I was deep in conversation the other day about burn out.  I began thinking, what causes burn out?  After consulting a few professionals in the area of human behavior, what I learned shocked me.  And gave me a great idea along with some juice.  Juice = energizers, those things that give you energy and lessen burnout symptoms.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Everything you do in life, from talking to your spouse to doing projects at work, is either an energy depleter or an energy builder.  As we go through each day, every event either depletes us or fuels us.  There are four energy sources in humans: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  Energy depleters and energy builders exist in all four areas.

Think of your energy as a bank account.  In order to make a withdrawal (the depleters), you must first have sufficient deposits (builders).  Many people make withdrawals without making enough deposits.  They become energy bankrupt.  There is nothing left.  Everything seems more difficult to do, and takes more time.  You have less patience, a short fuse.  These are burnout symptoms.

The solution?  Make more deposits.  Create a list of things that deplete your account and leave you feeling burn out.  Who or what is the cause of that depletion, you or an outside force?  Then make a list of things that build your energy, things that shrink those burnout symptoms.  Again, who or what is the cause?  As you review your lists, think about the four different areas: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.  Do you show burnout symptoms in all four areas?  Is your burn out focused in the mental area or maybe the emotional area?  What things do you do that deplete you in all four areas?  What things do you do that build energy in all four areas?  You may have one area loaded with burnout symptoms, sucking you dry, or your burnout symptoms may be well balanced in your energy mismanagement.

Here’s an example.  My wife and business partner, Rachel, and I discovered that she gets energized making lists and getting those task lists done.  I get energized brainstorming and creating new ideas, new ways of getting things done. Her energizer depletes me and my energizer depletes her.  With that information, we are better able to schedule our days so we have enough activities to energize us both and ready for the depletion of those activities that withdraw.

Simple concept really. What specifically leads to burn out?  No hope.  Lack of energy.  Lack of desire.

Deposit energy builders in all four areas and you will find that you are en fuego…not burned out.

Check your personal symptoms or organizational symptoms with the Symptoms Assessment.  We’ll help you analyze your symptoms and create a plan for improvement!