How to Deal with Burnout

Most of us have experienced burnout at one point or another – the physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that comes as a result of excessive and prolonged stress.

It could come along with a big project you’ve been working on, a deal you’ve been trying to close, or even just trying to balance all the demands that come with working remotely in a pandemic.

There are days when we all feel tired and reluctant to do any work. If you start to realize that every day is beginning to seem like that, then you may be in the throes of burn out.

Some signs to look out for include: chronic physical and emotional fatigue, detachment from work-related activities and reduced productivity.

Here are some ways you can deal with burnout:

Take a break

Taking a proper vacation and going away may not be possible at the moment, but you can take the weekend off or a couple of days to relax at home. Take a walk, binge-watch some episodes of your favourite series and just decompress. Make yourself unavailable, with no contact to work calls and emails.

Sleep

When you are feeling exhausted, the number one thing your body wants to do is sleep. Take a few hours to sleep so your body can regain its vigour. Give your body what it needs for your sanity.

Exercise

Exercise has been found to increase well-being and decrease psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion. Start a regular exercise routine and you’ll see the benefits on your body and mental health.

Try to remember why you once loved your job

Think back about what made you take the job and why you used to enjoy it. Focus on the positive and not the negative, and over time, your brain would start to align itself.

Set goals

Goals keep you focused on what you need to get done. Setting goals also makes it easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Delegate

Hand over some tasks to a trusted colleague. This creates room for you to do other things and reduces stress for you.

Burnout is a serious issue that affects your mental, emotional, and physical health and shouldn’t be underestimated. Do whatever you need to do to relax, recharge and maintain a good work-life balance.