Burned Out At Work? Here’s What You Need To Know
Feeling burned out at work can be paralyzing. But there are things you can do to take control, like the steps below.
What You Can Do To Relieve Work Burnout
- Take a break. If possible, take a short break from work. This could mean taking a day off, going on vacation, or simply taking a few hours to do something you enjoy. Even getting outside to enjoy a nice lunch in a restaurant, picnic at the park, or a power walk can relieve work related stress.
- Prioritize self-care. Make sure to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. This includes getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and engaging in stress-reducing activities such as meditation or yoga. If it’s challenging to find time for relaxation and self-care, start small, with five to 10-minute spurts of activity at a time.
- Set boundaries. One Medical informs us that boundaries are needed to avoid overworking yourself. This could mean setting limits on work hours, saying no to additional tasks or projects, and taking breaks throughout the workday.
- Seek support. Talk to someone you trust, such as a friend or family member, about your feelings. Consider seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor.
- Reassess your workload. Take a look to see if any tasks can be delegated. Or if there are better ways to manage your time.
- Make time for family. Allowing work to interfere with dinner and bedtime rituals will magnify feelings of work burnout.
- Developing a good rapport with your supervisor and one or two co-workers helps prevent feelings of isolation. Talk to your boss about possible solutions or accommodations that could mitigate burnout. Additionally, some companies provide counseling and resources that could help, or your health insurance may cover counseling.
- Celebrate small successes. This supports morale and builds resilience.
- Perform more activities where you have control. For example, you could teach a class or go back to school to learn a new trade.
- Master a skill, such as learning woodworking or how to paint.
- Join a community arts program, a club or group that interests you, or try volunteering. These avenues help you find purpose and can open up future opportunities.
Feeling burnout from work signals the brain that your mental, physical, and emotional batteries need recharging.
Rewire Your Brain To Stop Feeling Burned Out At Work
Another strategy for dealing with work burnout that can work for some includes rewiring your brain for positive thinking. In particular, consideryour job as a friend instead of an enemy. For example, view it as an opportunity to live in your home, feed your family, go shopping, etc.
Imagine all the things you enjoy but would not have without your job.
Your work gives you and your family the things you need. And, if you have health insurance and other benefits, it also gives you peace of mind.
Focus on what you liked about your work when you first started. What made you take this particular job? Finding and focusing on the positives helps to balance your perspective.
Over time, thinking about your job in a healthy light rewires the brain to make a positive change. Thus, feeling gratitude for the benefits provided by your job helps increase satisfaction and overall well-being.
Burnout at work leads to feelings of isolation toward co-workers and management.
One Person’s Burnout Story
This is one Reddit user’s story about how he chose to resolve work burnout. However, his decision did not come lightly.
“I just felt drained all the time, so even simple tasks at work/personal life became difficult. It kept me in this weird loop of procrastinating things and panicking to get a lot done while constantly being under chronic stress. But on the surface, it looked like my life was together.
I decided that the extra money wasn’t worth killing myself over and changed to a low-stress job after some time off. I was ready to take a significant pay cut when a new opportunity opened up.
It was clear that I needed to focus on self-care and the most important things in my life (hobbies, relationships, family). I’ve never felt more at peace and don’t have any regrets.”
Periodically Reexamine Your Goals
Clearly, it’s essential to reexamine your life goals occasionally. What do you want out of life? Would your goals or plans be better met elsewhere? If so, it may be time for a career change.
Understand You’re Not Alone
Burnout from work is all too common. Asana conducted a recent survey of 100,000 workers with a surprising result. 70% (or 70,000) of these surveyed workers were experiencing career-related burnout!
So, If you’re feeling emotionally or physically fatigued from pressure at work, you’re not alone. Remember not to judge your feelings or feel you’ve let yourself down. It’s a positive step to accept and work through your feelings to find the right solution for you.
Unfortunately, over time, stress-related burnout from work can lead to health problems such as Heart Disease, Hypertension (high blood pressure), and digestive issues. But the good news is, you’re ready to take steps to improve yoursituation!
Spending plenty of time with family decreases symptoms of burnout and promotes a healthy life balance.
Goodbye to Feeling Burned Out At Work
It may surprise you to know that recent studies reveal personal activities outside of work often provides more significant relief than rearranging work duties!
Thus, choosing enjoyable ways to spend your time in the evenings and on weekends is essential. Enjoying activities promoting relaxation and connection with others fuel energy levels and decrease symptoms of burnout. Therefore, remember to balance more fun activities with less chores when you’re not working.
In summary, burnout from work is a common experience that cannot be ignored. It’s vital to take the necessary steps to manage it. So, don’t be afraid to seek help or make changes to your work life to prioritize your well-being.
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i love these tips
Thank you, Jimmy.
yes work burnout is so real my hubby is absoulutely digusted with his job and i can tell because he is either angry or sad before he goes and has even started calling in every other week he says he’s going to stick it out til the end of the year and then he’s leaving
I’m so sorry to hear that. I hope things get better soon. Maybe you can help your hubby with tips from the article.
The burnout was real for me! I left my job in July and now working on the things I am passionate about. I am so much happier and have so much peace.
That’s amazing, Amanda! You seem very happy! I love it!
Great tips! I like the advice to get out of the office on your breaks. It really does help!
Yes, it does, Deanna! There’s something about fresh air and a natural environment that helps relieve feeling burned out at work!
This is really helpful and informative, thank you!
Thank you, Alison. I appreciate your comment.
Great tips! Lately I’ve felt so burnt out and want to try these suggestions
I truly hope they help. Hoping you’ll no longer feel burned out at work afterwards! Let me know how it goes!
Great read! I’ve been there before, burned out, mentally exhausted from work. I use to be the one that always said yes to extra work, I had to learn how to start saying no sometimes to avoid the burnout. Thank you for sharing!
Solving burnout means finding a good life balance. I’m so happy that you found yours!
really helpful post! Definitely will help me during the day
I surely hope so. Let me know how it goes!
I love the step by step detail in now to approach management. Great tips. Thanks for sharing !
Absolutely! Thank you for commenting!
I have been feeling burned out lately and I find that being outdoors helps a lot. Great article!
Taking a walk on my afternoon break has relieved many burned out days for me as well. It refreshes your mind and gives a different view to the day.