Would you agree that our work lives are more pressured than ever? Many struggle to cope with workplace pressures and risk reaching the point of burnout. While stresses in the work environment are common, burnout is caused by a state of constant, prolonged stress. It is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by long term involvement in emotionally demanding situations.
Burnout can creep up on you, impacting your health, relationships, happiness and job performance all in one. Therefore, it’s important to first know some of the common warning signs. These include:
- A negative and critical attitude at work
- Blaming others for your mistakes
- Low energy, and little interest at work
- A feeling of emptiness
- Physical complaints such as headaches, illness or backache
- Trouble sleeping
With these early warning signs in mind, how do we avoid burnout at work to ensure maximum productivity and happiness? Read on to find out some solutions to implement before it escalates…
Change your environment
Many modern jobs require extended hours sitting at a desk. Doing this all day without short breaks is not only bad for stress, but your overall health. Consider taking the time to go for a walk, or get some fresh air to help release all negative emotions.
If your stress levels are still high and you are struggling to deal with the distractions of being in the office, perhaps you could ask about remote working (if it is not offered already). Remote working will give you a better work-life balance and keep you engaged in your work. It allows you to have more control over your activities - allowing you to easily balance your work and personal responsibilities.
Why not check out our complete tool kit for remote working. You can view it here >>
Sleep
Poor-quality (and lack of) sleep will directly affect your mental and physical health, as well as your productivity, emotional balance and much more; your brain needs sleep to function!
Researchers at the University of California discovered that some people have a gene that enables them to function well on six hours of sleep a night… however, this gene is very rare, only appearing in less than 3% of the population! So, whilst sleep requirements will vary from person to person, scientific research has shown that most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours sleep per night to function at their best.
Getting enough good-quality sleep is crucial to avoiding a burn out.
Exercise regularly
There is countless evidence that regular exercise leads to health benefits. If that wasn’t enough to get you to the gym or out for a run, a recent study released by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has shown that there is additional evidence to support the benefits regular exercise can bring to a stressed worker.
The conclusion of the study was as follows: “Exercise has potential to be an effective burnout intervention. Different types of exercise may assist employees in different ways. Organisations wishing to proactively reduce burnout can do so by encouraging their employees to access regular exercise programs” You can read the full study here.
If you struggle to get active on a regular basis, consider following a fitness plan or purchasing a fitness tracker. This will help to give you a sense of achievement whilst knowing that you are taking good care of yourself. Regular exercise will also help you get a good night’s sleep; a win, win for all!
Communicate
Humans thrive on close relationships, and communication is a vital element of this - especially in business. Therefore, it is paramount that you don’t suppress any frustrations. Be assertive with your manager and colleagues by communicating with them when you need help - politely, of course. You aren’t expected to be able to do it all on your own.
Communication also involves cutting down and saying ‘no’ to some things. Take time to assess what areas you can cut down on in your life to avoid taking on more than you can handle and allow yourself to give your full attention to important tasks and projects.
Socialise
If your work life is encroaching on your personal life, you will soon feel emotionally detached and exhausted. Make sure you view personal time as a key part of your day, and plan accordingly. This could include dinner one evening or yoga on a Saturday, whatever you fancy!
Plan
Creating a clear plan at the end of each day for the next will help you track your progress and breakdown projects. Take 5/10 minutes to do this, to allow yourself to leave the office with clarity on how you are going to tackle the next day. Without a plan, you can end up taking all of this home with you, and impact your personal life and all-round health in the long run. We cover the importance of planning to your productivity in our blog post : "7 Tips to help you be more productive at work"
Burnout can pose a huge hindrance on your work and personal life. Help avoid it getting to that point by implementing the solutions we have listed today.
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