: Social Media’s Dark Side: Learning to Set Boundaries

    4. Curate your social media feed

    Social media can be an undeniably negative place — especially for entrepreneurs. This doesn’t just come from people who might maliciously attack your business or troll your account.

    Toxic conversations in your field can be emotionally draining, even when they don’t directly involve you. Sometimes, even seeing the successes others in your niche are experiencing can be emotionally draining as you try to figure out what you’re “missing” that’s keeping you from having similar results.

    In this sense, curating your social media feed can be valuable for protecting your mental health. Strategically unfollowing certain people on social media or leaving groups that aren’t actually beneficial can help clear out the “clutter” that distracts you and leaves you feeling worse.

    Find accounts that provide useful insights or simply inspire and uplift. Do what you can so that scrolling through your feed helps you feel energized and motivated, rather than drained and depressed.

    5. Learn to repurpose content

    One potential contributor to burnout is the pressure entrepreneurs will often feel to post every single day — and for some platforms, even posting multiple times a day. And even though posting at regular intervals is probably a good idea, trying to come up with ideas for new posts can become mentally exhausting in and of itself.

    One way to work around this is to repurpose the content you’ve already created for your social media posts. Share highlights from blog posts, showcase a testimonial from a satisfied customer, or simply rework an older social media post! You’ll spend less time stressing over post ideas and more time focused on higher-level activities.

    And remember, you don’t necessarily have to post every single day on every single platform. Your audience isn’t going to forget you exist after a one-day break.

    Related: 5 Reasons You Should Try a Social Media Fast

    Maximize your social media potential by avoiding burnout

    It doesn’t matter what kind of products or services you offer to your clients — a strong social media presence can make a big impact. At the same time, however, there is no denying that social media can become a source of stress that leads to burnout.

    By following a few best practices to improve how you use social media in your business, you can ensure that it becomes an asset and not a hindrance as you navigate your many responsibilities as an entrepreneur.

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    Andres Tovar

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  • 3 Strategies for Coping with Overwork Pressure | Entrepreneur

    3 Strategies for Coping with Overwork Pressure | Entrepreneur

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    Don’t buy into the hype. Here’s why you need to push back on the temptation to overwork

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    Aytekin Tank

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  • The Problem With How We Address Burnout | Entrepreneur

    The Problem With How We Address Burnout | Entrepreneur

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    For a host of reasons, burnout is a frequent topic with my clients these days. It’s become a common word — lobbed back and forth in workplace conversation, lamented as a side effect of a difficult project and almost the expected affliction of any high achiever. But it’s more than just a word.

    Let’s align on a definition. Burnout isn’t simply fatigue or exhaustion. We tend to throw the word around a bit when talking about times of stress or difficulty, but burnout is more specific and chronic. While not recognized as a medical condition per se, the ICD-11 defines burnout as:

    “A syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions: feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and reduced professional efficacy.”

    Related: 7 Ways to Get From Burnout to Balance

    Note that I’m exploring the professional context here, but burnout can apply to other aspects of life more broadly. Each dimension is separate but interconnected to the others, and as such, each requires its own remedy.

    The latter two dimensions require a bit of introspection on what your values and goals are and how those values are met in your work. What motivates you? How do you connect what you do to meaningful impact within your team or even the broader world? The trap, though, is to stop at this introspection and let it fester into resentment. Often, as we experience burnout, the default is to withdraw and disconnect. This begins a vicious and self-perpetuating cycle and robs us of the real opportunity to make a change: connection. This change could look like open conversations around role and purpose, assertiveness with peers and setting boundaries, to name a few.

    Deferred renewal

    There are hundreds of ways to parse this idea, each one driven by the unique context of work culture and personality. But connected to the first dimension, I want to share one of the biggest traps that provides a fertile growing ground for burnout. I call it deferred renewal. It looks like this: “If I can just get to the weekend, then…” or “If I can just get to the end of this project, then…” or “If I can just get to my vacation in June, then…”

    The risk here isn’t just that you’re deferring on your opportunities to recharge until some later date, it’s that you implicitly give yourself permission to work unnecessarily harder now. The problem with “feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion” is that this negative balance compounds over time, to a point where even a two-week vacation isn’t nearly enough to restore balance. Worse still, the time off gets painted with a tone of dread for having to jump back into work after it’s all over.

