Meeting Ms. Burn-Out Part 3: How to Prevent Burn-Out, it’s more than a glass of wine.

I’ll begin by reminding you of the importance of congratulating yourself, before I explain how it can prevent burn-out and even cure it. You, as a job-seeker, worker, student, or anything else, cannot survive solely off the praise of others. If you’re feeling burn-out, it might be because you’ve slammed through so many tasks without a moment to breathe and recognize what you’ve done. When you reach this point, you’ve likely already skimmed over a lot of celebratory dances you should’ve done along the way. Get ready to congratulate yourself again right now, you’re able to recognize Ms. Burn-Out.

Taking time to acknowledge your accomplishments is a universal way of using self-gratification to avoid burn-out. Preventative measures can’t stop there, though. This is the time to form healthy habits to prevent future burn-out, for your mental and physical health. While our instinct might be to reward ourselves with a glass of merlot or rosé, it’s important to come up with healthy habits as well.  

No, we aren’t suggesting that you start running if you hate running. Find what a realistic healthy habit is for you and implement it into your daily routine – if you want to try running, awesome! If the idea of running makes you want to cry (hey girl, me too), find a different healthy way to control your levels of stress. Practice good sleep habits, make sure you are eating things that will maintain the energy levels you need, get up and stretch in between work projects. This one’s really important – make sure your workspace has some kind of inspiring flair to it. If you’re the kind of person that has a frenzy of post-it notes of what needs to get accomplished on your desk, make sure you’re also surrounding yourself with reminders of what you’ve already accomplished. I, for example, keep a picture of myself at five years old around my desk at all times. It’s a reminder of who I was before I started “adulting,” a little girl with big pigtails and big dreams!  

Another preventative measure is to implement healthy breaks throughout your day. You know what you consider a break the best. I use my time coffee-making time as a break. I invested in coffee syrups and various types of nut milk a while ago, my coffee time has become my time to focus on nothing but creating the perfect cup of frothy coffee. Taking a break can mean reading a couple pages from a juicy novel, getting up and stretching, etc. If you have no idea on where to start, I suggest you download a breathing app and set a reminder to breathe for one minute every hour. Before you respond with the classic “I don’t have time for any of this,” think about how much more time you waste when you fatigue yourself into a state where work seems impossible. “I don’t have time” is just an excuse to not take care of yourself and ram through more work. I love the ambition girl, but you have to be as strict on yourself with self-care as you are with your work!

These small things will make a huge difference. Stress is inevitable in this life but burn-out is preventable. If you’re already in the dark haze of burn-out, the first step is to not be angry with yourself. I can’t emphasize this enough, Ms. Burn-Out is the side of everyone that we love to ignore but can’t. Feeling burn-out is valid, real and takes time to work through. The best remedy for burn-out is reflecting. Ask yourself the hard questions, have you lost interest in your work? Is there something you can do about that? Do you need to take a breather and watch a few episodes of Friends or do you need to make some life changes?

If you find that the source of your burn-out is an innate desire to change careers or make big changes in some other way, we’ll have plenty of blogs about figuring out your life course.

If you find that you’ve simply overworked yourself and need to recharge, you can employ any of the skills mentioned to take a break. Once you’ve identified your stressors and formed healthy habits, indulge yourself in a glass of wine and an episode (or two) of your favorite show. You deserve it!

Meeting Ms. Burn-Out Part 2: When does she appear and where does she come from?

If you read our last blog about who Ms. Burn-Out is, your next step is to figure out when she appears and where she comes from. Let’s turn to our reliable World Health Organization once more.

The WHO defines burn-out as a “syndrome” and even lists these three symptoms:

1.     Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;

2.     Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and

3.     Reduced professional efficacy

Just like a regular cold or fit of the flu, burn-out has symptoms. When you begin to feel depleted, you should know that burn-out is happening.

As of right now, most medical organizations recognize burn-out as only something that occurs within the workplace. The “where” of burn-out might be strictly defined by some organizations, but MyLegacyLoading likes to think of burn-out as something that occurs within ourselves and not just within the workplace. A mother trying to get back into the professional world will likely experience burn-out from trying to balance raising children and figuring out a reentry to her career. A student in college could experience burn-out even before beginning their first internship, the prospect of having only four years to decide what to do with the rest of your life is daunting enough to cause burn-out. Even an incredibly successful professional can experience burn-out, they’ve likely overworked themselves to get where they are now!

All of this is meant to say that burn-out can happen anywhere and at any time, there is no cookie-cutter way of identifying when and where burn-out will occur. If you’re feeling the symptoms, you’re experiencing it! Read our next blog to find out how to prevent and cure burn-out.

Meeting Ms. Burn-Out Part 1: WHO is this B*tch?

The World Health Organization defines burn-out as an “occupational phenomenon.” If you’ve experienced burn-out, you probably define it as the b*tch that steals all your energy and confidence!

