Alexa Hughes

COMM 105 – Dr. Coles Cone

Persuasive Speech – Preparation Outline – Problem Cause Solution

How to Start Over

Introduction
I. [Attention-Getter/Hook] -If you want a fresh start, I am going to show you how to do it.
II. *I have started over in life numerous times, and have obtained insight along the way.
III. *The majority of people will experience burnout in their life time, and are looking for
methods to cope.
IV. [Preview Statement] – The reality is, that many people want to change their lives for the
better; sometimes that looks like jumping ship and moving to a different town entirely,
but the better strategy is to implement small changes to improve upon where we are, so
far.

Body
I. [Burnout takes on many forms but it affects the majority of the global population and the
coping methods can either be harmful or impractical.] (Brower, 2022)
A. Burnout is a global epidemic

1. Approximately 70% of people experienced burnout in the year

2021

i. 84% of Gen Z experience burnout, 74% Millennials do, and 47%

of Baby boomers due according to the Asana Study.

ii. 67% of women experience burnout, 59% of men report burnout

and 63% of employees experience burnought, while 40% of

employees believe burnout is an inevitable part of success.

iii. 50.6 million people are moving to America, with Germany being

2nd.

2. The Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence across approximately

four countries found that employees were experiencing various issues with
Alexa Hughes
COMM 105 – Dr. Coles Cone
Persuasive Speech – Preparation Outline – Problem Cause Solution
burnout regarding their wellbeing: stressed, often exhausted,

overwhelmed, depression

B. A big cause of burnout is individuals are struggling to prioritize their wellbeing.

C. People find themselves afraid to take their PTO

II. Your lifestyle could be aiding in your burnout

A. The lack of much needed rest assists in the lack of well being

1. We need about 7-8 hours of rest each day, perhaps more

depending on lifestyle. (Rest, Relaxation and Exercise, n.d.)

2. Burnout is considered an official medical diagnosis according to

the World Health Organization and should not be taken lightly. (Rest,

Relaxation and Exercise, n.d.)

B. Outside influences that you feel you do not have control over, is a key stressor.

1. Whether you have a Type A personality, or just like to be able to

manage your surroundings, not feeling in control, can cause high amounts

of stress.

2. Whether familial, occupational, or personal, outside stressors take

a toll and can cause medical issues

III. We need to begin advocating for ourselves and decide what is most important.
A. Assess what is making you feel that you have a lack of autonomy; really narrow it

down.

1. Writing down key influences in your stressors allows you to take

the time to assess where you are falling short.

2. Rome wasn’t built in a day so rank each stressor from 1-10, so

that you can prioritize what to tackle first.

Alexa Hughes
COMM 105 – Dr. Coles Cone
Persuasive Speech – Preparation Outline – Problem Cause Solution
B. Skip town and start a new life..not really

1. New experiences are crucial to growth, but new scenery comes

with its own set of problems and without resolving the issue at hand,

you’re likely to repeat the same habits. (Hoffower, 2018)

2. Exhaust all of your options before implementing big chages.

IV. Advocating for yourself and your needs not only ensures you’re creating a safe space
around you but it also makes the other necessary changes a little less scary.
A. Picking up a hobby in something you were always curious about.

1. This is an example of a small change and while it may not directly

affect your work-life balance, it does give you something to cling to and

look forward to.

2. 30 minutes a week for your dedicated hobby builds a routine and

can help trick your brain into remembering what joy feels like.

B. You cant change by doing the same habits.

1. Advocacy starts with you and while the only way you can relax is

by pigging out on the couch, it’s not very effective in the long run.

2. It takes aproxiamtely 30 days to build a routine, by providing

yourself with new, local scenery, a weekend trip, solo dates, etc, you’re

not only showing yourself that you’re a priority and exposing yourself to

more possibilities, youre letting your body and mind know that you comes

first, as well.
Alexa Hughes
COMM 105 – Dr. Coles Cone
Persuasive Speech – Preparation Outline – Problem Cause Solution

Conclusion
I. If none of these suggestions work, you can always drop everything and move to a new
country, but let’s start with the small stuff first!
II. You need to advocate for yourself by prioritizing your mental well being, determing
where the stress is coming from, implementing small changes into your lifestyle, and
opening yourself to more possibilities before skipping town.
III. Take a break and ejoy the one life you have!
IV. You are your first priority and whether that looks like sipping a Mai Tai every other
month or disrupting your routine altogether, you NEED to show up for yourself more
than anything else.
Alexa Hughes
COMM 105 – Dr. Coles Cone
Persuasive Speech – Preparation Outline – Problem Cause Solution

References
Brower, T., PhD. (2022, July 24). Burnout Is A Worldwide Problem: 5 Ways Work Must
Change. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2022/07/24/burnout-is-a-worldwide-
problem-5-ways-work-must-change/?sh=32d790776c1e

Hatfield, S., Fisher, J., & Silverglate, P. H. (2022). The C-suite’s role in well-being. Deloitte

Insights. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/leadership/employee-wellness-

in-the-corporate-workplace.html

Hoffower, H. (2018). 7 signs you’re not ready to move to a new city, even if you think you are.

Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/signs-you-shouldnt-move-2018-7

Mikhail, A. (2022, October 17). The science behind why you need a hobby to boost your brain

health and self-esteem. Fortune Well. https://fortune.com/well/2022/10/16/hobby-to-

boost-your-brain-health-and-self-esteem/

Saunders, E. G. (2021, August 27). 6 Causes of Burnout, and How to Avoid Them. Harvard

Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/07/6-causes-of-burnout-and-how-to-avoid-them

Alexa Hughes
COMM 105 – Dr. Coles Cone
Persuasive Speech – Preparation Outline – Problem Cause Solution
The disconnect disconnect. (2021). Deloitte Insights.
https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/multimedia/podcasts/culture-vacation-policy-trends-
employee-burnout.html

Rest, Relaxation and Exercise. (n.d.). Mental Health America

https://mhanational.org/restrelaxation-and-exercise

World Population Review. (n.d.). Immigration by Country 2023.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/immigration-by-country