Burnout is now recognised as a real problem. Our 24/7 lifestyles promote
the sense that we have to have-it-all and do-it-all immediately,
encouraging behavior that lead to burnout. The warning signs are easy to
miss once we get into long-term patterns of stress and adapt to these
constant, over-elevated levels of stress hormones. It begins to feel
'normal' to be functioning like this, strung out, unable to concentrate,
wired, constantly exhausted - and then it takes time, sometimes months
and years to re-set our internal stress thermostat to normal.
In From Burnout to Balance, Harriet Griffey helps readers to reclaim
their life by recognising their own signs of stress, managing these and
avoiding their escalation through positive lifestyle changes, and
ensuring basic self-care measures every day - adequate sleep, regular
nutritious meals, exercise and relaxation - to keep body and mind
resilient, all helps. Saying no to excessive demands on our time, asking
for help when it's needed, creating a support system and relinquishing
perfection, are all the attitudes of confident people who know that
before you put on someone else's oxygen mask, you must first fit your
own.