6 Ways to Recharge and Rejuvenate: Essential Strategies for Beating Stress and Improving Mental Fitness
65% of workers said they experienced some level of burnout last year. 72% of people say burnout impacts their performance. 1
It is staggering to hear that nearly two-thirds of workers suffered from some type of burnout last year. And the vast majority of people are saying it absolutely has an impact on their performance. My guess is that those numbers may not even tell the full story. There are always some limiting elements to any open survey like this, and then you have some number of people who do not acknowledge the ailments they suffer from. Stress, and burnout would likely be among those ‘feelings’ that are underestimated and certainly under-acknowledged. As eye-opening as those numbers are, the 72% is down from a peak in 2022.
When you put those statistics in perspective, it is no wonder why the need to recharge is so important, on top of creating a work environment that people want to be in. Finding ways to recharge is not as easy it should be. We live in an ‘always on’ world, and breaking away can be a challenge. Many of the same recommendations for being productive can apply to giving yourself a mental break as well. It starts with establishing boundaries and routines for how you work. I mention more on the habits and routines below. But your team needs to know when you are and are not available (barring emergencies). Depending on your role, those time windows may change, and that is okay. Don’t be afraid to have times when you protect for yourself and time with your family or friends. No one should be expected to be available at all hours, on all days.
There are many things you can do to ensure you have a process for recharging your full self to protect your mental wellbeing. So, while many of these are as beneficial to your physical health, they have meaningful positive impacts on your mental health as well.
Sleep
During sleep, the brain consolidates memories, clears out waste products, and strengthens neural connections. Skimping on sleep can lead to impaired focus, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Every one of those things ties into your mental needs. We’ve all had those days when we were just completely worn down due to a lack of sleep for whatever reason. Everything weighs heavier on you, mentally, when you reach that state. Regular, good sleep patterns will go a long way to helping manage your mental fitness as much as your physical fitness. Get to bed on time, get plenty of sleep, and you’ll feel more clear-headed, and have more stamina for the heavy decision-making world in which we work in.
Exercise
Physical activity triggers the release of endorphins, natural mood elevators. Regular exercise has also been linked to reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. Much like sleep, exercise allows the brain to do its best work. But more than the fitness element that comes from exercise, you can get tremendous mental clarity from exercising. I know I have written about this before, but countless times I have started my day feeling lethargic and foggy brained. A good workout, which doesn’t have to be extreme by the way, has always made me feel better (meaning my mood), and my head clearer. It is almost like magic.
Get outdoors
Need a multiplier to the two above, especially the exercise? Do it outside (not the sleeping part, though camping outside can be a really great get away for many people.) Taking a walk outside with fresh air and changing scenery is a great way to clear your head and get a quick reset and recharge. I, personally, will add, the more trees the better. There is just something about walking among the trees that seems to amplify the benefits of walking outdoors.
Mindfulness
I covered several options for guided mindfulness routines in this month’s Tech Tip. Using apps or even podcasts for supporting your mindful exercises is a perfect way to recharge your brain and clear out old baggage. Finding a way to pay attention to your breath, your body, while blocking all other distractions will really help recharge your full body to take on what is next. You may need to do this multiple times each day to maximize the benefit. Whether you’re working in a store location, or supporting multiple sites, you can always find five minutes to quiet your mind and reset yourself.
Healthy Habits and Routines
Habits and routines serve many purposes. In this case, having a good sense of what you want, and need to do and when can actually be a giant relief from the stress of not knowing what is next. Organization, routine, can be a blessing beyond the productivity that comes from them as well. If you don’t have a ‘script’ for what you need to do each morning when you first wake, try it. At the opposite end of the day, build a routine to follow for the last two hours of your evening. Even if it is not perfect, and there are still steps you’d like to change in the future (I still watch too much YouTube at the end of the day), start someplace and refine later (at least I know what I am doing and that it serves as a way to disconnect from other distractions or work).
Breaks — short, long, extended
Breaks come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Short breaks are those quick moments when you stay away from the work at hand. In a store environment, it is that ten minutes when you can get off the floor and have a few quiet minutes to do whatever you want. Whenever possible, get outside. A quick walk around the store outside, with your coffee, soda, or whatever your drink of choice is can double the benefits of just sitting in a break room.
Those longer breaks—and here I mean hours away from work—are great times to watch a movie, get deeply involved in your hobby, or spend time outside with a friend or family member. These can be highly restorative relative to the time spent. I love allowing myself to get fully immersed in a movie and its story. I am always amazed at how much clarity and energy that can bring afterward. Not only do you end up enjoying the movie that much (versus being distracted), but the mental benefit that comes from it again adds extra value to the activity itself.
Finally, the extended breaks are things like long weekends and vacations. Plan these. Get them on your calendar. There is an immediate benefit just from looking forward to something. Planning a vacation and having the excitement of the time off can jump start the mental benefits before you hit the sand, or take your seat on a plane. While on vacation, allow yourself to disconnect and reset. I think we have all experienced this benefit from having a vacation. It is amazing how many new ideas come to you while you’re away, and how much energy and enthusiasm you can have upon returning to work. In part three of this recharge series, we’ll discuss the value of personal retreats, which are very different from a vacation, and provide different types of mental benefits as well.
Our stressful work can really take its toll on our mind and body. There are reasons for the statistics we’re seeing from retail workers and their levels of burnout and exhaustion. Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, a hormone that can shrink the hippocampus, a vital area for memory and learning. Recharging activities like meditation or yoga have been shown to reduce cortisol and support hippocampal health. And that will lead to a calmer mind, overall better mental and physical well-being, as well as improving your general performance (which, by the way, just moves the flywheel forward on overall enjoyment of life.)
What steps are you taking to recharge regularly and maximize your mental well-being?
For immediate mental health support
Dial 988
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Photo by Julien Tromeur on Unsplash
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