5 Tips On Dealing With Burnout

This article is the final edition of our series on Workplace Burnout.

This week we share our strategies on dealing with burnout.

If you feel that your work has got you in a state of chronic stress, it is time to act. Our tips can be implemented into your every day routine to regain control of the stresses of your job to help you function at your best.

1. Recognise and manage the stress contributing to burnout:

Reflect and identify on what it is that is making you feel stressed and overwhelmed at work.You might like to write a list of all of the things that make you feel stressed on a given day. From there you might be able to see there are things that can be adjusted to make your word day less chaotic. It might be as simple as allotting certain times to check emails,  to minimise feelings of being overwhelmed and distracted by having them constantly pop up on your screen. Alternatively, it may be that you can delegate certain tasks if you feel it is the sheer amount of work that is making you feel burnt out.

 2. Schedule “You-Time":

Pencil in you diary time for yourself and stick with it. Managing burnout needs to be as important as any other meeting or appointment. Make this a time in your week spent on an interest that helps you ‘wind-down’ – something that you find rewarding and really enjoy. You might like to see this as reward for all of your hard work.

3. Be your own best friend:

Think about the advice you would give a loved one who was experiencing the same situation of burnout. What would you say to them? It would probably be along the lines of, “Make sure you are taking care of yourself.” More specifically, this advice may pertain to getting enough sleep, eating well and making time for exercise and relaxation. You want this for those dear to you, so make it happen for yourself.

 4. Make work-life balance more than just a myth

Many people see work-life balance as a distant, unattainable concept. This doesn’t have to be the case. When considering working overtime for the 4^th time this week, taking work home with you or skipping that lunch hour, saying “no” does not make you a bad employee. Overcoming burnout and having a healthy work-life balance will see you become a more productive worker and extend the longevity of your career. Taking regular breaks and not working too many hours are crucial in recovering from chronic work stress.

 5. Socialise & Seek support

Rekindle friendships and relationships that have fallen detriment to the stages of your burnout. Be open and honest about how you are feeling with co-workers, management and your social supports outside of work. You can also  talk to a professional to help you manage your burnout. Your company’s EAP service or your GP are good places to start. Or call Beyond Blue’s Support Service on 1300 224636. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Click here to read part one of our burnout series, 4 Signs You Might Be Burnt Out 

Reassessing your work life balance to rejuvenate your energy

When you feel as though your energy levels are drained in the workplace, it may be a good idea to check in on your work-life balance. While achieving an optimum work-life balance may seem like a wishful dream in wonderland – you are not alone! Here are three steps you can follow that will help you get closer to that seemingly elusive dream-like state of equilibrium in a way that doesn't have to leave your work output in deficit.

Firstly, RECOGNISE the symptoms

If you feel as though you are:

• Experiencing a lack of sleep because you are busy thinking about the tasks you have to complete at work the next day.
• Experiencing a loss of energy in the workplace and an apathy towards your work
• Overwhelmed by your tasks at work when you begin the day or return from your lunch break
• Procrastinating more than you should be (keeping in mind that often any procrastination is too much when it comes to the workplace…)

It may be an indicator that you need to reassess your work-life balance.

Secondly, REASSESS your goals

When you find that your work-life balance is out of line, it is important to ask yourself why this is the case. This will help you re-discover what is important to you and will help you re-gain sight of the bigger picture. Placing your work into perspective can often help if you feel overwhelmed. Additionally, you may re-discover the reason you have been pushing yourself so hard in the first place. This can often serve as a great source of hidden motivation that could push you over the finish line. When re-assessing your goals, it is important to consider where you are now; where you would like to be, and what you need to do to get there. It might feel a bit odd at first, but it can pay off to list these details down in a document or spreadsheet. It is always easy to let some demotivating tasks get neglected - until they become a pattern with no solution. So, keep your eye on the prize of your career and personal goals.

Finally, TAKE ACTION!

