Mgr. and Bc. Radek Němec

Finding a balance between what we want and what we can handle is perhaps one of the most apt definitions of burnout prevention. When we manage to maintain this balance, we not only manage our daily responsibilities, but we also have enough energy left over for the things that bring us joy.

Nevertheless, and that is precisely why it makes sense to stop and think about how to maintain this balance for as long as possible.

Burnout rarely comes out of nowhere. It's more like a drop of water that slowly drips onto one spot until it breaks. Or like a phone battery — first it drops from 100% to 70%, then to 50%, and if we don't charge it for a long time, one day we'll find that the red light is on. In this analogy of everyday life, we can imagine ourselves as a flashlight in our phone, and it charges best until it turns red or orange, i.e. in the green zone, but we often don't know how to do it that way, we charge overnight in the red zone. But then the difference between us and the phone is that we can't charge within an hour. And if the battery is severely damaged, there's no room to buy a new one. That's why regenerating our strength, i.e. charging while still in the green zone, is a slow but valuable process.

Right now, you are in a situation where you have enough energy to work, take care of your loved ones, and pursue your hobbies. But it is also the perfect time to start consciously taking care of your “internal battery.” Not because you are in danger of collapsing, but so that it never happens.

What really helps me recharge my energy?

Ask yourself this question. And maybe the answer will be that it is a moment in nature, a quiet morning with coffee, time spent with friends or family, creativity, sports or just plain doing nothing. Each of us has different resources. The important thing is to know them and use them before we feel really tired. When we feel good, we tend to postpone self-care — we tell ourselves that there will be time for it when we are tired. But prevention works exactly the opposite. That is, it helps the most precisely when we still feel good. In our analogy of a flashlight, i.e. charging while still in the green zone, for example 30% or 40%.

Just as you take care of the things that are valuable to you — your home, your relationships, your job — take care of yourself.
Because you are the source of everything you do.
And when you are in the "green zone", you will have enough energy for everything that is important to you in the long term and your internal battery life will be long-lasting.