Breaking out of burnout mode and returning to a constructive way of thinking and working

Remember what’s important
We must take time to have a life. It’s rarely the core things that are truly important to you that contribute to your burnout feeling.

Make a list of the things that are important in your life and how well they are going. Even if one important aspect of your life isn’t going well, it is a sure bet that the majority of them are, and that one bad aspect is sure to get better.

Focus on areas of positive growth
Focus on what’s moving forward in your life. When you are feeling burned out, describe the things in your life and the things surrounding you that are progressing. There are usually more things going right than wrong. You just have to take the time to think through what they are.

Break your routine
Sometimes it’s difficult to change your perspective while still on the job. You may need a change in routine or in some cases, a vacation – even an inexpensive one. Breaking out of your daily work routine can help you to focus on your life outside of work and what it means to you.

Exercise
The endorphins that your body releases during exercise can help you feel better. As little as 20 minutes of exercise every other day can help change your perspective.

Seek help
Ultimately, burnout that isn’t addressed becomes depression, which is treatable medical condition. If you have tried changing your routine, changing your attitude, and made lsits in your mind of the things that are important and positive in your life, and nothing has worked, it is time to ask for help.

Don’t give in
Though it can be difficult to overcome, it’s important to break free of burnout because it has the potential to consume the energy and drive in anyone. And even if you aren’t experiencing burnout right now, take care to vary your routine and keep a positive perspective to prevent it from getting you down.

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Thomas Edison Mistake Quotes

Thought For The Day
Thomas Edison Mistake Quotes
By Catherine Pulsifer

Imagine failing over and over again.
How would you feel?
Would you continue?
What would your attitude be?

There is one person who failed many times, yet he went on to invent the light bulb. That person? Thomas Edison. The following quote answers all of the above questions: "Results! Why man, I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won't work."

Many of us give up when we fail. We allow an attitude of defeat to take over. Over the years whenever I failed or made a mistake, I always thought of Thomas Edison, of his achievements but more so of his attitude. Read the following quotes and I think you will see a reflection of a man who had a positive attitude, a man who persevered and didn't let mistakes stop him.

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

"Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure."

"Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless."

So the next time you make a mistake, or feel discouraged, read Mr. Edison's quotes and adopt his attitude on mistakes!

credit : http://www.wow4u.com/edisonmistakequotes/index.html

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Be thankful

Everyday be thankful for what you have and who you are
Even though I clutch my blanket and growl when the alarm rings, I give thanks that I can hear.
--> There are many who are deaf.

Even though I keep my eyes closed against the morning light as long as possible, I give thanks that I can see
--> Many are blind.

Even though I huddled in my bed and put off rising, I give thanks that I have the strength to rise.
--> There are many who are bedridden.

Even though the first hour of my day is hectic, when socks are lost, toast is burned and tempers are short, my children are so loud, I give thanks for my family.
--> there are many who are lonely.

Even though our breakfast table never looks like the pictures in magazines and the menu is at times unbalanced, I give thanks for the food we have.
--> There are many who are hungry.

Even though I grumble be moan my fate from day to day and wish my circuumtances were not so modest.
-->I give thanks for life.

Even though the routine of my job often is monotonous, I give thanks for the opportunity to work.
-->There are many who have no job.

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Discover the 90/10 Principle

It will change your life (at least the way you react to situations)

What is this principle? 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react.

What does this mean?
We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be arriving late, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%, but the other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.

How?......... By your reaction.
You cannot control a red light, but you can control your reaction. Don’t let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.

Let’s use an example
You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened.

What happens next will be determined by how you react.
You curse.
You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and changes your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.
Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car, and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 mph in 30 mph speed limit.

After a 15 minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home. When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and your daughter.

Why?..... because of how you reacted in the morning.
Why did you have a bad day?
A) did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policemen cause it?
D) Did you cause it?


The answer is “d”
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those five seconds is what caused your bad day.

Here is what could have and should have happened.

Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You ently say,”Its okay honey, you just need to be more careful next time”. Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.

Notice the difference?

Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.
Why?
Because of how you reacted. You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.

Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle.

If someone says something negative about you, don’t be sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don’t have to let the negative comments affect you.
React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out and etc…

How do you react if someone cuts you off in traffic? Do you lose your temper? Pound on the steering wheel? A friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off) do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket? Do you try and bump them?

Who cares if you arrive ten minutes later at work? Why let the cars ruin your drive? Remember the 90/10 principle, and do not worry about it.
You are told to lose your job.
Why lose sleep and get irritated. It will work out. Use your worrying energy and time into finding another job.
The plane is late. It is going to mangle your schedule for the day. Why take outpour frustration on the flight attendant? She has no control over what is going on.

Use your time to study, get to know other passenger, . why stressed out? It will just make things worse.

Now you know the 90/10 principle. Apply it and you will be amazed at the results. You will lose nothing if you try it. The 90/10 principle is incredible. Very few know nad apply this principle.
The result?
Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and heartache. We all must understand and apply the 90/10 principle. It can change your life.

By Stephen Covey.

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Quotes : Failure

What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?
Robert Schuller


Real difficulties can be overcome; it is only the imaginary ones that are unconquerable.
Theodore N. Vail



Triumphs without difficulties are empty. Indeed, it is difficulties that make the triumph. It is no feat to travel the smooth road.
Source Unknown


Impossible is a word to be found only in the dictionary of fools.
Napoleon Bonaparte



No man is a failure who is enjoying life.
William Feather


Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more
intelligently.
Henry Ford

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Be patient

This is a true story which happened in the states

A man came out of his home to admire his new truck.

To his puzzlement, his three –year old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck.

The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy’s ahnds into pulp as punishment.

When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital. Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy’s hands.

When the boys woke up from the surgery and saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said “ Daddy, I’m sorry about your truck.” Then he asked, “but when are my fingers are going to grow back?”

The father went home and committed suicide.

Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or you wish to take revenge.

Think first before you lose patience with someone you love. Trucks can be repaired. Broken bones and feelings often can’t.

Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.

People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes.

Pause and ponder. Think before you act. Be patient. Forgive and forget. Love one and all.

If you judged people, you have no time to love them. --- Mother Theresa.

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Unconditional love

A story is told about a soldier who was finally coming home after hhaving fought in Vietnam. He called his parents from San Francisco.

“Mom and Dad, I’m coming home, but I’ve favor to ask. I have a friend I’d like to bring home with me.”

“Sure,” they replied, “we’d love to meet him.”

“There’s something you should know, the son continued, “he was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mind and lost an arm and a leg. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us. “

“I’m sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find somewhere to live.”

“No, Mom and Dad, I want him to live with us.”

“Son,” said the father, “you don’t know what you’re asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden on us. We have our own lives to live, and we can’t let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He’ll find a way to live on his own.”

At that point, the son hung up the phone. The parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco police. Their son had died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide. The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror, they also discovered something they didn’t know, their son hhad only one arm and one leg.

The parents in this story are like many of us. We find it easy to love those who are good-looking or fun to have around, but we don’t like people who are inconvenience us or make us feel uncomfortable. We would rather stay away from people who aren’t as healthy, beautiful, or smart as we are. Thankfully, there’s someone who aren’t treat us that way. Someone who loves us with an unconditional love that welcomes us into the forever family, regardless of how messed up we are.

Tonight before you tuck yourself in for the night, say a little prayer that God will give you strength you need to accept people as they are, and to help us all be more understanding of those who are different from us.

There’s a miracle called friendship. Friendship are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always open their hearts to us.

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