Burnout Archives - Page 3 of 5 - Motivational Speeches and books by Snowden McFall

New Study Shows Workers are More Stressed than Ever

92% of US Workers are Stressed

Stressed out Woman from Fired Up! and Stress Express

A new study from ComPsych Corp shows employee stress has escalated:

• 60% of all workers have high stress, while 32% have manageable levels of stress. Only 5% say they have low stress levels

• Causes of stress: 40% of workers blame workload and 34% blame it on who they have to work with

• 36 % lose an hour or more productivity due to stress daily & 40+ % waste nearly 30 minutes of work daily because of stress

• Absenteeism- 30% of worker miss between 3-6 days of work annually because of stress

Ways to beat stress:

• practice deep breathing 2-3 times a day- deep belly breaths

• sleep for at least 7 hours a night to extend your life, reduce stress & improve health

• exercise at least 15 minutes a day doing something- walking, yoga, dance, basketball

• stay away from negative co-workers

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Overcoming the Stress of Holidays

You Can Overcome Holiday Stress

All too often the pressure of meals, gift-giving, family dynamics and time management get to be too much. Here’s how to prevent and beat that holiday stress.

• Ask for help. If you are cooking a holiday meal, don’t do it all. Be specific and ask each guest to bring something you need. It will lighten your load and expense.

• Use your neighborhood grocery– many will make all elements of your meal, or you can buy pre-made side dishes and desserts to save time and hassle.

• Do something untraditional- like Mexican or Italian

• Consider not doing the family thing. A coaching client of mine was dreading the negativity that their family regularly spews at holiday functions. I coached them to go on a vacation with their children. It worked out great and everyone was relaxed.

• Put the battles aside for one day. Vow to forgive and bite your tongue and change the conversation when it gets sensitive or controversial.

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Do You Live In One of America’s Most Stressful Cities?

Here’s What To Do if That’s the Case

A new study ranks the most stressful cities in the US, based on divorces, commutes, unemployment rates and crime. The most stressful cities are Tampa, Las Vegas, Miami, Jacksonville, and Detroit. The least stressful are Pittsburgh, Virginia Beach, Cambridge, Mass., Nassau-Suffolk, NY, and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

So what can you do if you live in a stressful city?

Implement one of these top 5 stress relievers:

1. Get more sleep- you need at least 7 hours a night every night. Less is a carcinogen according to the WHO.

2. Go on vacation at least 2X a year without cellphone& laptops.

3. Exercise daily for at least 20 minutes. It’s a terrific stress reliever & keeps you healthy.

4. Drink lots of water throughout the day. 40% of North Americans are dehydrated.

5. Volunteer- giving back gives your perspective, changes your focus, and helps you appreciate your life.

For more tips and to read a free chapter from Stress Express: 15 Instant Stress Relieversgo here:http://firedupnow.com/graphics/StressExpressfreechapter.pdf

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You Do Make A Difference When You Volunteer

Plus It’s a Great Stress Reliever

One of the last things you might think of doing when you are very stressed is to take the time to help someone else. But it can truly be the best thing you can do. The value of volunteerism is that it gives you perspective, awareness of how blessed your life really is, and away from the anxiety of stress.

Volunteering:
• promotes connection and sharing
• decreases stress and depression
• improves interpersonal skills
• increases gratitude and empathy
• improves understanding of community issues
• strengthens your ability to cope
• makes you feel good about yourself and your gifts and talents

Cornell University studied the impact of environmental volunteerism on seniors, and discovered those who volunteer outside became more physically active and benefitted from being in nature. They had more energy, a greater ability to cope, and stronger emotional well-being. Younger nature volunteers had increased concentration, reduced aggression, decreased stress and improved self-esteem.

If you have not volunteered lately, there are so many groups who need your talents and ideas. Check your local listings for area non-profits and get started. You DO make a difference.

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Don’t Sit on Your Anger- Let it Go

Keeping It In Can Be Very Unhealthy

Anger can make you ill. When small children have a temper tantrum, they get it all out and are fine half and hour later. Adults tend to not be so lucky. They site and fume and let the anger build until they explode, often at a loved one. This is clearly not the way to build healthy relationships.

Your body reacts in all sorts of ways when you get angry:
• your muscles tense up
• your heart rate increases (average heart rate of 80 climbs to 180 beats per minute)
• your blood pressure soars (120/80 quickly rises to 220 over 130)
• your blood sugar drops (dangerous for diabetics or hypoglycemics)

Prolonged stress and anger can lead to many health disorders: heart attacks and stroke, memory impairment, stomachaches, irritable bowel syndrome, etc. Don’t sit on your anger; defuse it.

Here are 3 ways to release it safely:
1. Write it all down and then tear up the paper into teeny pieces and flush it. Or burn it in a fireplace. This is very satisfying.

2. If you want to hit something, hit a punching bag at a gym or pound pillows. Stand with feet hip width apart and raise your hands over your head to really put the anger into the pillows.

3. Use empathy. Put yourself in the shoes of the other person and try to see from their viewpoint. Have compassion and use forgiveness to process through it. Forgiveness is always the best healing agent.

Ask yourself, what is the anger costing you? Usually, it isn’t worth it. Let it go. You’ll be healthier and happier.

©2012 Snowden McFall All Rights Reserved. 
No duplication or reprinting without permission and author reference

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Stress Tip: Use Music to Relax & DeStress

It Can Also Fire You Up!