    I’m all for vacations and weekends and celebrating the end of a big project. But the risk is when they become our saviors from the exhaustion of the day-to-day. Burnout is a daily malady, and as such, it requires a daily remedy. It begins with a willingness to look at the unit of time between waking up and going to sleep as the only real fuel tank that matters for long-term success. Plenty of things get in the way of this: complex responsibilities, the ever-growing to-do list, short-staffed teams, etc. But saying “no” to things today means saying a bigger “yes” tomorrow.

    Related: 4 Ways to Combat Burnout Before It Even Starts

    What can we do?

    So, what can we do about this, both we as individuals suffering from a growing sense of burnout and we as leaders caring for our teams who might be on that same path? The first step is really what was mentioned above: recognizing this as a daily intervention. The instant we go into an energy debt by convincing ourselves we can defer our renewal to a later date, we’ve started down the slippery slope of burnout. Sure, there are important project deadlines that come up, but if every day feels like an emergency, then it’s only a matter of time before the emergency becomes real.

    Once you start to embrace the idea of a daily intervention, try keeping track of your daily energy over the next two weeks. Notice what takes away from your fuel tank and what adds to it. Notice when this happens and why. Notice the difference between times of day and the days themselves. Then, build a plan with actionable steps that you can check in on daily to maximize recharge and create energy-net-positive days.

    It’s not easy. It may require you to say “no” to things that feel hard to say “no” to. You may not feel like you’re keeping up with your peers. These are all common stories — some of which might even be true — that can feed the process of burnout. But however real these stories are, the most real story is this: If you continue down the path of deferred renewal, someday you won’t have a choice. Today, you do. Good luck on your journey.

    Related: 7 Tips to Avoid Burnout When Growing a Business

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    Jason R. Waller

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  • Moral Injury in Firefighters: Wounds of the Spirit

    Moral Injury in Firefighters: Wounds of the Spirit

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    Press Release
    –

    Feb 13, 2023 10:30 PST


    LAS VEGAS, February 13, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA), along with Elizabeth Anderson-Fletcher, Ph.D., and Chaplain Mark Schimmelpfennig, M. Div., announce the release of their latest comprehensive report designed to help educate both clinicians and firefighters on the prevalence and effects of Moral Injury in the fire service industry.

    • 57.6% of firefighters report having experienced a major Morally Injurious Event, like injured children or evidence of abuse
    • 49.8% admitted to feeling emotionally detached and isolated, long recognized as a mental-health stressor
    • From 2014-2020, more firefighters died by suicide than in the line of duty

    The fire service culture has begun to recognize the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but an emerging issue firefighters face is Moral Injury, which occurs just as often in the men and women serving their communities. Moral Injury is a relatively new term in First Responder circles, with signs and symptoms that can mirror those of the more widely recognized PTSD – even though they are distinctly different ailments.

    Moral Injury generally results from a major conflict in one’s moral code which causes a negative response, such as having to prioritize who can be saved and who cannot. Education about Moral Injury and its effects is critical to help individuals normalize their own unique, personal reactions to Morally Injurious Events.

    FBHA was founded in 2010 to track firefighter and EMS suicides across America. In 2019, FBHA began tracking emergency services dispatcher suicides as well. Responding to unprecedented need, FBHA now presents eight different first-responder-focused workshops on behavioral health to fire departments and EMS organizations across the globe. These spotlight behavioral health awareness, suicide prevention, and resources for firefighters/EMS and their families.

    For more information, contact Media Contact listed above or see the FBHA’s home page at www.ffbha.org

    # # #

    Source: Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance

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  • 4 Simple Self-Care Rituals to Help You Build More Resilience

    4 Simple Self-Care Rituals to Help You Build More Resilience

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Emotional outbursts are a sign of exhaustion and even burnout … Take time to replenish yourself before you hit a wall.

    Being resilient allows people to respond to unexpected challenges thoughtfully, with calm, grace and poise. But when we are depleted — physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually — we are more likely to react or even lash out when things go wrong. The challenges don’t necessarily need to be life-altering to spur a reaction when depletion is our reality. Something as simple as a comment, traffic or ruined plans can quickly seem catastrophic.

    We saw an example of this level of serious depletion earlier this year at the Academy Awards when actor Will Smith lost his cool, storming on stage to slap comedian Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife.

    Smith’s wife, Jada, was resilient enough to deal with it in the moment with little more than a pained expression on her face. Rock demonstrated resilience by not getting angry, choosing instead to express his surprise and move to another joke. But Smith’s lack of resilience was clear from his reactivity. And more often than not, reactivity is the result of depletion.

