As the weather turns warmer and long hours of daily sunshine begin, our mood levels tend to go up knowing summer is right around the corner. With summer excitement, comes the days of extra social activities and weekends away. After coming off the darker winter months, the extra sun is a mood booster but with co-workers taking time off and having to pick up extra workloads, and social outings becoming more consistent you can begin to feel overwhelmed, distracted, and exhausted.

 

What does summer burnout look like?

According to the Mayo Clinic  “Burnout is a special type of work-related stress – a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity” the consequences and symptoms of burnout can lead to:

  • Feelings of ineffectiveness
  • Fatigue
  • Insomnia
  • Excessive stress
  • Vulnerability to illness

 

How can we avoid the burnout?

 

Don’t over-schedule yourself

The fear of missing out can be overwhelming for some, which can lead to over scheduling yourself socially on top of a full work schedule. Take a step back and evaluate if this is something you can handle, if you have had a busy day at work and don’t feel like doing anything after, listen to your body and do not attend. It is not a negative to cancel plans when prioritizing yourself.

 

Eat well and get outside

Over the years, research has shown us that eating a well-balanced diet and getting some vitamin D can have a positive effect on our mood and well-being. Make the effort to fill your body with wholesome foods and use your 15 min or lunch break to take a quick walk outside and get some fresh air and vitamin D.

 

Take a Tech Break

With the news and social media at our fingertips, we have all been guilty of scrolling for longer than anticipated. We also tend to forget that social media is a highlight reel of people with lives with accomplishments and exciting activities, which can result in us feeling like we are not doing enough either socially or career-wise. Make a conscious effort to put the phone or computer away and take a break.

 

Coming into the summer months is exciting but can be overwhelming, and we know you don’t want to say no to people but know it’s okay to do that.  Focusing on yourself and your wellbeing will not only help avoid the summer burnout but keep you in a great headspace for the rest of the year to come.

 

  Written by Jacqueline Lavergne, Digital Marketing Manager at RehvUp Technologies Inc 

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