Live Richer: 8 Ways To Achieve Wealth and Success Without Burning Out
In her book, “The Happy High Achiever,” licensed psychologist Mary Anderson shared the eight ways people can achieve their financial goals without sacrificing either their health or happiness.
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If you’re close to burning out and want to cut down on the stress as you work toward your financial goals, here’s how to do it, according to Anderson.
Invest In Self Care
One of the best ways to avoid burnout is to find ways to boost your energy. But knowing this is easier than accomplishing it.
Anderson came up with an acronym to help individuals avoid burnout while also improving their overall energy. This acronym is S.E.L.F. and stands for sleep, exercise, look forward, and fuel.
Part of S.E.L.F. is to get enough sleep. According to Healthline, people need varying amounts of sleep to remain healthy, inspired, and energetic. Those between the ages of 18 and 64 should ideally get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. However, you should always listen to your body to determine what you actually need.
Other ways to cultivate and boost your energy include eating healthy foods, getting enough exercise, and scheduling fun activities into your day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week if you’re an adult. This is 30 minutes a day across five days.
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Aim for Excellence
According to Anderson, the goal should be to achieve excellence, not perfection. When you shoot for perfection, you’re more likely to experience greater frustration and stress, which can lead to burnout. If this happens, even highly motivated people can become less motivated and even lose out on potential wealth.
Under this tenant, Anderson recommended focusing on three main areas: health, happiness, and meaningful goals.
In terms of health, prioritize your physical, emotional, and mental state. This might mean maintaining a balanced diet or exercising regularly. It can also include getting enough sleep.
For happiness, cultivate positivity and reduce negativity as much as possible. Your stress levels should ideally decrease rather than increase. If you’re exhibiting physical signs like digestive problems, muscle pain, stomach discomfort, chest pain, headaches, or blood pressure issues, these could all be signs that you’re too stressed.
As for goals, strive for ones that mean something to you. These goals can and should be high-achieving in nature, but it’s important to remember that it’s okay to fail and try again.
Build Healthy Connections
In her book, Anderson wrote, “Even micro-moments of connection can change your trajectory — and someone else’s!”
Essentially, it’s important to work with others and build connections. After all, having healthy relationships can lead to greater happiness. And not just yours — your friends, family, and coworkers can all benefit, too.
Having good relationships with the people around you can also help prevent problematic ways of thinking. As you strive toward your goals, look for people who make you feel happy and supported. Anderson calls these “easy people” — that is, people who help you relax and shift your focus from your internal, unhelpful cognitive distortions to the external, reality-based present moment — in which you are appreciated.
Stay Curious Even Amidst Uncertainty
Uncertainty is unavoidable because new things will come up that require you to figure out a solution. Just remember that this is okay and try to embrace it rather than run away.
“Come what may, you have the problem-solving skills to handle any outcome,” Anderson wrote in her book.
It helps to stay positive and curious. Remind yourself that whatever you are facing is an opportunity rather than something scary.
Lead With Gratitude
Staying positive and living with gratitude can help lead to a healthier mindset. A Harvard study also found that practicing gratitude can increase your happiness levels.
“If we practice gratitude-based thinking in our toughest moments, we can navigate them with less anxiety and more ease,” wrote Anderson.
Stick With ‘Shoulds’ Rather Than ‘Cans’
The word “should” can lead to negative thoughts or outcomes. Imagine saying something like “I should be able to get more done in a week.” Or “I should have gone to sleep earlier last night.” These phrases are less helpful than you might think.
“This kind of unbalanced self-talk is not helpful,” wrote Anderson. “It keeps you stuck without offering constructive action steps for change.”
On the other hand, the word “can” is more likely to get you to make a positive change. It can feel more empowering and may even make the task at hand feel more manageable.
Celebrate the Wins
Big or small, you should celebrate your successes. This might mean journaling about what you’ve accomplished. Or it might mean treating yourself out to a nice dinner or trip somewhere. Whatever the case, Anderson believes that celebrating your victories is key to avoiding burnout and achieving success.
Choose Meaningful Goals
Don’t set goals just to say you have them. Set goals that mean something to you.
Anderson suggested asking yourself three main questions when deciding what’s important to you and your purpose:
What do I want to be able to say I achieved in life?
What do I want to be able to say I contributed to my environment or community, or to make the world a better place?
How do I want to be remembered in the future?
Think about these questions carefully. If your answers change over time, that’s okay — you can always pivot. Just make sure your goals align with your passions and interests. This will help ensure you achieve them.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Live Richer: 8 Ways To Achieve Wealth and Success Without Burning Out
