In honour of Movember (the charity that shines a light through the month of November on all things Men’s Health), we asked our experts at Seed for their top tips on how men can spot, avoid and overcome chronic stress and burnout.
Research shows that up to 35% of men experience burnout. Yet, when compared to women, less than half reach out for help. So, when does stress tip over into burnout? What are the signs to look out for? And what can men do to avoid hitting the burnout wall?
Last year, the World Health Organisation upgraded its definition of burnout to “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” Yet, burnout doesn’t just ‘happen’… it is often the wall that people crash into when they don’t heed the warning signs.
Said Elizabeth O’Neill, Seed’s Holistic Health Coach, “Actually, burnout isn’t always work related – it can be due to a stressful life event such as illness, divorce or caring for a loved one. Here are my 3 red flags and ways to overcome them:”
- Disrupted sleep cycles –- Support your sleep with supplements such as magnesium; get off screens an hour before bed; download a meditation app to help calm the mind
- Detached, irritable and withdrawn – Spend more time with people you love and engage in activities you enjoy
- Fatigue / Exhaustion – Set boundaries to achieve better work life balance. Ie don’t answer emails and phone calls before and after specific times of day.
Suzy Malhotra, Seed’s Career & Resilience Coach, uses practical, evidence- based methods such as the 5 Pillars of Resilience to measure where her clients are on the burnout spectrum. Said Suzy, “I love to use a car as a metaphor to help identify where focus is required as follows:”
- Energy – Without fuel, you can’t go anywhere
- Future Focus – Your internal sat nav – what is your direction?
- Inner Drive – Why you are making that journey
- Flexible Thinking – If there’s a road block or diversion, how can you change course?
- Strong Relationships – Think about who is on that journey with you
Research around work recovery shows it’s imperative to detach from thoughts of work when the work day is done. Said Sue Solomou, Rapid Transformational Therapist, ‘Ruminating about work problems keeps stress going and magnifies false beliefs through constant replay.”
- Remember that our thoughts are not necessarily real
- Aim to observe the thought rather than react to it
- When the thought appears, rather than say “I can’t handle this,” tell yourself, “It’s just a thought. I CAN handle this because I have good coping skills.”
If you or someone you know needs support, email info@seedwellness.co.uk.
Movember is dedicated to continuing vital research into all things men’s health. To learn more or donate, visit www.movember.com.
