Burnout is a term we hear all the time, but it can be hard to recognise and difficult to accept. We all want to do our best and plough on through to success, but sometimes it is better to work smarter, not just harder.
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What is Burnout?
Ayala Pines, of the Israel School of Management, Ben-Gurion University, is an expert on burnout. She describes the phenomenon as, "a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long term involvement in emotionally demanding situations." - Career Burnout: Causes and Cures
A recent Indeed report found that over 50% of professionals are feeling burned out, particularly millennials and Gen Z at almost 60%. We all love our jobs, but its easy to love something to death, so don’t kill your enthusiasm with endless dedication, or you become at risk of burning out.
So with that in mind, here our top tips to prevent burnout:
1. Use your vacation time!
Our number one tip shouldn’t need to be said, but it is easy to delay or postpone holidays when projects mount up and you feel overwhelmed by your workload. It’s important to spend time away from the office, with loved ones so you can refresh and recharge your productive energies. Re-invigorate your mind by visiting new locations and places, and make sure your set up a good out-of-office message to take care of any communication whilst away. Remember: don’t check your emails!
2. Work-life balance
‘Work-life balance’, a phrase we have all heard so many times that it starts to lose its meaning. Don’t let it! Everyone has their breaking point and you should never let yourself get to the point of full burnout. Try to schedule time, even 30 minutes a day, that you can take for yourself. Short breaks are a great way to break things up, keeping you fresh throughout the day.
3. Do what you love
We all have tasks we excel at and ones we loath. If there is a task you hate, see if you can find someone else who enjoys it, for example, if you hate numbers, maybe you have a team mate that loves them, or if they hate words but you love them, ask if you can trade. You never know what you can get until you ask, so keep optimising, to find your perfect workflow.
4. Take Control
Find your purpose at work again, beyond the paycheck. What do you want to accomplish? What or who do you want to impact? If you feel you are slipping away from your goals, try to take back greater autonomy. Talk to your boss or manager and see if they are willing to let you have more control over tasks and projects.
5. Analyse your career
Are you where you want to be? Is it working out as you expected? Or are you wishing you chose something else? If you having negative thoughts not just about your work, but your job overall, it may be time to assess if this is the place for you. If you really are unhappy it might be time to start planning your next career move.
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