Many of you probably read about a recent Microsoft survey that showed nearly half the workforce quitting their jobs. As you read further in the survey, you find that 95% of Americans are considering job options. The problem is that many people have been facing a tremendous amount of stress at work and home as they try to deal with the pandemic and figure out their new normal. They question their lifestyle, work style, and overall ability to live the life they want to create for themselves and their families.
After the prolonged pandemic, people are experiencing burnout. People had too much on their plates and not enough time for things they needed or wanted to do. The pandemic has shown many people a new lifestyle outside of the crazy corporate life. Now with an end in sight, many people are done living someone else’s life.
I hope you will take a moment and to think about some self-care activities you can do before the ultimate self-care act of leaving or quitting your job. There are three exercises to provide self-care to minimize your stress and burnout. These need to be incorporated into your everyday life no matter how you are feeling.
Be positive
With so much negative news, we need to focus on what is going right for us. Try to do things that make you happy. Force a smile when you start to feel bad and focus on times when you have been successful. Tell a joke and watch something that makes you laugh. Even a forced smile can bring you happiness. Research suggests that when you feel or even act happy, you may prevent disease and minimize health problems.
Meditate
Meditation promotes a healthy sense of perspective in your life. You learn not to turn off your thoughts and feelings but to observe them without judgment. Meditation does not take that long; it can last a few minutes or much longer. I love to meditate in the morning while I do some mindfulness exercises. Typically, I meditate for around 15 to 20 minutes. Meditation can help reduce stress and anxiety. It can also increase your compassion and emotional stability, along with improving your quality of life by preventing illness.
Walk
Everyone can take a walk. Make walking (15 minutes, but preferably for 30 minutes) a part of your daily routine. You can do this around your neighborhood, or you can get out into nature at a local trail or a park. By getting outside and moving your body, you will feel more revitalized and energetic and less tense, confused, and depressed. Other health benefits could be losing weight or improving your cardio. There are no excuses with this one; open your door and start walking.
These are just three self-care activities that you can do regularly that will change the way you feel and the way you will perform. Book these into your schedule now, so they become part of your routine and your daily habits, and you will start to see your energy and focus increase and your stress and anxiety decrease. You can research other self-care activities on the web and add ones you like to give you more variety.
If self-care is not helping your situation and you are still stressed and burned out, you should consider reaching out to a therapist or coach to help you process your case. You may be in a toxic environment or see no hope in your current job. Take some time to make an exit strategy and to think about the questions I shared in two previous articles about quitting your job. In the end, you may need to step away and focus on yourself, then get moving on finding another job.
It is essential to take care of yourself!