    Related: 7 Ways to Stay Resilient in Uncertain Times

    When depletion leads to bad behavior

    Burnout is very real, however, it can be avoided through simple self-care rituals. We are all human, and we need to replenish our resilience so that we can best face whatever struggles come our way. However, many of us do not pay attention to our level of resilience until we are already running on empty.

    About 49% of American employees say they are burned out from their jobs, a new survey by Eagle Hill Consulting, LLC finds. The rates are higher for women (54%) and younger workers ages 18-34 (53%), says the report, which blames staffing shortages and heavy workloads as causes.

    Depletion is a root cause of burnout. When you are depleted, you are less able to deal with adversity, uncertainty and unexpected challenges. You are in a lowered state of readiness. Unfortunately, often we don’t notice we are depleted until something happens to test us.

    The signs of depletion are all around us. Road rage, online rage and general incivility are all indicators that people are tense, reactive and triggered — like Will Smith at the Academy Awards. We didn’t wake up one day having lost our ability to be patient, civil and compassionate. We’re the same people we were before we got stressed out; we’re just less patient, less thoughtful, less considerate and less able to manage our emotions.

    So, what’s the answer? Do we all need to take civility classes? Maybe, but it’s really not about that. It’s about the fact that people are exhausted. In that state, you’re more likely to be short with your kids, your spouse, your coworkers — and certainly with strangers.

    Our human tendency is to deal with uncertainty or adversity from a place of fear. When our primitive fight-or-flight response is activated, our ability to think critically is diminished, overrun by defensiveness and even anger. We’re far less concerned that we might offend somebody with our words, actions or tone of voice. This is where smart people can make bad decisions.

    We’ve always been tribal, so why does it seem we suddenly can’t be civil to one other anymore? I don’t think people have forgotten how to be civil. I do think many people are feeling depleted. A key indicator of burnout is overwhelming fatigue that threatens to overrun the body, the mind, the heart and the spirit.

    It takes energy to be patient. It takes energy to be empathetic, compassionate and understanding. To have the energy we need to be at our best, we have to bolster our resilience and restore our energy before we need it.

    Related: 3 Rituals to Help You Build Resilience and Beat Stress

    4 rituals for more resilience and less depletion

    In order to successfully bolster our resilience and restore our energy before we need it, we can establish rituals for renewing and replenishing ourselves in all four resilience zones: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. These are the daily habits we engage in to replenish ourselves.

    1. Movement is healing. Simple acts, such as stretching and exercising can do a lot for all four resilience zones. They’re also a great way to interrupt a spiral or negative emotions that might lead to bad behavior.

    2. Fresh air is revitalizing. Getting outside, taking a quick walk or engaging in an activity you enjoy outside stimulates those feel-good chemicals in your brain that we need to battle depletion. Daily doses of fresh air, outside of the cubicle or office walls, create space for a mental break as well — pulling double duty for your resilience.

    3. Silence really is golden. Meditating and taking short but meaningful breaks throughout our workday interrupts the noise and constant information overload we are all subjected to on a daily basis. Rather than wait for overwhelm to take a break, schedule these moments intentionally throughout your day. If it’s on your calendar, you’re much more likely to follow through, which is half the battle when it comes to self-care.

    4. It’s important to feed your brain. We don’t give enough credit to how new perspectives and growth can create a calming effect across our lives. When we read, invest time in learning or spend focused time on personal growth, it also creates more space in our lives to deal with difficult situations in more effective ways.

    With practice, we can change how we react to stressful, unexpected situations. By creating and practicing rituals for recovery throughout your day, you are less likely to be depleted and better equipped to be patient, kind and compassionate — and, of course, to make better decisions.

    Related: Want to Prevent Burnout? Start Building Resilience Now.

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    Adam Markel

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  • Survive The Recession by Tackling This Widespread Workplace Issue

    Survive The Recession by Tackling This Widespread Workplace Issue

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    According to a January 2022 article from the American Psychological Association, employee burnout is hitting record highs around the globe, and in every industry — with “…nearly 3 in 5 employees report[ing] negative impacts of work-related stress, including lack of interest, motivation or energy.” This not only harms employees but your business will likely be hit hard too, in the form of reduced productivity, errors, healthcare costs, incivility and attrition. To recession-proof your business, you need to help your people heal from burnout, and then shift your culture to eliminate the causes using the science-backed strategies provided.

    What is burnout?

