Feeling burned out isn’t just common, it’s a diagnosable condition that afflicts around 23% of all employees. It accounts for around 8% of healthcare costs nationwide. Not sure if you’re feeling actual burnout? Here are three key signs: exhaustion, cynicism about your job, and lower effectiveness. If you’re in the burnout boat, what can you do about it?
Engage Socially
Heavy workloads and long hours make it painfully easy to spend less time with friends and family. After all, exhaustion doesn’t leave anyone excited about their bowling league or having a picnic with the family. Yet, that’s exactly the kind of stuff you should do. Engaging socially not only encourages physical activity, it also supports mental well-being. Given that the symptoms of burnout and the symptoms of depression closely mirror each other, supporting your mental health should be a priority.
Takeaway: Carve out time for socializing with friends and family, even if it’s the last thing you want to do. You’ll feel better for carrying through on it.
Offload Some Responsibilities
You may feel compelled to accept every task your boss throws at you, but odds are good that some of them are optional. Put together a list of your current responsibilities and look for ones that aren’t mission-critical. If you can, delegate the non-critical tasks to a trustworthy subordinate or look for a co-worker who will take them on. If you can’t, talk with your supervisor about reassigning some of those tasks.
Takeaway: Carving out a little breathing room in your day by offloading responsibilities can help improve your workplace well-being.
Mind Your Health
It happens to almost everyone when things get crazy at work. You order out for lunch and maybe even dinner as well. You start taking a pass on hitting the gym. You don’t get enough sleep. While you can get away with that occasionally – that’s why cheat days exist – it takes a toll when that’s your lifestyle. Even worse, poor fitness and poor nutritional choices can make you feel more exhausted. Regular exercise and healthy food support your entire body, which helps you weather workplace stress better.
Takeaway: Make yourself pack that healthy lunch and keep your appointments with your workout buddy. It can help stave off burnout.
Feeling burned out can happen to anyone, but that doesn’t mean it’s inescapable. Engaging socially with friends and family can improve your mental well-being, which helps stave off cynicism. Reducing your workload even a little can give you some much-needed breathing room at work. Making sure you exercise and eat healthy meals gives your body the resources it needs to deal with excessive workplace stress.
Of course, sometimes the job itself is the problem. If you’re ready to change your job or even your career, let GPS help you discover the right position for you.