A 2006 Journal of Advanced Nursing study showed that listening to music one hour a day for a week reduced symptoms of depression by 25%. Music, especially classical music, can also serve as a powerful stress-relief tool. Listening to Pachelbel’s famous Canon in D major while preparing to speak publicly helps avoid anxiety and lowers heart rate and blood pressure.

I use different CD’s in the car. When I need to get Fired Up!, I have energizing, upbeat music that empowers me. Right now, it’s the soundtrack from Glee 3D. When I need to relax, I listen to soft jazz and soothing instrumentals. Try this yourself, especially if you spend hours in the car each day. Make custom playlists on your MP3 player, for working out, for energizing you and for unwinding in traffic. It can even help you destress during the holidays!

Motivational Gifts for $30 or Less

Check out the holiday flyer with sales specials. Many items can be downloaded over the internet with a gift PDF. Holiday Flyer

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go to: http://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html

 ©2011 Snowden McFall All Rights Reserved. No duplication 
or reprinting without permission and author reference

Stress Express Tip: Get Lost in Someone Else’s Life

Relieve Your Stress by Being Present in the Moment

When your life is too much to take, whether from business pressure or challenges at home, go visit a friend and be totally present for them. Spend time helping prepare a meal, rebuilding a shed, playing with their children or pets- step into their lives for a day.

I did this when I went out of town to lead a stress management program. A friend of mine kindly let me stay at her home.

Giggling, bouncing 7 and 9 year old girls greeted me along with a very friendly golden retriever and a clever black and white cat. ( This cat can open doors by turning the doorknob!) They wanted to connect with me and I enjoyed meeting and learning more about them. I forgot everything else in my life, came present and just enjoyed the moment. And as I drove off to “Reignite the Fire” of others, I realized I had not thought about my life, my work or anything else but my friend and her family for several hours. Refreshing & revitalizing!

To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, go to: http://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html

 ©2011 Snowden McFall All Rights Reserved. No duplication 
or reprinting without permission and author reference.

Sick Days Are Legitimate

Why Recovery Is a Leadership Responsibility

My husband once came down with a severe cold after working long hours under sustained pressure. Like many professionals, he rarely took sick days. But this time, he tried to push through and simply could not.

Twice he went to work, came home, and went straight to bed. He had no energy left to manage anything beyond recovery. And that was exactly what his body needed.

In many work cultures, pushing through illness is treated as commitment. In reality, it often accelerates exhaustion, resentment, and long-term burnout.

Why Sick Days Matter More Than We Admit

Sick days are legitimate. When someone is ill, recovering from surgery, or deeply exhausted, stepping away is not indulgence. It is necessary recovery. Time away from constant pressure allows the nervous system and immune system to stabilize.

For leaders and employers, this matters operationally as well. Supporting appropriate recovery reduces long-term health claims, prevents burnout-driven turnover, and protects institutional knowledge. Replacing an employee is far more costly than allowing them to recover fully.

Burnout often develops because recovery is delayed too long. Recognizing the legitimacy of rest is one of the earliest and most effective ways to prevent it.

Learn how leaders can intervene before exhaustion becomes burnout at Prevent Burnout.

Taking care of people is not a perk. It is leadership.

Stress Express Tip: Eat Pistachios!

Pistachios Calm the Body When Under Stress

Who knew? A study done by Penn State documents that eating pistachio nuts calms the body while under acute stress.

“A ten-year follow-up study of young men showed that those who had larger cardiovascular responses to stress in the lab, were more likely to contract hypertension later in life,” says Dr. Sheila G. West, associate professor of biobehavioral health.

West studied the impact of pistachios on standardized stressors of young men who had high cholesterol, but normal blood pressure. When pistachios were consumed during times of acute stress, they lowered the blood pressure in these men.

Pistachios are high in unsaturated fats and antioxidants, so keep a bag on hand when you know you will be stressed.

To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, go to: http://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html

 ©2011 Snowden McFall All Rights Reserved. No duplication 
or reprinting without permission and author reference.

Be Proactive to Reduce Pressure and Regain Control

One of the fastest ways leaders accumulate stress is by constantly reacting to other people’s timelines. Missed deadlines, last-minute requests, and repeated vendor issues create unnecessary pressure that feels out of your control.

In most cases, the problem is not other people. The problem is the absence of a proactive system.

Why Proactivity Reduces Leadership Stress

Waiting for clients, employees, or vendors to change their behavior rarely works. A more effective approach is to anticipate needs, clarify expectations early, and create structure around timelines before pressure builds.

Proactive leaders do not eliminate uncertainty, but they dramatically reduce surprise.

Practical Ways to Be Proactive with Others

Ask forward-looking questions. Talk with clients and stakeholders about their plans for the next 6 to 12 months. Identify upcoming projects, decision points, and likely deadlines before they become urgent.
Schedule follow-ups in advance. Once timelines are discussed, place check-in dates on your calendar. Regular touchpoints prevent last-minute emergencies.
Set expectations with vendors early. Let vendors know when work is likely coming and ask them to reserve capacity. Clear communication reduces repeated breakdowns.

When you work proactively, you shift from reacting under pressure to leading with intention. Your pace becomes steadier, your decisions clearer, and your energy more sustainable.

This approach is a foundational element of a structured leadership resilience practice. You can see how proactive planning fits into a broader framework in the
Leadership Resilience System.

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