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Managing Peak Season: Stop Burnout Before It Starts – by Shelli Hendricks, Ph.D., President, Blue Horizon Solutions
Especially during the high season, it’s not unusual to experience long days of high demand. Although we enjoy the increase in business and higher cus- tomer interactions, burnout is a very real concern I hear about frequently from dive pros. Burnout can signifi- cantly affect your mind and body caus-
you think you'll burnout, then it's time to make a major life change. For example, you may have a job that is causing you to repeatedly burnout despite your best efforts to avoid it. Perhaps it's time to start looking for a more suitable job. Even small changes to your schedule or routine can be enough for mental and physical change of pace. 4. Take Breaks. There is a reason why it's mandatory to offer breaks to employees. You need breaks to refresh, rejuvenate, and renew your mind. Go for a 10-minute walk, play a Sudoku puzzle, or just get away from your source of tension for a few minutes. Is there another part of the business where you can rotate assistance to support each other in taking breaks? 5. Ask For Help. Sometimes we feel so alone with our problems that we forget to ask for help, yet that just might be the antidote to our stress! Talk to your partner, friend, or a personal coach to vent your frustrations and seek advice. 6. Learn To Say No. There is a difference between some- one who is open and accommodating and someone who says yes to everything. If you tell everyone yes, it's likely that someone will take advantage of you at some point or another. Learn that sometimes saying no is in your best interest. You don't need to give yourself extra stress! The Time Factor: In the end, the most important tip is to listen to what your inner self is telling you. If you've taken on too much, make a list and figure out the most important things that need to get done. The other stuff will have to wait or someone else will have to complete the tasks. Take Time to Vent: If you ever start to panic, just like in diving: stop, breathe, think, and then make choices. Take a moment to step away from what is adding stress. Vent your emotions appropriately. Vent to friends outside of work, to yourself, or in a journal. Pent up emotions are likely to lead to unwanted burnout. The simple act of naming the emotion can help to reactivate the decision-making prefrontal cortex in your brain. We offer training workshops to help recognize and manage emotional intelligence for dive pros. Book time with one of our career coaches to explore resources or visit us online at DiveProCoach.com.
ing you to suffer from exhaustion, anxiety, and even depression. In one study, researchers found that the effect of feeling tired was similar to the effects of being under the influence of alcohol. If left unchecked, burnout can lead to even more severe health problems such as heart attacks or strokes. In order to avoid burnout, it's important to get into a habit of recognizing its warning signs so you can stop it before it begins. Even some relatively simple life changes may make it more likely for you to avoid burnout all together. Here are some tips dive pros can use to manage burnout during peak season: 1. Analyze Your Workload. It's quite easy to take on too much without realizing that there are only so many hours in the day. If you continue to run on overdrive without giving yourself a break, you're sure to eventually reach burnout. You have two choices when it comes to altering your workload: First, you can study time management and prioriti- ▪ zation techniques in order to work more efficiently. You'll be able to get more done in less time. Second, you can drop things off of your workload. ▪ This may not be ideal, but it's important for the sake of your health and happiness. Have a conversation with your manager or other team leaders. Who else on your team might be able to assist you or task swap to ensure full coverage? If you are experiencing burnout, odds are the whole team is feeling it too. 2. Avoid Exhaustion. When you're in-tune with your body, you can sense when you're reaching a point of ex- haustion. As soon as you start to feel this way it's time to stop and make a change. You can book a mini vaca- tion, go on a dive trip, or you can spend time at home. The important thing to remember is that you need to leave your sources of stress behind. If this means no ac- cess to a cell phone or computer, then so be it! What are the activities that give you a change of scenery to recharge? 3. Change Is Good. If you keep reaching a point where
These are just a few strategies to stop burnout in its tracks and enjoy your life. Take action and implement these tips today, and you'll soon be free from the crushing pressure of burnout!
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