4 Ways on Beating Burnout

Is your inbox full of endless requests that never end? Do you feel like you are constantly putting out more work than you are getting out of it? Or maybe you are just so tired from work all day that you have no balance between a social life or your hobbies because you spend your free time lying in bed all night and on weekends? If you answered YES to those questions then burnout has gotten the best of you.

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. This is more common than you think and can even happen to people who have a great passion for their work. 

For those of you who are recognizing there is a problem and want to tackle burnout here are some tips you can follow.

Unplug and Recharge 

Disconnecting is one of the most important things you can do to prevent burnout once you get home because if you can’t find a way to remove yourself electronically from your work, then it’s going to feel like you never left. You might be clocking out at 5 pm but do you really leave work or do you just change the scenery? Constant connectivity makes it harder than ever to leave work behind. For example, on weekday evenings you might find yourself checking work emails or responding to client inquiries on the weekend when you have a little free time. Scheduling block-off days and times is essential to recharge your energy and alleviate stress. 

Health is Wealth

We cannot emphasize enough how prioritizing your mental and physical health first will have an impact on your overall life. If you are working from home, maintaining a healthy routine is all the more important. It might be tempting to wake up 5 minutes before you have to start your work day or even skip out on breakfast/lunch because you simply don’t have time to. Setting healthy boundaries includes making time to be active whether it’s working out before or after work or taking a 10-minute walk around the block. Treat your body like a temple, what you put in is what you give out. If you’re not feeling well physically or mentally the work you put out is most likely not going to be 100% either. 

Organization is Key

It’s not rocket science that being an overall organized person can make your well-being just a bit easier. A lot of the stress we experience at work is oftentimes due to a lack of organization. There are projects and timelines being thrown at us from all directions and if you are a naturally disorganized person, it can translate into your work. Take the time to get organized, get a planner, set alarms, label all your folders, and do what it takes to stay ahead of the game. 

The Conversation

If all of the strategies you have researched to prevent burnout aren’t working, then the problem could simply be your job. We can change our attitude and habits all we want but if the workload itself is preventing us from actually succeeding then that is when it becomes a problem. Spreading yourself too thin will lead straight to burnout so if you are finding yourself in this situation, you might want to think about an action plan. Have a candid conversation with your boss to discuss how you are feeling overworked and that you would like their support and guidance in adjusting the workload. Go into the discussion prepared and with a plan! Make a list of obligations you currently have and explain to your boss that you want to either delegate some tasks to the rest of your team or figure out which should be prioritized when you cannot handle them all.