Make 2024 The Year To Avoid Burnout By *Actually* Processing Your Stressors

I’ve been reflecting a lot on the challenges that women commonly face in their daily lives. One area that has been heavy on my mind in the recent months is an increase in burnout and the lasting impact of the overwhelming presence of stress in our life.

The rate of stress turning to burnout among women has been growing at an alarming rate. After listening to a recent “Ten Percent Happier”podcast featuring sisters Emily and Amelia Nagoski, authors of “Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle,” I became fascinated by the notion that stress is a cycle, not an event, and it actually has a beginning, middle and end. The Nagoski sisters go on to share that it’s common for a woman’s stress to go left unprocessed in the “middle stage” and that unresolved stress eventually presents itself as burnout.

Understanding the Impact of Stress

As a founder, I am no stranger to stress and how it can quickly become a heavy weight to contend with in daily life. But as I learned first hand, stress, when left unmanaged, can have long-term detrimental effects on our physical and mental health. It contributes to issues such as heart disease, obesity, and anxiety, as highlighted by the American Psychological Association. I’ve personally experienced how years of unprocessed stress can become burnout, and at its peak, I became unrecognizable to myself. My story is not uncommon, and women have reported higher levels of burnout than men for years, and that gap has more than doubled since 2019, Gallup reports.

Over the past 18 months, I’ve been on a journey to improve my mental health and the ability to frame stress as a process in order to build a more actionable way to address it. Here are some of the evidence-backed techniques that I’ve found to be simple and effective as I continue my own pursuit to manage stress and prevent burnout.

1) Physical Activity: Exercise releases endorphins, natural mood boosters. The Mayo Clinic reports found that physical activity reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Even small walks incorporated into a daily routine made a world of difference to me. Shifting video conferences to walking meetings can transform your mental state in short order.

2) Sleep: Repeat after me: sleep is self-care. Getting sufficient and quality sleep is essential for stress processing and our overall well-being. Research published in the Journal of Sleep Research suggests that inadequate sleep increases stress levels and impairs cognitive function. We all have different sleep needs, so determine how much sleep you require to perform at your best and make it a priority to get that amount each night. As a mom of 3, I used to feel guilty for needing 8 hours of sleep, but I can now see how prioritizing my own sleep makes me far better equipped to tackle the day and be a more present and patient parent and leader.

3) Create something: Engaging in creative activities and acts of self-expression, such as painting, cooking, writing, or playing an instrument, provides a powerful outlet for stress processing. Research shows that creative expression enhances positive emotions and reduces stress levels. Find a creative hobby or outlet that resonates with you, and dedicate regular time to it. I’ve found cooking and working on house projects, like creating a playroom for my kids, have brought me a significant sense of joy and stress relief.

4) Create your “Bubble of Love”: This one is my favorite. Surround yourself with positive and supportive people who uplift and inspire you. Nagoski calls it your “Bubble of Love.” Prioritize quality of relationships over quantity when it comes to your love bubble. Find the handful of people who truly love you for who you are and are as invested in your well-being as you are in theirs. For me, it’s my mom, my husband, and a couple of close colleagues and friends. Their unconditional support continues to carry me through tough times, and I’m forever grateful.

By embracing these simple strategies for stress management, you can start off 2024 in a stronger position to process stress and burnout risk. But more importantly, you can open up energy to find new ways for personal growth, mental health, and overall well-being.