If we have never felt at some point that we are burnt out, whether it be from a job or personal circumstances, then we probably have had the thought run through our head that we are heading that way if we don’t make some fundamental changes to the way we are living. Our lives are so fully charged compared to even just 10 years ago. I know this because I’ve been there.
Having worked in the always-on world of TV commercials production, the arrival of my second baby and the worst recession of our lifetime seemed liked the perfect time to embrace a career change which was in tune with who I am and how I want to live. Becoming a nutrition and health coach was the best thing I could have done to combat my burn out and disillusionment, but it doesn’t have to be so extreme for everyone. For some, it is about getting life back in-check, but this can be easier said than done. Burnout is real but what can we do about it, how do we manage it and where do we begin? The Burnout Solution is a really great place to achieve this.
Siobhan Murray is a highly regarded psychotherapist and life coach with an array of impressive qualifications including counselling, mindfulness and meditation. Her first book, The Burnout Solution, has a tone that is honest, real and tangible. The introduction gives a real insight into her and her background coming from work and personal circumstances which led her to burnout. In its honesty, the introduction helps you to engage with the book from the get-go. The wealth of Siobhan’s experience shines through the pages with tips and tools seeming effortless.
How it works:
This book has a very hands-on approach and walks you through what burnout is and explains how it’s not caused just by being in a highly-pressured job but can come about for anyone depending on their own personal circumstances. It’s almost chronic overwhelm. There are quizzes to help you assess how burnt out you may be. The following 12 chapters are designed as a guide to complete each one in a week so that after 12 weeks you should be feeling calm and in control.
Topics
The book bursts with practical information and advice, along with short case studies which help you immerse yourself in any of the given topics. The topics are all so relevant – with stress, time management and goal setting, self-care, boundaries being stand-out in relevance to today’s crazy ‘always-on’ world. The topics covered are broad-ranging and some of them will be more familiar than others. It’s interesting to delve into examining areas of your life that you may not have considered too much previously, but these could be the very ones that help you get more on top of the circumstances that are affecting you and your state of burnout. Some more depth in some of the areas may have been beneficial, however, even acknowledging certain subjects may be of help to people who can explore further if they feel they resonate with them personally.
The Personal Approach
The book guides you to look at all aspects of your life and has very accessible explanations alongside; from types of stress, to personality types and some of the basics in terms of sleep, exercise and nutrition. It’s a perfect combination of elements, some of which will resonate more with some than others, but that’s exactly it; this is personal to any individual, not a one size fits all.
A Calmer You
The book is broken down into a nice pace with the idea of covering one chapter a week as a guide. Taking on all this change in one go would be overwhelming, doing it at a nice steady pace should have the positive impact that Siobhan is aiming for her readers to achieve, and that is calm. A calmer you in 12 weeks. As long as you are ready for it, this book could be a real game changer.
