Five Signs You Are Burned Out and What To Do About It

Whether you work in an office, are a freelancer or are a stay-at-home parent, the signs of burnout are often the same. Regardless of our career choices, we ignore the symptoms of burnout because change is scary. This is understandable, as no one wants to leave their comfort zone. Fear of changing what we've been successful at can lead to being stuck in a state of denial.  However, not acknowledging burnout will only prevent you from taking action and being happier in the long run.

Some signs you may be burned out are:

• It takes you more energy to perform tasks that you once did with ease
• You feel exhausted before you even start to work
• You find yourself thinking negative thoughts
• You are impatient with management, colleagues or family (or all three). You used to get along with these people, but now everything they say seems to grate on your nerves
• You feel like a weight is lifted when you are away from work 

If you feel this way, you should check with your doctor to make sure there isn't a physical cause for your exhaustion and lack of energy. If you have a clean bill of health, then you need to admit you are likely burned out.  Sure, you can run away on vacation for a few days but that won’t fix your problem. The thing about burnout is that it won't get better on its own. Take steps now to re-ignite your career.

 

What You Can Do About Burnout

 

Working through burnout is a process. First, talk to someone about it: a friend, colleague, family member, therapist or career counselor. Get the support you need to help you move forward. Talking to other people who have been in your shoes can help.

 

You may end up changing jobs or pursuing another line of work, but the cure for burnout doesn’t need to be drastic. Try one of these options to break the burnout cycle:

• Study mindfulness. You don't need to meditate (although you could), but being more mindful of your daily actions can make them more interesting and help you control your negative thoughts and feelings
• Take a college class. Freshen or advance your skills to make yourself available for new projects and promotions
• Offer to do a task at work you have never done before, or create a social opportunity that everyone can join in outside of work
• Sign up to volunteer for a local organization
• Find or create a support group for workplace burnout
• Take a class in something completely unrelated to your work. Try something creative or challenging, in a subject that appeals to you
• Join an organization and attend conferences. Meet up with like-minded people and break up your daily routine
• If you work from home, join a work co-op or other group to change up your schedule, and your work environment

It's About Accepting Change

 

The hardest thing about admitting and working through burnout is fear that things will change. Don’t fear change, embrace it! By making a change now, you will find a new appreciation for your job, career and maybe even your coworkers!

Learn something for the fun of it - Now at a YMCA near you

The name says it all - LEARN Jacksonville - where classes are created for adults to participate in fun activities and learn new skills. LEARN Jacksonville has partnered with YMCA of Northeast Florida to bring affordable personal enrichment programs to a location near you.

Discover everything from foreign language classes to kayaking lessons. Five local Y branches, including Arlington Family YMCA, Brooks Family YMCA, Flagler Center Family YMCA, Williams Family YMCA and Yates Family YMCA, will offer 17 unique classes beginning in May. Starting at $25 per class.

“The Y never stops exploring new ways to partner within the community and cultivate a healthy, active First Coast,” said YMCA of Florida’s First Coast President and CEO Eric Mann. “We are pleased to join forces with the University of North Florida to provide area residents with extensive educational resources that improve individual well-being.”

You do not have to be a Y member to take classes at your neighborhood Y. Everyone is welcome to attend classes at either UNF or YMCA locations. But Y membership does have its perks. First Coast YMCA members will receive 15 percent off registration for all classes taking place at Y facilities.

“As LEARN Jacksonville has become increasingly popular over the past years, it’s only natural for us to expand our reach by serving a wide variety of carefully selected classes beyond the campus walls,” said Edythe Abdullah, interim dean of UNF’s Division of Continuing Education. “The alignment between the Y’s commitment to strengthening communities and our division’s long-time goal of personal improvement will further facilitate a healthier Northeast Florida.”

Through this partnership, the new classes offered at First Coast Ys include Healthy Living in a Toxic World, Introduction to Spanish, Creative Mosaic Workshop, Crash Course in Screenwriting and more. 

Visit LEARNJacksonville.com for a full list of classes. Y members must register through FirstCoastYMCA.org/UNF in order to receive their discount. 

Click here to view the digital catalog or here to download a mobile-friendly PDF.

The Y

For more than 100 years, YMCA of Florida’s First Coast has been providing men, women and children of all ages, and from all walks of life, opportunities to build stronger bonds, live healthy and become more engaged with their communities. Learn more: www.FirstCoastYMCA.org.

University of North Florida

UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.

Connecting with Nature Through Eco-Art: Discover an Effective Tool for Engaging with the Land that Inspires and Sustains You

by Kelly Johnson

Eco Art is a broad term to describe genre of art that addresses the human relationship with the earth. Eco Art or environmentally based art is not a new art niche by any means, and I have found that it is an incredibly effective tool for engaging students of all ages in the process of exploring their own relationships with the land that inspires and sustains them. 

The New World Museum believes environmentally based art is “The intermingling of art and the environmental is a phenomenon with roots in some of the earliest known human works.”  Humans have been expressing their thoughts about nature since their beginning. Whether to relay information on animal migration on a cave wall, to please a deity, or to express elements of science and beauty of the natural world, artists work to understand the human relationship with nature.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, art in the form of nature journaling was often used as a tool to engage in nature study.  While grounded in natural history, art was a way to

appreciate and connect with a natural world that was quickly becoming transformed by industry. The mid-twentieth century saw the Land Artists expressing their connection, or desire for connection, to nature by vastly manipulating large areas of land. Late twentieth century artists began utilizing natural forms and nature itself to draw public attention to environmental spirit and consciousness. Now, in the twenty-first century, environmental artists’ work seeks to invite the viewer to address issues such as finding a balance between media, pollution, and development with a human need for nature connection in a culture of convenience that often comes at nature’s expense.

