Avoiding Burnout: Strengthening Resources
Part 4/5 of our weekly articles about ‘burnout’
Author: Esther Kimmel
Establish a protective shield using your own resources! Read below how you can awaken good feelings and positive inner convictions.
Perhaps you can recall the last blog entry on this subject. What is especially important to me is that you understand the following: If you take warning signals sent out by your body and psyche seriously, you have a better chance of protecting yourself against burnout. But how do you proceed after this important step? If you want to avoid burnout and face life with renewed vigor, you have to get your old power sources up and running and/or exploit new sources of strength.
Detecting the risk of burnout — what to do?
Everyone has internal sources of strength: A sense of competence or rightness, of being integrated within a meaningful context, of autonomy, of being in harmony with others and of deep understanding. These feelings come into existence when everything is as it should be. But they can also be aroused — or conjured up — by reflecting on a positive inner image, through a short conversation or a specific sensory perception
If this succeeds, many other things will succeed as well. The clenched fist in your head relaxes, fear and pressure are relieved. It’s possible to once again knuckle down and to turn a day that begins inauspiciously into a good day.
Tweet this: Don’t stumble through your life without goals. Instead, make a pact with yourself. Determine what you want to have more of in your life.
Strengthening Resources…
These sources of strength — which are among our most important resources — can be consciously strengthened. Resilience results from the consciousness of one’s sources of strength: Resilience can be defined as an individual’s tough core, which doesn’t collapse under pressure or in the face of adversity. Indeed, it safely envelopes what is most valuable in one’s personality.
… but how?
By getting rid of obstacles that block our inner sources of strength! This can be one way to strengthen resources. Among these obstacles are belief systems about ourselves and our world (“success will make you arrogant”, “I’m not good at dealing with people”). Psychologists call such preconceived notions that shape our thoughts and action “cognitions.” Getting to the bottom of cognitions and experimenting with the reformulation or rewriting of our belief systems can have a pronounced liberating effect.
For some people, it is difficult to perceive what is positive (this is based on deeply-rooted cognitions by the way). The best way to combat such an alarmist and pessimistic attitude is to record one’s successes in a diary. Write down three things per day that went well!
Have a Vision!
Don’t stumble through your life without goals. Instead, make a pact with yourself. Determine what you want to have more of in your life — and what you want to have less of. Seize the day and be determined to tackle something you’ve been thinking about right away. Being clear about your goals is a powerful resource. Make your vision more concrete by writing it down or telling someone about it!
