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Dr. Puja Aggarwal Of Zenful Brain Coaching On The 5 Things You Should Do If You Are Experiencing Work Burnout

Work burnout is a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity. Unfortunately, in today’s fast-paced world it is very common.

Our next Rule Breaker, Dr Puja Aggarwal, helps women navigate through work burnout so they can live a happy and fulfilled life

Dr. Puja Aggarwal is a Neurologist and Certified Burnout and Growth Mindset

Expert She teaches busy, high-achieving female professionals how to get rid of overwhelm, stress less, and find themselves in our chaotic, fast-paced world

1. Can you tell me a little bit more about Zenful Brain?

I started Zenful brain last year. I am a neurologist or brain doctor by training and helping high-achieving, working moms to help increase zen in their lives. I help take them from being burnt out to being more empowered and living a more fulfilled life I work on a lot of changes in the brain and cognitive reframing in terms of the way we are thinking

2. What inspired you to work in this field?

I was a practicing physician in 2015 and I have been working very hard for about 60 hours/week. I wasn’t sleeping much and had little kids that I needed to look after. Then one day in July 2016 I came home and my three-year-old daughter asked me to read a book with her. But I didn’t have any energy for that. It made me feel very guilty and horrible for giving all my time at work. That day I decided that I would make my family and myself my priority. Looking back, I now realize I was facing burnout as a physician. Coaching really helped me to change my mindset and make myself my priority. And now during the pandemic, there are many women out there who are trying to juggle everything and experiencing burnout. So now I help working moms realize that burnouts are not normal and that’s something you can overcome and take care of yourself.

3. What does the Zenful brain mean?

‘Zen’ means peace and the ‘Zenful Brain’ means making our brains full of Zen.

4. Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently when you were first starting out?

If I could go back in time, I would make myself a priority. And definitely be better with nutrition, sleep, and exercise. I always used to say ‘yes’ to people at work, my boss and colleagues, for tasks that I didn’t want to do, and that contributed to my burnout. So I would learn to say ‘no’ to people I would also make my family a priority and spend most of my time with them.

5. What are five things you would suggest one should do if they are experiencing work burnout?

The first thing I would recommend is powerful selfreflection. Often we don’t know what we think or feel. We should take out ten minutes at the end of the day and sit down with a pen and a journal. And write about our feelings. When we do this every day and look at that journal at the end of each week, we’ll know exactly what we were feeling and thinking. It’s been shown to improve mood and decrease anxiety over time. The next thing is developing mindset readiness. Often our mindsets are resistant to taking on new challenges and trying new things If there is a certain goal in your life, write them down, pick one positive thought associated with each of those goals and say it out loud in front of the mirror every day. Over time you will start believing that thought and working towards your goal. This way you are rewiring your brain.

6. What is your favorite mantra or affirmation that keeps you going?

My favorite affirmation is that I can do it Whenever I say this to myself, it helps me to overcome stress and work towards my goal.

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