Today, Eco Art is explored in a wide variety of ways from the hands-on manipulations of natural materials to journaling in traditional art mediums to creating online content. This flexibility makes it very attractive and approachable to people of all ages and interests in the natural world. My favorite aspect of Eco Art is that it frequently focuses on process and connection with the materials rather than a finished product. Process over product is such an important lesson which once learned frees us of any fears related with not being a “good” artist, allowing us to just have fun with the materials while exploring forms, textures, and colors in naturally inspiring environments. 

To learn more about the Connect With Nature Through Creative Journaling class from March 23 through April 11, 2015 from 2 to 4 p.m. at UNF Continuing Education, please click here. Registration is going on now!

Work Cited: Natural World Museum, NWM. Art in Action: Nature, Creativity and Our Collective Future. San Rafael: Earth Aware, 2007. Print.

About Kelly

Kelly Johnson (BFA, MA) is an artist, author, Montessorian, and children's gardener in Neptune Beach, Florida. Through her books, workshops, consultations, blog, courses, and handmade garden accessories Kelly inspires children and adults to connect with their natural world through gardening and the arts. Follow her blog at www.wingswormsandwonder.com.

The Essential Four Steps to a Healthier You

by Claudia Wallace, RN, BSN, Certified Wellness Coach

Have you always wanted to eat healthier, maintain a long-term exercise routine , have more energy, or lose the winter pounds? If you answered “yes” then it’s time to shift gears by taking the next step.   Commit to change towards a healthier and maybe happier you. One of my clients has lost over 80lbs since working together and taking the steps below; literally, he took up dancing. It’s not only the weight he has lost but the new confidence and joy he has found by taking the next step and reaching his goals.

Know Your Core Values
The first step towards successful change is to connect our long-term goals with our core values.  Why is a healthy life, focused on wellness, important to you?  When we truly believe  in and value our goals we are much more likely to achieve them as opposed to just doing what we’re told is best. Do you want to lose the extra pounds to feel better about yourself, to prevent chronic diseases or to have more energy to do the activities you enjoy? It is important for success to spend some time thinking and even writing down what brings joy into your life and what makes you thrive. Knowing your values in life will inspire you to reach your potential or long-term goals.

Set SMART Goals
Now that you have defined your long-term goals and connected them to your individual motivators, it’s time to set weekly short-term goals. It’s important to set SMART goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measureable, Action oriented, Realistic and Timely. If your goal is to work out three times a week you want to be specific on what action you are going to do, where, what day and time and for how long you are going to do it. It’s important to start with small steps to build up confidence through early successes.  For example, if you are new to exercise you might want to start with a walking routine. 

Create a Plan
Plan for success by writing down your workouts in your calendar like you would any other important appointment. Use a digital reminder or sticky note, whatever works best for you personally as an additional aid for success. Sharing your goals with somebody you trust will make you more accountable for your goals. Inviting a friend or partner to join you for support and company will also make you more likely to be successful. Think ahead about any potential obstacles you might encounter and make specific plans on how to overcome them. If you are often too tired or busy in the evening to visit your gym, try getting up earlier for a morning workout.

Celebrate YOU!
Last but not least, believe in yourself and your ability to be successful with your goals. Many studies have shown that we are much more likely to be successful with any goal setting if we also feel worthy of change. Give yourself as much encouragement and support as you would give a good friend. Plan for potential setbacks and see them as learning opportunities. Celebrate early successes by rewarding yourself with something special. One of my favorite quotes is by Henry Ford “Whether you believe you can or whether you believe you can’t; you are right”.

About Claudia:

Mrs. Wallace is a Registered Nurse (Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Univ. of Massachusetts, Boston) and Wellcoaches™ certified wellness coach. She is CEO and founder of Horizon Wellness Coaching of Ponte Vedra Beach. In addition to her own clients, she has served as wellness coach to underprivileged patients at the Sulzbacher Beaches Clinic in Jacksonville Beach. 

Mrs. Wallace coaches individuals to lead healthier, happier lives through prevention and management of chronic diseases, such as obesity, hypertension and Type 2 Diabetes. In her coaching, she uses a holistic approach addressing nutrition, physical activity, stress reduction, self-compassion and sleep. Claudia also offers monthly wellness workshops for the community partnering with different health care providers and health oriented businesses.


The UNF Division of Continuing Education is committed to helping everyone reach their health and fitness goals. Visit our website to see all of the classes available for registration.

#WellnessU: Let's Get Started!

Were you one of the millions of Americans that made a New Year's resolution to be healthier? According to the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology, the top two resolutions made in January 2014 were to (1) lose weight and (2) get fit and healthy. That's great news!

UNF Continuing Education would like to do our part in helping our community keep those resolutions and become fit and healthier. Today we are kicking off our month-long #WellnessU campaign on social media, and we couldn't be more excited! We are having a hard time restraining ourselves from sharing all of the great content at once! Here is an overview of what to expect: