For some people there is no warning before they get that incredible job promotion, they just suddenly find themselves in a new position complete with new roles and responsibilities. It’s the whole jumping in with both feet, where you need to adapt after the fact. There’s no time to really think about how you will adjust and deal with all the new stress on your lap, you just have to find a way through it.
Then there are those who are actively working to further advance their career, which are the ones we’ll focus on. This group of individuals has a bit more notice, which means a bit more time to prepare mentally and physically for the extra responsibility they will take on. Maybe you are doing on-the-job training in order to prepare. Perhaps you are working hard and putting in those extra hours.
Then again maybe you are pursuing a degree that provides you with the skills you need to step into a leadership role. Take for example Baylor University’s online DNP – executive nurse leadership program, which ultimately will prepare you to step into a leadership role and propel you into the next level of your career.
Regardless of how you are going about working your way up the career ladder, one thing is for sure and that is the fact you’ll need to be mindful of your health. All that extra stress, longer hours, and more responsibility can take a toll on you mentally and physically, affecting you at work and at home. So before you find yourself burnt out, here are some health and fitness tips well worth following.
Create a Healthy Sleep Schedule as Soon as Possible
One of the best pieces of advice is one you would probably give your kids, and that’s to make sure you are getting enough sleep. Just because you are an adult doesn’t mean sleep is any less important to your health. If you aren’t averaging about eight hours of sleep a night, then you aren’t getting enough.
It’s a good idea to create a solid bedtime routine before you even start your new job or get that promotion, so that you’ll already have the habit set up. Some tips that can help with a bedtime routine are to cut out caffeine and alcohol after dinner, try not to snack too close to bedtime, give yourself a chance to wind down before falling asleep, remove distractions such as the television from your bedroom, make sure your room is kept at a comfortable temperature, invest in good quality bedding, use a comfortable and supportive pillow, and hang blackout curtains to ensure the room is nice and dark.
A bedtime routine is one that should take place at the same time every night, even on weekends, to ensure that it becomes a habit.
Introduce Exercise Into Your Daily Life
If you don’t often place exercise as a priority in life, now is the time to re-examine it. Many people use exercise as a way to lose weight, build muscle, and stay physically fit but did you know it also has a huge impact on your state of mind? Exercise is able to keep you physically and mentally fit, which in turn means you’ll be able to perform at peak levels. Regular exercise is able to increase your energy level, helps to keep your mind sharp, it can improve your memory, it helps you burn off stress, and just leaves you feeling great.
As for what kind of exercise is best, there is no right and wrong answer. It’s all about being active for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. That can mean something as simple as going for a walk, riding your bike, or even playing sports with friends. Just focus on getting up and getting moving.
Ensure You’re Eating a Healthy Well-Balanced Diet
Of course whatever you eat and drink is also going to have a physical and mental effect on you. If you keep your body fuelled with a healthy well-balanced diet, then you can bet you’ll be able to better fight off the stress and demands of your job.
For those feeling overwhelmed by the food choices out there, you can just keep it real simple and follow the food guide as outlined by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). The food guide breaks all items up into five categories (dairy, fruits, grains, protein, and vegetables), and outlines how much you need to be consuming in each category.
Schedule Downtime
Often when people take on more responsibility at work it can be rather consuming, cutting into their personal time at home and really taking over their life. Even if you aren’t putting in extra hours, you may still be thinking about work when you’re at home with the kids, or hanging out with friends. This is exactly why it’s important to actively schedule downtime. Even if that means you need to block off actual time in your calendar, then that’s what needs to be done.
Socializing, having fun, relaxing, and not having “to do” anything is important. If you don’t allow yourself this downtime, then the stress will most definitely take over. Keep in mind, downtime helps you to re-focus too, and allow you to think more clearly. This can benefit you at work as you’ll be feeling fresh and ready to take on the day.
It’s Okay to Have Limits
Finally you need to tell yourself it’s okay to have limits. You aren’t a super hero, no-one is, so there will be times you just need to say “no”. You can’t be everything to everyone at all times, and that doesn’t lessen you and your abilities. Giving yourself permission to say no can be extremely freeing.
The Best You that You Can Be
By following these tips you’ll not only be working to ensure you don’t get burnt out at home or in the office, but you will also be making sure you are the best you that you can be.
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