• Make necessary changes to your schedule and reprioritise tasks that need to be done in terms of what you need for yourself. Assess what extra tasks are created as a result of mismanaged resources.
• If you suspect that there is a misallocation of resources - begin a discussion with your manager that you believe the misallocation of resources is causing distress and has lowered productivity (just be sure to have a sound solution!)
• Reflect on your personal well-being and think strategically about how this affects your productivity.
• Improve the quality of your “down-time” while you are away from work will help manage your productivity while you are in the workplace. It is important to take time out for yourself … even if that means going for a walk around the block without your phone during your lunch break.
• Always be sure to look back at your original goals, and compare it to how your workplace responsibilities have changed and how that affects your personal life.

If you are still finding it difficult to achieve motivation despite work changes, balance alterations and discussions with management, you could have a career mismatch. Trudging through a field that never suited your personality in the first place will almost always end in low productivity, low satisfaction, burnout and worse. One way to be sure that you’re in the right field or studying the right course is to take a psychologically backed careers test. This weighs your values and attributes to define what career course best suits your abilities and fundamentally, who you are.

Physical and Mental Exhaustion: Avoiding Burnout

It’s that time of year. For many of us; whether you are in an office, clinic or job hunting; it’s crunch time. The demand to get more done in less time is causing more pressure than we'd like or need

However overworking yourself can lead to both physical and mental exhaustion.  This is known as a “burnout”.  While work demands can vary in their degrees of stress, when placed under immense pressure such experiences leading to a burnout can have longer term impacts on your work productivity and health.

It goes without saying that burnouts should be avoided.  Not only do they impact yourself, but also those around you.  If you or someone you know is heading towards a burnout, here are some ways to help prevent it:

·      Spot the early warning signs:  These may include such signs as constant worrying over work, difficulty sleeping, panic attacks, migraines and backaches, etc.  While it is often difficult for people to notice symptoms themselves, pay attention to other people's concerns or questions about your general tiredness or changes in mood.

·       Reduce the symptoms of stress:  This could mean taking time off work to relax and refresh.  Engage in some physical activities, whether it be the gym or playing a sport you enjoy. Have a think about your immediate environment. Are you comfortable?

·      Talk to your boss:  Discuss your concerns with your boss in a calm and professional manner.  Your boss would rather know sooner than later so appropriate actions can take place, and it is within their best interests to make sure things can get done in a way that isn’t hindering future productivity and job satisfaction.  Another trusted manager or the HR department could also help and advise you on how to best handle the situation.

·      Seek support:  Some organisations have employee assistance and support programmes to provide confidential services to those in need. If you’re concerned, it’s always best to talk to a professional to be sure things are ok than to not speak up and let things get worse.

·      There are always options:  If your employer is unwilling or unable to help you or listen to different ideas of working things out, consider other roles in the organisation which might suit you better.  Otherwise, it may be time to seek a more suitable role elsewhere.

You will soon start to feel better once you take action towards changing your work situation.  All jobs have their ups and downs, but it is better to work in an environment you enjoy rather than one that causes you to stress out to the point of physical and mental exhaustion.  When your physical and mental well being is at stake it’s just not worth it!

Work-life Balance: Achieving Productivity through Simple Changes

Australians in nearly all professions are feeling compelled to work longer hours and take their work home more often. Even if hours become longer, it is important to draw a clear distinction between activities inside and outside of work. Work-life balance is no longer a perk but a necessity, and when you break things down it is achievable!  The benefits are clear; individuals who have a good work-life balance are more likely to:

•  Produce more effective results
•  Have lower levels of stress, burnout and subsequently absenteeism
• Work 21% harder than those without work-life balance
• Maintain performance levels and the ability to do their job

Encouraging employees to implement a schedule that allows them to partake in leisure activities they enjoy outside of work will help them to become better friends, family members and employees. Although this balance is not easy to achieve and in some careers, hard to accommodate for, it is essential in enabling employees to return to work feeling refreshed and ready to do their job. After all, without a work-life balance employees aren’t able to enjoy the life they have worked so hard to create. 

As always, the best way to build a workplace culture that appreciates and understands this is to lead by example, so try out some of the below:

• Go for a weekly jog with your staff or kick the footy outside during lunch
• If you run training or development programs, include an active team building activity
• If people need to work later on certain occasions; make it up to them with a morning tea or take them out to lunch
• Share links to popular events that employees can do with their family

Don’t forget; a positive work-life balance will create an increased sense of well-being and help save time and money lost in sick days, stress leave, and even turnover.