BURNOUT- we hear about it all the time. Working extensive hours and falling into a slippery slope of riddling anxiety, a lack of focus, constant fatigue, stress, and depleted motivation. So, how can we lead career-driven lives without constantly running the risk of burnout?
Casandra, who had been experiencing burnout from working 12 hours days in a stressful management position, paints a clear picture of what burnout looked like in her scenario:
“…when you sleep for 8 hours and wake up like you haven’t slept at all. And all you want to do is just quit, and lie on the couch and stare at the ceiling all day long.”
Casandra found herself booking an overseas flight on impulse. She flew to the other side of the world for four weeks, in hope the freedom of travel would have a liberating impact on shaking off months of stress and work related burnout.
After going back and forth on the topic for a while, Casandra and I decided to formulate our top four tips on ways to prevent burnout: find your passion,
practice resilience tactics,
exercise/quality sleep,
and nurture fulfilling relationships.
Passion Meets purpose: Re-evaluate your work life
Workplace motivation stems from being in a role we enjoy and can thrive in. When we are passionate about our work, it not only fuels our motivation but also drives us to excel and make a positive difference. It inspires us to push boundaries, think creatively, and continuously improve. Passion ignites a sense of purpose and fulfillment that can lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction. As we spend a lot of time at work, it is also important to be a part of a harmonious team that provides a sense of support and belonging.
However if you feel you have to stretch yourself thin in your job for little reward and mental health decline, it may be a matter of switching to a job more suited to your needs.
Job Checklist:
– Provides a sense of achievement
– Fuels your interests, values and goals
– Stimulation
– Negotiate expectations
– Challenges you to grow overtime
– Harnesses your strengths and allows you to master your most valued skills
e.g. creativity, problem solving, people-skills
– Autonomy
– Positive employee culture and relationships
– PASSION, MEANING AND PURPOSE
Be resilient in how you respond to workplace stress and anxiety
Every job has its moments of stress. When we are fixated on the negative emotions that arise in workplace situations, our ability to cope weakens. Adjusting our behaviour and working through the uncomfortable feelings of doubt, negativity and anxiety enhances our resilient “muscle” and improves our performance.
Devise a list of methods to use when you feel stuck on how to approach tasks. Ask yourself what you can do to turn your day around. In some circumstances, it may be spending less time on a given task to achieve the same substantial outcome. Know when to strike a balance, take a step back ;or on the contrary push yourself to finish tasks with closing deadlines.
Exercise and QUALITY sleep
Exercise and sleep are true blue methods for optimising our performance in the workplace. We increase focus, creativity, problem-solving, mood and energy, which are important factors to achieve more throughout the day. Remember sleep and exercise are acts of self-care. Although juggling home and work life is a tumultuous balancing act, putting in that time for 8 hours of quality sleep and daily exercise will empower our minds with increased staying power, positivity, mental agility, and alertness.
Make time for fulfilling relationships
Maintaining close bonds with her family and friends was difficult for Casandra, as she accommodated her time for long distance travel, working late hours and rest. However, after spending four weeks overseas, she noticed the positive impact exploring new culture, foods, music, and places had on her wellbeing. Taking this break to re-evaluate her hustle lifestyle for the past two years, she concluded:
“going for trips every year is a must! It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, even a couple days somewhere not too far away is necessary to reset.”
As a result, Casandra arrived back home with the intention of putting more time towards her health and wellbeing. Stepping into a more balance seeking lifestyle, Casandra’s strategy included cooking meals daily, hitting the gym, and ensuring enough rest. These beneficial adjustments to her daily schedule to combat the adverse impacts of burnout on both her mental and physical health, like stress, anxiety, negative thinking, and weight gain.
Steering clear of burnout means concentrating on physical health, diet, time management, stress, anxiety, and priorities. Burnout prevention is about being proactive and staying one step ahead of the game. A little self-nudge to push past difficult days is going to be your best alley. Remember to always seek balance to ensure the fire doesn’t burn out. Be patient with yourself and keep on going.