Everyone has experienced burn-out, but most women know less about it than they should. Do either of the below sound familiar?

You are a student, sitting in front of your desk and staring at a pile of homework that needs to get done. You hear an email notification go off, another professor sending another assignment. You have an exam coming up. You did alright on the last one, you need to do better on the next one. Every time you feel like your catching up with one class, you fall behind in a different one. Balancing seems impossible. You’re tired all of the time, no matter how much you sleep.

You are a working woman. You look around your desk and see small tokens of what you’ve done for your workplace. An award hangs behind your computer, you glance over it without thought. You have a million emails with a million tasks. It feels like the work will never run out, and you’ve had a nagging migraine for as long as you can remember.

If either of these scenarios seem even remotely familiar, you’ve experienced or are experiencing burn-out! The experience isn’t limited to one type of occupation or lifestyle. Burn-out is a general sense of facing the never-ending, fatigue from checking items off a list that seems to never end. Now that you know who Ms. Burn-Out is, acknowledge that she’s real! What more do you need to validate your feelings than an acknowledgement by the WHO?

Burn-out is real, and it has long-term effects if you don’t learn to recognize it as it happens. Most importantly, burn-out isn’t just the b*tch that’s been stealing all your energy. Ms. Burn-Out might be annoying, but she’s also an important indicator of when you’ve gone too long without reflecting and taking a moment to breathe. She is your inner voice, telling you to pause – and she doesn’t just appear at low periods in your life. She often makes an appearance in high periods as well. She’s a reminder to check in on yourself, to get to know yourself and your limits more intimately. Now that you know who Ms. Burn-Out is, (she’s just you wanting a break!) read our next blogs in the Burn-Out series to find out when burn-out happens and how to prevent it.

The Importance of Congratulating Yourself

As a society, we’ve learned that the appropriate response to most positive news from others is a loud and enthusiastic “Congratulations!”

         New job offer? “How wonderful, congratulations!”

         A promotion? “You work so hard, you deserve it. Congratulations!”

         A raise? “Congratulations! That means you’re picking up the tab, right?”

         We’re encouraged to uplift others during their times of success, happiness, and celebration. But how often are we encouraged to congratulate ourselves? How often have you waited for someone else to notice what you’ve accomplished, only to become frustrated with the fact that NO ONE congratulates you as often as you congratulate them?

Maybe you’ve arrived at our blog as a fresh graduate seeking advice, daunted by the prospect of continuing school or entering the workforce. Maybe you’re a woman pursuing your second career and want to know what you need to change. Maybe you’re a mother, looking to get back into the professional world and not knowing where to begin. Or maybe, just maybe, you’re just a woman who came here not knowing exactly what you came here for.

Well, allow all of us to be the first to tell you: “Congratulations!”

Whether you’ve come here in search for specific answers about networking or a job search, or you’ve simply come to try to figure out what you need, you’ve taken a crucial first step in the furtherance of your own success. That deserves a pat on the back.

         MyLegacyLoading was started by young, women professionals who began their life journeys without knowing exactly what they needed. We were taught to fight for our place in the world by the women that surrounded us – and we want to do the same for you. One of the most important tips we can give you (no matter where you are in your career and life) is to constantly reflect on your accomplishments.

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So pour out a glass of wine, Put on your most colorful face mask and congratulate yourself for taking a step toward the ideal version of YOU today. Welcome to your world queen!

Glowing Queens Coming Soon: Healthy Habits To Change Your Lifestyle

It can be hard to navigate the fitness world… Here are some quick tips to help you start developing healthy habits that you can stick to longterm!

1. Don’t be afraid of lifting weights and don’t worry about looking bulky! It takes years for body builders and gym enthusiasts to achieve their ideal. However, as you age you begin to lose muscle mass. On average a pound of muscle, at rest, burns about 6 calories per hour. You can compare this to only 2 calories for a pound of fat. One of the best ways to increase your muscle mass is to lift weights. Increasing your muscle mass will tighten your muscles to appear slimmer. If you don’t have access to free weights you can always opt for body weight exercises! There are plenty of great workouts you can do right in your living room.

2. Eat real food! Protein bars and drinks are great to supplement your diet but you need to make sure you are eating real food to fuel your body. If you were driving a high end sports car you would want to make sure you keep up with the maintenance and the right gas. You want to fuel your body with enough food that will give you energy and nutritional value! If you are trying to cut calories look for lean proteins or eat low calorie snacks. It should come as no surprise that processed foods are generally higher in calories, unhealthy fats, sodium, and sugar than whole foods. Eliminating processed foods can have one of the largest impacts on your weight.

