Burnout. We’ve all been there. You’re juggling long work hours, unrealistic expectations and responsibilities at home, and it can sometimes be too much.
According to Harvard Business Review, there are three components of burnout: exhaustion, lack of enthusiasm, and inefficacy. You don’t have to experience all three at once, but these three signs are key signs.
The risk of burning out can increase when there are poor support structures in place at work and if the leadership and culture of the organization start to lean away from your needs and values. Work-related stress can not only affect your ability to work, but it can also have negative impacts on your mental and physical health.
The Mayo Clinic shares that unaddressed job burnout can have lasting implications, including fatigue, insomnia, high blood pressure, heart disease, and increased instances of alcohol or substance misuse.
If you think you are feeling the effects of burnout, ask yourself these questions:
1. Do you dread going to work?
2. Are you cynical and irritable at work?
3. Have your sleeping habits changed?
4. Do you find it difficult to concentrate at work?
5. Do you feel unproductive and have a lack of energy?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be experiencing work-related stress and burnout.
However, before you decide to quit your job, there are ways to help manage these feelings.
Yoga
Yoga is a great way to relieve your mind and body of stress. Yoga and meditation suppress the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for stress responses, and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest responses.
By incorporating yoga into your lifestyle, you can reduce anxiety and tension in your body, improve concentration and mindfulness, and regulate your breathing and heart rate.
Taking time away from your phone and computer to focus on clearing your mind can help dissipate the negative effects of burnout.
Find a Healthy Release
There are many ways to wind down and destress. You could also try cooking, baking, playing a sport or instrument, reading a new book, or spending time with family and friends.
Another good way to avoid the lingering effects of burnout is to leave work at work. Try to avoid looking at emails once you’re off the clock and keep your mind in the present moment.
Seek Support
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s best to speak with someone who can help, rather than sit with it alone. When you’re feeling burnt out at work, speak with your manager or a coworker to figure out a way to alleviate some of the work-related stress you’re feeling.
However, speaking with a manager can sometimes add additional stress. It’s best to go into that conversation with some prepared notes on how you’re feeling and what’s been going on.
It’s also a good idea to come up with a few solutions that you can discuss with your supervisor. This way, you’re able to work together to find a solution that works for you, your manager, your coworkers, and the organization.
Burnout is not fun. Feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and tired makes it harder to be productive at work and those feelings can then follow into your life outside of work.
Instead of calling it quits, try finding the source of the problem and proposing a solution so that you can be proactive about burnout. You got this!