Brain sprain and other signs of severe stress

Just like when you sprain an ankle and can’t walk easily, when you sprain your brain you have trouble thinking, potentially combined with obsessive or repetitive thoughts about work. Mild sprain is stress related, severe brain strain may be a potential sign of a bigger breakdown.

I don’t wish a breakdown on anybody – but it happens.

I had some kind of a breakdown after 2 years of 50-80 hour weeks where I was basically non-functional for a few months.

I have seen a lot of others go through the same thing – sadly often only to be sacked as a non-performer.

When the levels of stress become overwhelming here are a few tips:

1. Only worry about things that you can directly control or influence the outcome of.
2. Stop thinking about the outcomes for the whole organisation, just worry about your bits.
3. Delegate, delegate, delegate.
4. Talk to you partner, friends and co-workers.
5. Reduce the amount of non-core work activities you are involved in.
6. Change your timetable – i.e. give yourselves a few more weeks to get something done.
7. Play more, with your kids, your dog, your friends. Get out, have some fun.
8. Deliberately take a half day off work to do non-work related things – even to just prove to yourself that you don’t need to be there every moment of every day.
9. Cut down or eliminate alcohol and caffeine.
10. Take up a hobby, preferably one that completely distracts your mind.
11. Exercise is always good.
12. Most of all – learn to forgive yourself.

Doing the above can take years to learn, and there’s no time like now to start.