Most of us spend a great deal of our time working. When we’re not working, we oftentimes consistently put others’ needs and agendas before our own. Sound familiar?

If we don’t make a conscious effort to replenish, we can head for burnout pretty quickly. Burnout can have a ripple effect, impacting our personal lives, health, relationships and overall quality of life.

Those of us who have experienced burnout know that it is no joke. Some signs of burnout include concentration problems, fatigue, anxiety and becoming disengaged with work. Interestingly, some healthcare professionals often misdiagnose persons who present with symptoms of burnout, often treating them for depression, which can have overlapping symptoms.

Around 2004, I was at a point in my life in which I was burned out and I ultimately realized that I was actually creating a good bit of my own stress and overwhelm. Here’s what I learned from that experience.

1.  If I don’t fill up my own (proverbial) cup, I will not have anything left to give anyone else. I have to make a conscious effort to take time for myself. While this will look different for everyone, for me it includes downtime, unplugging, meditating, reading a book, getting a massage, and doing something that feels nourishing to my soul.

2. I have to say “no” (or “not now”) and create boundaries. Aw, yes, this is something that I continue to learn. Here’s the thing though. We all have choices. If we already have a lot on our plates (that we’ve put on), we don’t have to say yes to every request that comes our way. If we honor and respect our own time, others will do the same. For me, this meant not answering work email at night and on weekends. This is clearly a situation of “we teach people how to treat us.” If our work does not require us to be on-call, usually situations are not true emergencies and can wait until the next morning.

3.  I’m a big fan of getting to the root cause, and I had to learn to pay attention to what drains me in order to do less of those things. For me, this means giving myself a break from electronics, and at certain times, turn off distractions. When we respond to every ding that comes from email, Facebook or text, we’ll never get any of our own work done, and ultimately cause ourselves more stress and overwhelm.

Of course the theme here is self-care. I saw the downward spiral in myself, and I continue to see it in my work with clients today. We get in our routines and run ourselves ragged until we get sick. Let’s promise ourselves to prevent this from happening and step away from our chronic “busy-ness.”

What’s one thing you can do today to reduce your stress?

ABOUT THIS GUEST:  Nancie Vito is a coach and consultant who helps people who feel burned out to reduce stress, find fulfillment and boost happiness. In 2009 she founded Flourish, where she has inspired those who feel stuck (perhaps in a soul-crushing job) or burned out to take steps towards what they truly want. With an interest in mindset, mindfulness and motivation, she is grateful that her background in public health and mental health led her to this path. To take a burnout quiz or to get updates on her upcoming programs, visit her at nancievito.com.

Listen to Nancie’s Get Out of Your Own Damn Way podcast interview HERE.

10 December 2013, my last official day as an employee. It was time to say goodbye, my new life was about to start. Yes, I finally allowed myself to build something different and find “my purpose”.

That day was a huge milestone as you can imagine. That day I also received one of the most powerful pieces of advice I ever got. “Sya, now that you are going for something new, take some time and reflect on yourself, take a real look at the mirror and be honest with yourself. What is it about yourself that is helping you moving forward and what is it about yourself that is preventing you to grow?” The words of that colleague resonated instantly within. I felt I needed to keep this in mind and really do it.

I didn’t know how these questions would actually impact my life. How they would inspire me to embrace my flaws and become a better version of myself. What is it you are currently doing that is holding you back? How can you turn this around?

Here are three tips that will help you reflect on these questions.

1. Look at your current life

Sometimes we do not want to look at things the way they are. This can make us feel uncomfortable, so we prefer to act as if this is not a big deal or worse, as if there is nothing wrong. If you want things to change the first step is to really understand there is something to be changed. This could be something about life, work, or even ourselves. Take the time to really state where you are in your journey.

2. Look at your fears

It is very important to take the time to define them and name them. You will not be able to fully grow unless you face your fears. The very first step is to acknowledging them. Again, when we push things away they will come back to you sooner or later in different forms. I like to say “Make fear your best friend.” Let them inspire and help you expand!

3. Look at your behavior

Are your habits empowering or disempowering you? Sometimes we don’t realize that this plays a major role in the life we create for ourselves. What if, what you need to change isn’t what you think you see, but how you relate to it. I do believe we are all perfectly flawed. It is not about blaming ourselves for things that are happening, but really creating a positive movement towards the future. This starts by simply taking a look at your life. Maybe all you need is that little change in your behavior that you can implement right away in order to see things shift in no time.

These tips have allowed me to grow in so many ways before I knew how my life would actually change. I am sharing that same piece of advice I had received a few years back with you now, so you can keep spreading the words. Take a real look, and remember: be real and be kind!

ABOUT THIS GUEST:  Sya is a mindset and a personal brand strategist for ambitious women. She helps passionate entrepreneurs find their zone of genius, raise their charisma level and attract the best opportunities. Get ready to step into your ultimate confident self. Her goal: make you spend less time on the “sales-floor” and more time doing what you love. highimpactcharisma.com

Listen to Sya’s Get Out of Your Own Damn Way podcast interview HERE.