Fight Burnout At Work And Get Back On Track
Burnout at work is an extremely common phenomenon. It can happen at any time. It can manifest in the form of mental or physical exhaustion.
One feels an overarching feeling of dread going to work, with the passion that once flamed for the job burnt out.
Anxiety and a feeling of being constantly overwhelmed become pervasive. This, in turn, robs you of your energy.
Burnout seeps into all facets of your life. At work your productivity goes down, you feel agitated and resentful and more often than not are unable to see what lies right under your nose.
Near and dear ones bear the brunt of your predicament the most and are at the receiving end of your wrath. Sleep suffers, health suffers, there is an overall dip in wellbeing.
Why does Burn out happen?
We spend a large chunk of our lives at work. Almost 70 percent of our waking hours. When you spend this kind of time in one place, it is easy to see that one can burn out easily.
Some of the reasons people burn out are:
o Monotony at work-job repitition
o Salary grievances
o High volume of workload
o Staying at one job for too long
o No room for growth
o Social isolation
While there may be many factors contributing to burnout, different people have different boiling points. What is of utmost importance is recognising the causes and symptoms of burnout so you can reverse them.
Busting myths around Burnout
Myth #1: You are weak or cannot handle stress, that is why you are burnt out
Burning out is the opposite. It is your body's telling you to slow down so you can handle the stress.
No one is cut out to handle high levels of stress endlessly. When subjected to this your brain becomes cluttered. Once you have identified the condition, you can with awareness shift and reevaluate what and how you are working.
Successful entrepreneurs also deal with large amounts of stress but have support tools in place and a team to help them. No one can do it all.
Myth #2: You need to be secretive about it
You don't need to shout about it from the rooftops, but do seek someone out to share your burden. Communicating and sharing can be cathartic.
How to fix to Burn Out
The best way to deal with burnout is by establishing a self-care routine.
Set goals and focus on them
It is important to set goals and to constantly reassess them.
Ensure that they are in alignment with the big picture, the goal posts keep shifting.
What mattered 5 years ago doesn't matter anymore
Sleep
Although burning the midnight may seem like an effective strategy to increase productivity, but in reality, it hurts more than helps.
When you are well rested you can handle the balls that you are juggling with more attention. Instead of being reactive you are proactive. When you are tired your vision is narrowed.
Sleep earlier and wake up before everyone else. Those few hours of quiet time are the most productive.
Take breaks
Do not avoid holidays. Distancing your self from work and a stressor is imperative.
When you notice your fuse becoming short, separate yourself from the stressor. Maybe a temporary retreat or a short vacation to gain perspective.
Breaks help you regain your focus and allow you to reset your brain.
Reset Your Body and your Brain
Although you may have work that cannot work to be delivered, start with small changes.
Today is as good as any other day. Sleep 15 minutes earlier. Set your alarm for 15 minutes earlier and watch the magic happen.
Taking care of yourself is the best thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones.
