Burnout is more than just stress— burnout is when your mind and body are trying to tell you that you need to make a change.  Do you find yourself withdrawing from work and caring less about results?  Are you working harder, often mechanically or to the point of exhaustion?  Are you acting like a robot just going through the motions without putting your heart or soul into your work?

Let’s face it, we’ve got traffic, construction, the Eagles and Phillies — living in Philadelphia apartments can be stressful.

Here are a few helpful suggestions for keeping your sanity and avoiding burnout. 

Exercise. Running, weight lifting, bike riding—anything that gets your heart and lungs working burns off stress.  It is recommended to exercise at least three times every week and we have excellent exercise facilities at many of our apartment buildings.  Exercise releases endorphins that boost your mood and it dissipates built-up stress that otherwise leads to burnout.

Have a hobby.  A cooking class, coin collecting, knitting, playing the violin —anything that’s not part of your regular daily activity and that helps you relax will balance the things that stress you out.

Practice deep breathing.  “Just breathe!” Yes, it’s an old cliche, but there is some truth behind every cliché. Deep breathing gives your body a boost of oxygen and it releases tension in your abdomen around your heart.

Get away. Take a walk at lunch, and don’t take work home. Leave the office at the office. At home, find a time and place where you can relax and unwind. Even 15 minutes of relaxation can relieve stress. If you are lucky.

Laugh.  Life can be funny sometimes and sometimes it helps to look at a situation and just laugh.  If that fails, read the comics in your local newspaper or tune into HBO or YouTube for inspiration.

Take up meditation, yoga or Tai Chi. Meditation, yoga, massage and Tai Chi all relax the mind and spirit and are a great way to “destress” and avoid burnout.

Burnout can come on slowly. Watch for the warning signs and stay ahead of it. “There are things in life you control and things in life for which you don’t have any control, it is humbling to remember that what causes stress is often outside of our control, but how we deal with stress is often very much within our power,” explains Martin Chitwood, Esq., a securities litigation attorney in Atlanta, Georgia, “even in my most stressful days it is helpful to know that taking a long walk or catching up with an old friend on the phone can put things in the proper perspective.”