3. Start paying attention to portion sizes! Everything is okay in moderation and can help you reach long term goals and sustain a healthy lifestyle. Many of us get caught up in a healthy eating cycle that results in huge binge on all the junk food we could imagine. Understanding how to portion your food for satisfaction and optimize nutrition can make controlling your calorie intake easier. Counting calories is not for everyone but make sure you are staying aware of eating one serving size vs three. Quick tips would be to use smaller plates, split meals at restaurants or looking up average portion rules of thumb. If you can keep up with calorie counting there are great apps that make it quick and easy!

4. When you are not up for an intense workout try going for a long walk. You can go with a friend, a dog or just listen to your favorite music. It is important to stay active and low impact exercise is easy on the joints and good for blood flow.

5. Add supplements to your diet in a way that enhances your nutrition. Don’t go and buy every pre workout and protein out there. Look for what areas you may not be getting enough nutrients from your daily meals. Vitamin supplements may include a general daily multi-vitamin, high quality Omega 3 Fatty Acid, and Vitamin D3 with Calcium. Other options to consider include live culture probiotics. If you are looking for more energy look for green tea or all natural caffeine supplements. There are even natural fat burners like FOF ELITE that have healthy doses of caffeine that can help speed up weight loss and give you more energy. These sources are a healthier alternative to pre workouts.

6. Remember to rest. Whether it is sleeping for 8 hours or taking a rest day from your workouts. Your body needs to recover! It is so important to take care of your body so you can take on your next day. Try sticking to a sleeping schedule or eliminating TV and other electronic devices right before bed.

There is a lot more to losing weight than working out, meal prepping and detoxes. We often get stuck in the storm of social media but remember to take care of yourself and create healthy habits to incorporate throughout your daily life.

Confidence Loading… Building Confidence In Three Easy Steps

Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you were happier? Well, I am not here to tell you about a simple blueprint that will instantly change your life. You don’t just find happiness- you create it. The secret to happiness only lies within you. However, there are three steps that can help you discover how to achieve it.

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THE FIRST STEP to maximizing your happiness begins with fundamentally altering your mindset, beginning with both your perception of yourself and the world. Our insecurities, which may cause us to develop a distorted mindset and perception of the world, are derived from the absurd standards that have been imposed on us by our society. Such standards can include the false notion of a perfect life with financial stability, beauty/body image expectations, and so on. These standards can cloud our judgment and feeling of self-worth by setting an ideal and unrealistic picture of what must be obtained in order to be accepted in society. Once you begin to feel more comfortable with who you are outside of these societal confines, you will uncover steps to improve all aspects of your life.

Instead of looking to these standards, set a natural bar for yourself that develops from your own personal journey. By individualizing your standards, you can set goals and expectations that are catered to your own life. Once you reach those initial goals, you can raise your own bar higher. While on this journey of personal growth, it is crucial to note that you must accept yourself at every stage and be happy with who you are at that moment. Remember, the secret to happiness only lies within you and your determination for self-growth.

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THE SECOND STEP to increasing happiness is knowing your self-worth. Unconditional self-worth begins with believing that you are good enough- that you deserve to exist. Let any traces of anxiety fade away by changing your mindset and developing a stronger sense of self-worth. This requires you to go beyond merely accepting your unique quirks and insecurities; you must also recognize the beauty in those same quirks and insecurities and internalize an appreciation for what sets you apart from everyone else. Self-doubt is often rooted in comparison but the truth is, your only competition is yourself. Once you allow yourself to be in control of your emotions with regards to your self-worth, you will be able to shift your mind to have a more positive perspective. You will be able to envision your true potential and perceive challenges as opportunities.

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THE THIRD STEP consists of identifying a higher purpose. By doing this you will gain a reason for existence, a motivation that will bring pleasure to daily activities. Many people often give in to temptations that bring instant gratification but you can exchange those actions for ones with long term gains that help serve your higher purpose. A positive mindset allows you to manifest a life that is centered around self-respect and self-love. Forgiving your past and accepting what has happened throughout your life is important, but what is more crucial is how you reflect and grow from the past and your actions. This will help you determine what path you want to take, what kind of life you want to live and how to get there. Another way to keep a positive mindset for growth is to give yourself advice and encouragement in the same manner you would to your best friend or family. At the same time, don’t overwhelm yourself with the future and miss out on what the present has to offer- embrace every point of your journey. Focus on progress and the little improvements towards your higher purpose that will bring you a sense of worthiness.

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Sustained happiness is often associated with self-esteem and how we feel about ourselves, originated from our abilities, accomplishments, social positions and achievements. I challenge you to reshape your mindset and concentrate on self-worth. Have a favorable opinion and unshakable faith in who you are. You are worthy of good things and an exceptional life but that life will not come unless you believe it will. Find the strength in yourself to feel grounded and persist towards your higher purpose even when life doesn’t go as planned. Hold yourself accountable for the path your life follows. Then, surround yourself with people, opportunities and thoughts to keep moving forward. Envision happiness and confidence in your life and watch it become your reality.

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