It's impossible to eliminate stress from work entirely — but you can reduce your risk of burnout with a simple routine adjustment, says Nicholette Leanza, a psychotherapist based in Beachwood, Ohio.
One of the earliest signs of burnout, according to the World Health Organization, is energy depletion. You might find it increasingly difficult to concentrate on tasks at work, or feel less motivated to do your job.
When that happens, Leanza recommends a simple practice that can protect your brain from stress and trick it into being more productive: activity pairing.
Here's how it works: Any time you're assigned a difficult or stressful task at work, pair it with an activity that relaxes you or brings you joy.
For example, you can listen to your favorite music while responding to a frustrating email, or give yourself a hand massage during a long, grueling meeting.
"Incorporating small self-care activities into your work routine really helps notch down the tension," says Leanza. "Once your brain gets stuck in a negative thought pattern and your anxiety flares, it's that much harder to accomplish anything, let alone think clearly."
Activity pairing, she adds, helps you identify healthy strategies to cope with stress and practice a few soft boundaries at work so that "even if you don't love your job, it's more tolerable."
Research has shown that walking in nature, listening to music, playing with a pet and meditating, among other activities, can all trigger the release of "feel good" hormones such as dopamine, serotonin and endorphins.
Combining work with relaxing activities can also "take the power away from stress and help you feel more in control of whatever situation you're in," says Leanza. "It really is the best-kept secret to preventing burnout."
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Check out:
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