    Put simply, this term is defined as a medically diagnosable condition of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion due to long-term stress. Authors of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle (Ballantine Books, 2019), sisters Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. and Amelia Nagoski, D.M.A. have identified its three main components:

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    Britt Andreatta

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  • How to Improve Mental Wellness in the Workplace

    How to Improve Mental Wellness in the Workplace

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    It’s widely recognized that having a healthy mind and body is necessary to have a healthy, productive work life. But as life continues to move at an increasingly fast pace, this is much easier said than done.

    As a business owner, it’s important to stay aware of your mind and body’s needs so you can remain productive and creative. But it can be easy to let these things slip by the wayside during busy seasons — and honestly, what seasons aren’t busy as an entrepreneur? Many of us are familiar with late nights at work, forgetting to eat meals or exercise and unfortunately dealing with great deals of stress, exhaustion and burnout. Although it’s important to pay attention to the needs of your body and mind, it’s also important to remember your employees have the same needs.

    Life and work are intertwined in a way that cannot be separated. It might seem simple to put aside whatever you’re dealing with at home to focus on work for the day, but it’s not realistic. Similarly, problems at work come home with you. Both our personal lives and our work lives affect our moods, energy levels and ability to focus. If your child is sick or you’re having a tense argument with your spouse, of course you aren’t going to be able to fully engage in your job — what’s going on at home is more important to you. And problems in the workplace, such as stress, burnout or a negative work environment will affect your mood and energy level when you go home. You might make your argument with your spouse worse because you’re tense and stressed out, or you might be unable to sleep because you dread returning to your toxic work environment the next day, further exacerbating the problem.

    Related: How I Failed Miserably As a Leader and Ultimately Improved My Company

    By promoting the mental and physical health of your employees, you can create a better working environment and encourage employees to succeed, creating a more sustainable workplace in the long run. Happy, healthy team members will be more productive and create better results for your company. But promoting your team’s health isn’t as simple as putting some exercise equipment in your office, especially when you factor in mental health, which is complex and can majorly affect the way a person thinks, feels and performs their job. Strong mental health is reliant on several factors, but here are a few necessary things, which you can apply in various ways for you and your team:

    1. Fuel your mind with good food and hydration

    Staying hydrated and eating well is necessary to keep your body and mind running. And brain functions like energy, focus and creativity are some of the first to suffer when you don’t get these things. If you forget to drink enough water, it might be beneficial to use a large water bottle with measurements on it to keep track of exactly how much you’re drinking. This is an easy tool you can provide for your team as well. It’s a good idea to keep healthy snacks around the office, both for yourself and your employees. Some foods will give you a burst of energy, while others, especially fat- and carb-heavy foods, will slow you down or make you sleepy. Having healthy options easily available will help you make good choices. Another way to promote healthy eating for your team is to allow them to work from home, where they can cook healthy meals for themselves. When employees are in a rush to reach the office in the morning, where they might order takeout or pack things that are quick and easy rather than nutritious for lunch.

    Related: 6 Healthy Habits to Maximize Your Mental Health and Get You Through Your Worst Days

    2. Prioritize sleep

    Sleep is possibly even more important than food and exercise, but unfortunately, it’s overlooked by many people. A phenomenon in many offices is a sort of competition to see who slept the least. If you notice this kind of attitude toward sleep, it may be worth addressing. Often lack of sleep is due to bad habits, but it can also be a result of busy schedules that don’t allow enough time to sleep. To ensure you and your employees have enough time to sleep, consider offering flexible working hours, which will allow them to adjust their schedules if needed.

    Related: How Serving in The Army Taught This Leader The Importance of Employee Wellbeing

    3. Exercise stimulates the mind

    Did you know that sitting is literally killing you? Excessive sitting lowers your life expectancy, and it can lead to injuries from repetitive motions and weakened muscles. And as we all know, exercise is excellent for both the body and the brain. Have you ever noticed that some of your best ideas form when you’re exercising? Or have you ever taken an exercise break and come back to your work feeling energized and highly productive? Take regular breaks to go for walks, and encourage your team to do the same. Even if those breaks take 10-15 minutes out of the workday, they will increase your team’s overall productivity. You can also provide exercise equipment and standing desks in your office, or provide wellness benefits such as gym memberships to encourage your team to exercise outside working hours as well. Sharing links or apps for breathing exercises or mindfulness practices can help employees to better manage their stress levels.

    Related: 5 Steps to Creating a Workplace Focused on Mental Wellness

    4. Keep mental health in mind

    One of the words that’s most commonly used when someone is struggling with their mental health is “stress.” Mental health is innately tied to physical health, and just like treating your body right can help your brain, negative emotions can seriously affect your body. Reducing stress, burnout, depression and other mental health challenges is complex, but there are a few things you can do.

