When you meet with a certain level of success in your job or business, sooner or later, working long hours without taking time to recharge will likely lead to burnout. Take my word for it because I am speaking out of experience – burnout landed me in hospital twice and the second time was pretty serious so don’t take any chances with your health and wellbeing.

Burnout can leave you feeling tired, resentful and in a worse case scenario it can seriously impact on your health. It is essential to recognise the signs early so you’ll be able to pace yourself and be effective at what you do.

Successful people know how hard it is to keep up their self-care routine when they're riding high on success, so they form habits that help them stay ahead of things. Budgeting time to do the things you love helps keep you fresh.

Here are ten tips to help you prevent burnout:

1. Be on the lookout for warning signs. People feel the effects of burnout in different ways. Perhaps you're feeling weary and exhausted without the energy necessary to perform, or maybe you feel sad or stressed out most of the time. Some worry about works all the time, even when you aren't working and others experience blurred-vision, difficulty finding words or difficulty focusing on anything in front of them (this is called "tunnel vision"). Watch out for your warning signs; once you've found the root of your burnout, it's easier to handle it.

2. Take regular breaks. Anywhere from 10-20 minutes can make all the difference between staying in your zone and falling asleep at your desk. When you feel burnout creeping up, take a break for the sake of your health and well-being. Even if you're only winding down for five minutes, sit somewhere quiet to think things over.

3. Follow a good sleep pattern. Studies show that people who get less than seven hours of sleep each night are more likely to experience burn out. If you find yourself falling asleep at your desk or on the train/bus, try catching up on some zzz's during weekends as sleep deprivation can wreck all sorts of havoc on our body health wise.

4. Make regular exercise an essential part of your life. Regular exercise reduces stress and increases energy. If you aren't a naturally athletic person, you might be surprised to find that exercise isn't an inconvenient chore. There are many ways to have fun while making your body feel better! If you can't get out of the office, try some low-impact exercises like stretches while you're at your desk.

5. Set some (positive) goals. When you know you have something to work toward, it's easier to get out of bed in the morning. With dreams, you give yourself a reason to keep going and a direction for your energy.

6. Try outsourcing. Switch up your workload every once in a while, to take some pressure off yourself. Delegate to coworkers or hire an intern (if you run your own business). Paying someone else to do part of your job frees up time for yourself—and it will help you think more clearly and creatively. You don’t have to do it all by yourself!

7. Identify the source of your burnout and fix it. You'll have a more challenging time beating burnout if you don't know what's causing it. Take some time to reflect – what causes you to feel tired, stressed, or resentful? Put your findings in writing. Are there things that you're doing that are causing this feeling? If so, talk to your boss about doing something different and let them know what's going on and if you work for yourself, try switching up things a bit until you find the routine that helps.

8. Go on a vacation (or staycation). Remember: Fun doesn't have to be expensive. Plan a trip somewhere fun that you can go for a few days. It doesn’t have to be abroad, am sure there are loads of fun places in the UK (or your current country of residence) that you are yet to explore so take a break and have some relaxation time. Go for some fresh air, take some time out of your schedule, and return feeling refreshed – it’s good for the mind, body and soul (and also for your relationships).

9. Be consistent with your self-care. You can't expect to get in touch with your feelings and refresh yourself if you don't take enough time for yourself. You are your greatest asset so take care of ‘you’ - even a 20-minute break can make all the difference in the world when you're feeling stressed and overworked.

10. Establish firm boundaries. For those of you who are employees, don't let your boss or colleagues push you to work late without saying something first. There's a thin line between being hard-working and being a slave driver. There is nothing wrong with saying “No” when you know you’ve reached your limit. If you run your own business, be sensible and disciplined with yourself and know when to stop; set boundaries for yourself and make sure you maintain them.

Plan smart breaks to stay on top of things and be more effective at what you do. You’ll be glad you did!

Always remember that successful people don't just show up for work and do their best. They ensure that they have time to do things that are important to them. They create a healthy, balanced life outside of work (and their business).

Until my next blog post, stay focused, encouraged & motivated.

Ayeshea

PS: I will love to hear how you are getting on so please use the 'Send a Message' form below to get in touch with your comments and/or any questions you might have, and I’ll personally get back to you (normally within 24hours of receiving your message).