It can happen to even the most dedicated and ambitious employees. For a number of reasons like heavy workload, friction with colleagues, surmounting amounts of stress, or personal issues, burning out at work is becoming more and more common. A survey from Monster.com reported that four out of five employees have experienced burnout at work. Milennials reported an even higher number with 87% feeling burnt out before they even reach the age of 30. The difference between burnout and normal workplace stress is the feeling of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion over a prolonged period of time that is combined with fears of competency and self-worth in the office. Burning out can lead to insomnia, depression, alcohol abuse, and other health-related ailments. No one wants to burn out at work so here are the top eight things to do when you feel yourself falling down that rabbit hole:
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1. Set boundaries. When you start to feel so overwhelmed and stressed out at work that it seeps into your personal life, the first step to avoiding burnout is to set boundaries. Disconnect from technology related to work when you leave the office so that work remains at work when it’s your personal time. Start saying “no” to extra projects to prevent yourself from biting off more than you can chew. Keep work separate from life so that stress can be minimised as much as possible and so that you can better manage it.
2. Talk to your manager. Start an open and honest dialogue with your manager about your struggles. A good manager will want to help you brainstorm and come up with a plan to help you cope. Perhaps the solution is as simple as working on a new project to spur your interest in work again or to be taken off a team to ease your workload. Work with your manager to find ways to address and rectify your situation before it escalates.
3. Acknowledge your accomplishments. Oftentimes, when we’re feeling burnt out at work, we tend to forget or downplay our accomplishments, which can further lead to a deeper sense of hopelessness. Take stock of your professional accomplishments to remind yourself of what you have already achieved. It can also help to end each work day with a brief review of your daily achievements to help give yourself a sense of pride and keep your productivity levels in check.
4. Learn to manage stress. A telltale sign of burning out is the debilitating feeling of stress. Find ways to manage and cope with your stress and your feelings of burning out may subside. People handle stress in different ways so find the method that works best for you. It can be meditation, exercise, finding a new hobby, color therapy, or speaking to a psychologist. Master your stress and you may just master your feelings of burning out too.
5. Take a break. As obvious as it may seem, remember to give yourself a break. In addition to the short breaks everyone needs throughout the day, it’s also important to take holidays to help reset the mind and body. If you go too long without taking a proper holiday to relax and enjoy a true break from the office, burning out at work is inevitable. If you can’t afford a getaway to a far off location, take those vacation days and stay somewhere closer to home.
6.Get to the source. Burning out at work can be prevented, but only if the problem isn’t allowed to fester for an extended period of time. Reflect on your career and work life to determine what might be at the root of your unhappiness. Is it your hour long commute to and from the office? Is it your lack of professional growth opportunities? Whatever the case might be, identify the source of your displeasure and find a way to correct it.
7. Review career goals. Burning out at work may be a sign that your professional career may not be where you want it to be. Ask yourself what would make you happy. Is it more responsibility or less? Do you envision yourself in a leadership role? If you find that you may have lost your way along your ideal career path, explore how you can get back on track. Talk to your manager about your career goals and see how your company can help you attain them.
8. Cut your losses. Unfortunately, sometimes feeling burnt out at work is a good indication that you may need to move on to another career or company. If you find that there is no end to your discontent at work and there is either no way or no support to eliminate these negative feelings, it might be time to cut your losses with your current position and find something that will make you happier and more productive elsewhere.
Everyone experiences stress and an occasional bad day here and there throughout their professional career. Burnout is far more severe and can lead to serious mental and physical issues. If you ever get the sense that your displeasure is more than the normal amount of stress from work, get to the root of the problem as soon as possible. Follow these eight guidelines on how to recognise the early signs of burnout and how you can eliminate it. Afterall, work should be rewarding and satisfying, not depressing and draining.
