Tips on Avoiding Burn-out
In a time where you are constantly connected and the lines between work and home may be blurred – it is important you know how to recognize and avoid burn-out.
What is “Burn-Out”?
Burn-out is a term used to describe the feeling of exhaustion commonly felt from over-working, mental or emotional overload, or prolonged stress.
Why are people feeling burn-out more now than ever before?
With ongoing turmoil worldwide, people are more connected than ever, having the internet in their pocket, working from home can extend your office hours into your personal hours, and feeling anxious or worried about things we can’t control. If you’re feeling tired when you wake up, dreading going to the office, feeling pessimistic, or cancelling plans with friends to rest, you may be experiencing burn-out!
How can we avoid it?
Luckily, with the right tools, you can manage or avoid burn-out to continue performing at your best! Here are some tips on avoiding burn-out:
- Implement Boundaries
If you’re working from home or learning from home, boundaries can make all the difference in your experience of burn-out. Schedule your working / learning hours and set alarms to adhere to your schedule. If you receive an email after hours that isn’t an emergency, you can always reply during your scheduled working hours tomorrow. This can lift that feeling of having to be constantly available.
Boundaries can also be important for other habits like social media. Social media is a great way to remain connected but spending too much time on social media can be negatively affecting your mental health. Try setting limits on your mobile device to reduce the amount of time you spend mindlessly scrolling or set a bed-time for your mobile device where after that time, you no longer check your phone. Setting boundaries can be difficult to follow but they can make a huge difference in how you experience burn-out.
- Do Something You Love
Whether it’s finding a new hobby, returning to an old hobby, or changing your career path, doing something you love to do can relieve stress and tension, diminishing your feeling of burn-out. This can become something you can look forward to doing once your working / learning hours are complete. It can help you pass the time and focus on what you’re doing when you have something to look forward to after.
- Take a Vacation and Unplug
Taking a vacation could been packing your bags for a getaway but it could also mean a stay-cation or simply going out and doing something you don’t usually do. Planning a getaway can give you a new outlook when you have a change in your surroundings, suddenly looming deadlines aren’t top of mind anymore. It’s a good way to get some perspective and focus on you for a while. A stay-cation can be just as beneficial, taking some time away from work to look after the other aspects of your life or relaxing at home. We think this is the perfect excuse to go out and visit your local ice cream parlour. It’s hard to feel stressed when you’re enjoying a tasty treat!
- Find Meaningful Work
If you’re dreading going to work each day, feeling stressed after hours, and feeling like you’re in a rut, you may benefit from finding meaningful work. Meaningful work can help you avoid burn-out when you know your long hours and stress are truly making a difference. Finding meaningful work doesn’t always mean shifting career paths or quitting your job, it can mean finding the value in your current work too. Reflect and see how your work impacts yourself, your company, and your shareholders and suddenly, your burnout may feel more manageable.
- Get Out and Get Active
It’s common knowledge that taking time to be physically active everyday can improve your mood. It doesn’t have to be training for a marathon, either! Find a form of physical activity that you enjoy and carve out time for that activity a few times a week. This could be as simple as going for a walk with a friend or taking your dog out every day. You can find videos online on yoga, stretching, or boxing to get your heart rate up. This activity can help improve your sleep as well if you’re physically tired, it may be easier to fall asleep and stay asleep!
- Have a Great Team!
When you work with a great team, having a leader you can lean on and teammates you can rely on can minimize the effects of burn-out. When everyone is performing their best, you can feel energized that you’re all making effort towards your goal. A great leader can make all the difference when you can speak openly to them and have regular check-ins o avoid built up stress. Teams are all about give and take, when you’re feeling stressed, ask a teammate for help and be sure to return the favour when you can!
Try a few of these tips to reduce your feelings of burn-out and let us know if you have more tips in the comments!