{"id":155,"date":"2022-09-28T01:47:25","date_gmt":"2022-09-28T01:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/?p=155"},"modified":"2023-02-27T20:43:54","modified_gmt":"2023-02-27T20:43:54","slug":"essential-burnout-busters-for-busy-boss-ladies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/writing\/features\/lifestyle\/essential-burnout-busters-for-busy-boss-ladies\/","title":{"rendered":"Essential burnout busters for busy boss ladies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Yoga teacher Faye Clamor performs a yoga pose on the Juniper Trail in Radium Hot Springs on Monday, September 2, 2019. A staple pose in yoga, the mountain pose or tadasana encourages awareness of the body and promotes better posture and balance. (Photo by Iris Young\/SAIT)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Celebrated writer and philosopher Ayn Rand once said: \u201cThe question isn\u2019t who\u2019s going to let me; it\u2019s who is going to stop me.\u201d For today\u2019s busy and career-driven woman, it\u2019s not so much a question of who<\/em> but of what<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are, of course, talking about the dreaded burnout\u2014that unseen enemy that often comes out of nowhere and leaves even the most hardworking and ambitious boss lady demotivated and depleted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burnout rears its ugly head<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You know it\u2019s serious when the World Health Organization (WHO) takes notice. In fact, the WHO\u2019s 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) listed burnout as an \u201coccupational phenomenon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the WHO<\/a>, burnout is \u201ca syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.\u201d Symptoms may include reduced efficacy at work, negative feelings toward one\u2019s job, and energy depletion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, burnout isn\u2019t as easy to diagnose as most people might think. It can be all too easy to dismiss it as good, old-fashioned exhaustion. However, a Mayo Clinic study<\/a> shows that burnout, when left unchecked, can lead to more significant consequences, including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and a slew of other illnesses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Slaying the burnout monster<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

More often than not, burnout results from an unforgiving work routine that leaves little room for anything else, including healthy pursuits. If you\u2019re finding yourself burning the midnight oil five days or more out of a week\u2014as most boss ladies are wont to do\u2014this is your cue to hit the brakes and give yourself grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, burnout can be conquered simply by cultivating healthier habits. The best part is that these habits will serve you greatly in the long term, giving you the tools to maintain a better work-life balance and avoid chronic stress. This will then lead to increased productivity and motivation, improved working and personal relationships, and, ultimately, more happiness and fulfillment overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us count the ways that you can fight burnout today:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Movement<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, it seems impossible to commit to regular exercise when you spend your waking hours managing and growing a business. However, it\u2019s also important to note that devoting as little as half an hour a day to movement will already do wonders for both your physical and mental outlook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These days, there\u2019s no dearth of exercises you can do in 30 minutes or even less\u2014many of which you can even do anywhere. If you have no time to head to the gym and can only squeeze in these 30 minutes at home or your office, a quick YouTube search will yield scores of workouts you can do on the fly\u2014and without the need for equipment to boot!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, if you want to build a sustainable exercise routine, look into something that you will genuinely enjoy. Consider yoga. With the marriage of postures (or asanas<\/em>) and breathing, yoga is a holistic exercise that benefits the practitioner physically and mentally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA quick, 30-minute flow will already do so much to improve your strength, balance, and flexibility. You can roll out your mat anytime you have a spare moment, and you\u2019re guaranteed to feel great for the rest of your day,\u201d said Calgary-based yoga teacher and massage therapist Faye Clamor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running and walking are also simple and non-time-consuming yet impactful exercises to consider. Recent research<\/a> from the National Library of Medicine shows that aerobic exercise like running helps your brain recover from mental exhaustion. As a bonus, run or walk outdoors instead of on a treadmill when weather permits to reap the inherent benefits of being out in nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meditation<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A recent survey<\/a> by Total Brain<\/em> shows that anxiety levels among career women increased by a whopping 52 per cent during the onslaught of COVID-19. This only further highlights the need for better mental health practices in and out of the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI live with anxiety, and meditation really helps, especially when my thoughts get too loud. I would say that it helps me function on a daily basis,\u201d said Marmel Reposar, a Scrum Master based out of Dumaguete City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, as an ancient art, meditation has long been recognized for its mental health benefits. Besides directly counteracting stress and burnout, it can also improve cognition and memory and curb emotional reactions and prejudice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Faye Clamor centres herself at the Solea Resort in Cordova, Cebu, on Saturday, December 1, 2018. Meditation leads to brain neuroplasticity, giving regular practitioners more control of their thoughts, reactions, and decisions. (Photo by Iris Young\/SAIT)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Building a meditation practice has been made more accessible these days with apps that provide mindfulness prompts and guidance for as little as five minutes a day. Calm and Headspace are Boss Lady<\/em> favourites available to download across most devices and platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, cultivating a mindfulness practice requires commitment, though time is the least of it. And while building a meditation habit will be an exercise in discipline, breaking it also comes with challenges\u2014not the least of which is losing newfound clarity and focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a habit that people usually break, but when you break it, you will see the impact of its absence,\u201d Reposar added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maintaining loving connections<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Much of the negative feelings that result in burnout come from resentment. Running a successful business is demanding in so many ways, and you might find yourself with very little time on your hands, isolated on a hill on which you don\u2019t necessarily want to be. It\u2019s certainly not uncommon for entrepreneurs to miss out on family milestones and opportunities to socialize with friends and find that business relationships have taken centre stage instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJuggling work isn\u2019t easy, and sometimes, I\u2019m required to do it beyond working hours,\u201d shared Rawan El-Sayed-Caballes, managing owner of Cakes and Memories, a specialty bakeshop based out of Cebu and Cavite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a Carnegie Mellon University study<\/a>, your nearest and dearest can be your best buffer against burnout and stress. They also serve as your support system, providing a strong sense of purpose and the encouragement and inspiration to run a burgeoning business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhenever I get overwhelmed from work, I always stop and take a break. I do not give a deadline for the break I take. I find spending time with my family is the best remedy for me, playing with my kid or just simply watching a movie with them,\u201d said El-Sayed-Caballes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an added incentive, maintaining loving and social connections is also known to offer physical benefits, including lower blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making time for the things you love<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In the same way that finding time for your loved ones is essential in fighting burnout, so is making time to pursue hobbies and interests that you enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI find that tapping into my inner child does wonders in relieving stress. For instance, I enjoy colouring books and do it once in a while, particularly when I\u2019m feeling extra tired or when I feel like things are beyond my control,\u201d shared Lara Galan, Proposal Desk Manager at the Cebu headquarters of Lexmark International.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, it can be as easy as just taking a break. Perhaps you\u2019ll find that taking a few days off to travel somewhere new is what the doctor ordered. Or maybe, you\u2019re compelled to just curl up with a book, your journal, or, like Galan, a colouring book. That\u2019s the best part: how long you want to take a break and what you do with that break is all up to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFinishing a page of colouring gives me a sense of accomplishment after. And it\u2019s just what I need to uplift my mood and get back on track,\u201d Galan added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Burnout be gone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Without a doubt, burnout is not just some minor inconvenience that you shake off or sweep under the rug. Rather, it\u2019s a real occupational hazard that, when left unaddressed, will prove to be more trouble than it\u2019s worth for yourself, your business, and your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take burnout by the horns before it gets the better of you. You\u2019ve got this, boss lady!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Burnout can be addressed by cultivating healthier habits. Let us count the ways.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":161,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=155"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":531,"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155\/revisions\/531"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iriswrites.com\/portfolio\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}