    First, ensure you’re getting enough sunlight. Not only does vitamin D improve your mood, but the light itself plays a major role. Working in an office without much sunlight can be draining, but if you can’t manage to arrange your office so everyone has access to sunlight, consider allowing at least part-time remote work.

    Related: The Truth About Loneliness During the Holidays and 5 Tips For Coping

    Burnout is another factor that affects many people’s mental health, and there has been an epidemic of it lately. Watch carefully for burnout in yourself and your employees, and when you identify it, take steps to improve the situation that’s causing it. Have managers include this discussion during their regular one-on-one meetings. Create a culture of support around burnout and other challenges people might be facing, such as family matters and health challenges, which can contribute to burnout significantly. There are many resources to help address burnout, as it’s a complex issue. Remember to prioritize your employees as people rather than workers. If you’ve hired well, your team wants to do a good job. If they’re struggling, there’s likely a reason for it. Ask for and listen to feedback, even if it’s not what you want to hear. Work and work-related activities take up a majority of a person’s waking hours, so the environment you provide plays a major role in an employee’s quality of life.

    I highly recommend offering some kind of mental health benefits, even telehealth options. This might look like paying for counseling for those who need it. Or try allowing mental health days. We’ve changed our sick leave policy to include a mental health day, not just a physical sickness day. Just knowing they have the option to take a day off if needed is likely to be enough for most employees, and you likely won’t experience a significant cost as a result.

    To keep a happy, healthy and productive workforce, the most important thing you can do is to create a positive workplace culture. A negative or toxic culture can easily wear on anyone, causing problems both at work and at home. With these steps, you’ll be on your way to improving the health of your entire team and creating a stronger and more sustainable work culture.

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    Jason Hennessey

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  • The 4-Day Workweek Could Make Burnout Worse

    The 4-Day Workweek Could Make Burnout Worse

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The clamor for a shorter workweek is probably something you’ve read about in countless articles by now. There’s even a running list of companies provided by Newsweek that have incorporated this as part of their work model.

    “With staff wellbeing at the forefront of our minds, we have been experimenting with a more modern approach to work focusing entirely on outcomes rather than a more traditional input measurement,” Adam Ross, Awin’s chief operating officer, explained in 2021.

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    Aytekin Tank

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  • How to Find Inspiration Everywhere

    How to Find Inspiration Everywhere

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Just like lightning strikes at random, so does the opportunity for inspiration that can spur your business or further your leadership skills. Whether you are actively seeking it or taking a break to reset your mind, there are always opportunities to revisit what you have experienced and glean insightful takeaways. For example, one of the best pieces of inspiration came from a simple conversation with my 9-year-old daughter. More on that later…

    If you are actively seeking opportunities for inspiration, here are some particular ones that have inspired me as a co-founder and CEO.

    Related: 22 Successful Entrepreneurs Share What Inspires Them to Keep Going

    Books

    As an avid reader, I have found a lot of inspiration from books. When you’re in a leadership role, absorbing ideas from others not only opens your perspective and inspires you to change the way you work but can also reinforce your intuition and validate your initial thoughts. Some of the standout books that I have read include:

    • The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz — a must-read for emerging and veteran entrepreneurs, this book candidly discusses the pros and cons of running your own business and key lessons every CEO should learn.  
    • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson — this book helps you identify what matters to you. As your company grows, what is the most important to your business, and where can you make an impact? If you stay true to those two values, it helps you filter out the rest of the noise and remain focused on succeeding and bringing your business to fruition.
    • The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle — another book on culture, as it is vital to a company’s overall success — especially in the current market that we are in today. This engaging book inspires us to transform how teams operate so they can perform together more efficiently.

    Related: 3 Books That Will Make You 6 Figures  

    Movies

    Sometimes you’ll find that inspiration comes when you take the time to unwind. Recently, I sat down to watch some TV with my family, and two documentaries we watched have stayed with me:

    • All or Nothing: Arsenal (available on Amazon TV): Aside from being entertaining as it is all about my favorite sport, soccer, watching Mikel Arteta’s leadership in bringing his team to the front of the Premier League was inspiring. Mikel doesn’t compromise on his or the club’s values, and his passion for the sport inspires his squad to perform at the next level. As leaders, we should all proudly showcase our love for what we do to lead by example and inspire our teams.
    • Kiss the Ground (available on Netflix): This documentary, centered on finding a solution for our climate crisis, uses compelling data to illustrate how a simple solution — dating back hundreds of years — can help address our climate crisis and create healthier food for people. My takeaway from this as an entrepreneur was three-fold: first, there are always opportunities to evolve and rethink the status quo to devise a solution to a problem. Second, look back to history to see what was successful and why. Lastly, look at the larger picture to ask yourself: what impact are we making on humanity and this planet?

