Burnout: What is it and how do we manage it?

Are you struggling with long work hours and a demanding job? When you get a good night’s sleep and set healthy boundaries, it helps you to avoid burnout. Don’t wait until it’s too late before you start taking proper care of yourself.

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What is burnout?

Burnout is extreme exhaustion that leaves you feeling like you’re not emotionally and physically capable of getting through the day. Burnout is often the result of overworking and high levels of stress in the workplace. Extreme exhaustion usually develops over time until it escalates into a bigger problem that must be addressed.

What are the symptoms of burnout?

Symptoms of burnout include the following:

• Feeling demotivated
• Isolating yourself
• Struggling to concentrate
• Negative thought patterns
• Feeling overwhelmed and constantly tired
• Loss of appetite
• Persist self-doubt
• Physical pains and headaches

Consequences of burnout

Burnout has far-reaching consequences for you and your company. When employees are exhausted, it leads to high staff turnover rates. Hiring new employees costs your company time and money. Burnout also has negative consequences for the performance and the efficiency of employees. It can affect anyone, so it’s important for both managers and employees to take preventative measures. Extreme exhaustion can have a disastrous impact on your career.

How to prevent burnout

Get a good night sleep

Being exhausted all the time increases your risk of burnout. If you’re tired at work every day, the situation can quickly escalate so that you’re left feeling emotionally and physically depleted. Protect your well-being by getting a minimum of eight hours of sleep every night. Set up a sleep routine where you get into bed and wake up at the same time each day. Avoiding the use of electronic devices before bedtime can also improve your quality of sleep.

You can also try using essential oils in your room to help you relax and get more sleep. You can put oils like lavender, bergamot, chamomile, and Eucalyptus in a diffuser or air purifier. One or two drops in the water will be enough to spread the scent through the room and help you sleep calmly.

Practice self-care

Set aside time for self-care so that you can relax and replenish your energy levels. Make a list of the activities you enjoy doing and incorporate them into your routine. Taking a yoga class, reading a book, talking to friends or playing soccer are just some suggestions of what activities you can do during your downtime. Everyone is different, so it’s important to pick activities that help you reduce stress levels.

Ask for support

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s easy to isolate yourself from people. Rather than disconnecting from the world, ask your loved ones for the support you need. Pick up the phone and let a trusted friend know how you’re feeling. Likewise, you can ask a dependable colleague for support in the workplace.

Change your perspective

Sometimes a change in your perspective is all it takes to feel better about a work situation. Take the time to examine your thoughts and assumptions carefully. Once you pay attention to your thought patterns, it creates opportunities to come up with new solutions to your problems. Track your time to see what’s influencing your daily schedule the most and come up with solutions to handle it better. You may try getting more organised, speaking to your boss or delegating tasks.

Set healthy boundaries

If you’re overwhelmed by your to-do list at work, practice setting healthy boundaries when your coworkers or employees try and take advantage of your time. Assisting team members with tasks when you have free time builds great work relationships. However, taking on extra tasks when you’re already swamped with work can lead to burnout.

Find a mentor

Experienced professionals are likely to have faced many of the problems you’re dealing with at work. Their advice can help you to navigate difficult situations and avoid burnout. Knowing that professional support is available in tough times can go a long way towards reducing your stress levels.

Now that you know more about what burnout is and how to avoid it, you can start taking better care of yourself.

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