Introduction
I love my job, but it’s not always easy. And when you’re feeling stressed out and burned out at work, it can feel like you have no options. Here are some things that have helped me and my colleagues get through those times of burnout:
Work burnout is a special type of job stress –
A state of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work. It’s not caused by one thing but rather by a combination of events and situations that have piled up over time.
Symptoms include:
- Feeling emotionally drained at the end of each day
- Having trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Getting depressed, anxious or irritable more often than usual
Know when it’s time to move on.
You may be suffering from symptoms of work burnout if:
- You’re not enjoying your job anymore. It’s easy to lose sight of what makes you happy when you are immersed in the day-to-day grind, but if you’re starting to dread getting out of bed and going to work, it might be time for a change. It could be that your current position isn’t fulfilling any more—or maybe you want a challenge and want to try something new. Whatever it is that seems appealing about your dream job, it will help keep the flame alive when things start feeling bleak at work again.
- You feel like your work is not valued by others around you or by those who are higher up on the corporate ladder than you are (even if they don’t realize it). This one can be hard because while this may seem like a very subjective thing that only impacts one person’s feelings about their job situation, don’t sell yourself short! We all know how important emotions are at work; if someone feels disrespected or undervalued by their employer or coworkers/supervisors then they won’t be as motivated or happy with their daily tasks which affects everyone else around them too! This goes back again about knowing what makes us happy – there needs to be some sort of balance between seeking out positive feedback from others vs ignoring negative ones so we don’t ignore ourselves in doing so too much later down road when things get rough again.”
Take vacation.
Taking a vacation is one of the best ways to recharge and return to work refreshed and ready to tackle new challenges. Working too many hours can lead you into a rut in which you feel like there’s no escape. Taking time off allows you to get out of that rut, so don’t be afraid of taking vacations from work! Whether it’s a weekend road trip with friends or an extended staycation, taking regular breaks throughout the year will keep your mind clear so that when it comes time for crunch time (or if it’s already crunch time), you won’t burn out on the job.
When you come back from vacation, get to work early and leave late.
You may be tempted to ease into your old schedule. Resist the urge! Your first few days back, it might be tempting to show up later and leave earlier than usual, but this will only make things worse in the long run. Instead, get right back into the swing of things with an early arrival and a late departure.
Don’t worry if you’re asked why you’re still at work so late—this is normal as well! If anyone asks how you’re doing, smile and say: “I’m fine; thanks for asking!” Then go right back to work. After all, everyone knows that working hard is what makes us great people!
Try something new.
- Try something new.
- Try a new hobby.
- Try a new sport.
- Try a new job.
- Try a new location.
- Try a new way to do things, like taking notes with an old-fashioned pen and paper, not your phone or computer; or printing out documents instead of emailing them back-and-forth between colleagues (there’s something very satisfying about creating paper copies of things). Or try just doing everything in reverse—that’s what my dad did when he was starting his career as an electrician: He wore blue jeans and listened to rock music while he worked on people’s houses! It was definitely weird at first but eventually everyone got used to it and loved him for being himself and having fun with his coworkers during the day (even though they were all much older than he was). You can do anything if you put your mind into it—the trick is finding what makes sense for you personally, not necessarily anyone else around you or anyone else who has been successful before at whatever it is that’s bothering you right now.”
Ask for help.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, try reaching out to colleagues or supervisors. They may be able to help you find ways to cope with the stress of your current situation.
If you feel uncomfortable talking about your feelings with someone at work, see if there is an employee assistance program available through HR that will connect you with a psychologist or counsellor for free. If not, reach out after hours when it’s less likely that others will overhear and report this conversation back to management.
If all else fails and work is still taking its toll on your health, consider visiting a doctor who can prescribe medication that can help manage symptoms related to burnout such as anxiety and depression
Don’t wait too long to take action if you are experiencing work burnout.
Don’t wait until you’re at rock bottom. If you find yourself feeling burned out, don’t ignore the signs and symptoms of work burnout. It’s important that you communicate with your manager or someone else in charge about what’s going on with you and ask for help or advice.
If you don’t get help, leaving your job may be the only option left for making sure that your health and well-being comes first instead of being pushed aside by challenging workplace conditions. If this happens to be an outcome that works for both parties involved—the employee who needs a change and the employer who wants someone who will stay with them—that can be a mutually beneficial solution for everyone involved!
Conclusion
If you’re experiencing work burnout, don’t wait to take action. It’s better to move on early in your career than allow yourself to be consumed by negativity and self-doubt.