    Related: How to Get Over a Burnout and Find Inspiration Again

    Other

    My final note of a place I found unexpected inspiration came from my daughter, who was nine at the time. This image had come up during the workday, and I was looking at it at home and contemplating the correct answer. As it illustrates, are there four bars, or are there three?

    She took one look at it and said that both characters in this image were right without hesitating. The answer isn’t about who is right or wrong but their perspective and how they interpret it. That simple revelation from her has stuck with me throughout the years: my main takeaway was that communication is essential and, in life and business, many scenarios are not “right or wrong” — the important thing is that even if you disagree with them, listen to the other’s reasoning to come to an understanding of their point of view.

    At the end of the day, whether you actively seek it or take a break from the hustle of life and enjoy the moment, you can find inspiration everywhere. Take a moment to reflect upon the content you consume or the conversations you have had, and you will become a more well-rounded character.

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    Jurgi Camblong

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  • 3 Tips for Delivering Your Best Work When You Feel Burned Out

    3 Tips for Delivering Your Best Work When You Feel Burned Out

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    While we often get caught up in keeping up with quantity (making more calls, building more SKUs, working more hours, etc.) it is delivering high-quality work that is a surefire way to please clients and earn respect.

    But if your headspace is clouded with a lengthy to-do list, an unrealistic deadline, or feelings of burnout, quality can fall by the wayside.

    Prioritizing your well-being will allow you to show up as the peak version of yourself. The following are a few tips you should employ to improve your mental space and overall output.

    Related: 6 Reasons You’re Burning Out — And How You Can Fix It

    Take a break

    There are only so many hours in the day and often, you may feel that, rather than taking a time out, the best option is to have another cup of coffee and push through. When you’re feeling stressed, a break of just five minutes can change the next five hours of your day.

    Our brains produce enough energy to power a small light bulb, but if we don’t give them time to recharge, they will actually go into overdrive. This can lead to a loss of creativity, focus and lead to decision fatigue which results in poor choices. If you’re looking to deliver the highest quality work, pushing through that wall you’re hitting isn’t always the best option.

    Take just a moment to meditate, read the news or take a walk. In the increasingly hybrid work world we live in, you can even be productive with personal chores: Empty the dishwasher, prep dinner or put in a load of laundry.

    A quick break can improve brain function, restore motivation, critical thinking and creativity while helping you deliver your best work.

    Related: 3 Tips for Founders Battling Burnout

    Learn to say “no”

    A good way to start setting boundaries is through one-on-one conversations with your supervisor. Keep him or her up to date with how busy you are, your planned vacation time, career goals and any unexpected personal issues. It’s essential to be your own advocate in these conversations because no one understands your life better than you do. By keeping your higher-up in the loop, you’ll have another person in your corner if you must decline an assignment.

    When you are asked to take on a project, seriously evaluate your work and personal life when considering if you have the capacity to take on the challenge before agreeing to it. Biting off more than you can chew can lead to feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, which hurts focus, curbs productivity and negatively impacts results.

    If you refuse, be sure to effectively communicate your reasons for doing so. Always provide alternative solutions, such as checking in with another colleague who may have time to assist.

    Use your vacation time

    Taking time to rest helps us to be more focused, energetic and brings a positive outlook to the office. One of the best ways to recharge is to use our vacation time.

    It can be hard to find time to take personal time off when managing multiple projects and tight deadlines, but it’s important to do so. Studies show that using vacation time is key to reducing stress, improving mental health and boosting productivity while at work. Whether it’s a week off (and make sure it’s at least a week off, as a recent study, conducted by Club Wyndham, found that 43% of American workers polled claimed they didn’t start to relax until three days into their trip) or a single mental health date to catch up on personal matters, it’s in your company’s best interest for you to use your breaks.

    And when you’re off, be sure to fully disconnect: Don’t check your emails and be sure not to stress about what you may be missing or what you have to tackle when you return.

    Related: A Work-Life Balance is Nonsense. To Reach Your Goals, Follow Another Approach

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    Michelle Van Slyke

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