How to Relieve Work Burnout
Americans seem to be working harder than ever. Even if you are in a place that needs a 24-hour robot, you will eventually burnout if you try to be that robot. You can relieve work burnout by keeping things in perspective and following a few strategic tips.
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Instructions
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Stop taking work home. Taking work home doesn't only mean bringing home stacks of paperwork. Stop thinking about work after you leave the office. Unless you are paid to be on call 24 hours, separate your work and home time. Set boundaries. You are paid to be an employee, not an indentured servant.
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Take a mental health day. Sick days exist for a reason. It is perfectly valid to take one to heal your mental state. Don't call in sick the day a big presentation is due, but prepare in advance, and let your boss know you need time to rest your brain.
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Engage in frequent breaks. Stand up and stretch at least once an hour. If you are feeling pent-up, follow your stretching with a brisk walk around the office or the block. No one works their best when they are hunched over a computer for hours on end.
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Prioritize and be realistic. When your workload starts to consume you, step back and put things in order of importance. Realize not everything may get done in a single day.
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Ask for help. Help can come from your boss, your coworkers or even your family. Maybe someone can cover the phones for an hour, your boss can extend a deadline, or your family can hook up dinner. Help also comes from the great energy of the universe. Meditate on and pray for strength and endurance to get any job done.
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Tips & Warnings
Getting adequate sleep helps all types of burnout. Vacations mean a vacation from work. Make sure you let people know you will not be available during your time off and, for goodness sake, don't bring paperwork to Aruba. Vacations were also meant as a time to relax. Some folks end up more frazzled after a vacation if they tried to cram 2 months of traveling into a single week. Make sure to bookend your vacation with a day on each side of your time off to do absolutely nothing. There is nothing wrong with enjoying your weekends. They don't have to be productive, either. Learn to sleep in and take frequent naps.
Your job is your job, not your life. If you start to have nightmares about your workplace, it may be time to get a new job.
