Job burnout is more than just a bad day or a tough week at work. Every job has one of those. Burnout is when you just don't have any good days. And it goes on for a long time. Left unchecked, burnout can wreak havoc on your health, happiness, relationship, job performance and more.Find out if you have job burnout and what to do about it.
Signs of job burnout
Here a few red flags that you may be experiencing job burnout:
- You're exhausted. You have no physical, mental or emotional energy. Getting out of bed and to the office is challenging and demanding. You're just completely spent.
- You're frustrated. You feel like what you're doing doesn't matter anymore. You're more pessimistic than you used to be. You're cynical and disillusioned about everything.
- Your work performance is lacking. You don't care enough to do things well at work. So your performance at work is poor.
- You're lacking enthusiasm. You just don't feel motivated anymore about anything. You used to be interested and excited about what you're doing. But projects that once were fulfilling are leaving you depleted. You don't get the same thrill or level of satisfaction if something goes well.
- You're apathetic. You just don't care anymore. You've stopped putting in the effort. You're doing the tasks that are set in front of you, but getting by doing the bare minimum.
Consequences
If you ignore or don't address job burnout you may experience:
- Fatigue
- Excessive stress
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Sadness, anger or irritability
- Illness vulnerability
Coping tips
Now that you know more about burnout, you need out figure out a way to deal with it. Here are some tips.
- Talk to your supervisor. Discuss specific concerns with your boss. You need to change your workload to help put you in a better mindset. Burnout can happen when you have too much on your plate so you need to lighten your workload. You may be able to work together with your supervisor to reach solutions and alter expectations. Set goals for what can wait and what must be done. Learn how your boss can support your health can wellness.
- Recruit help.
You don't have to do everything outside work yourself. If people offer help, accept it. If they don't offer, ask them to lend a hand; they'll likely be happy to assist you. At home, ask a family member to shop for groceries and have a neighbor babysit the kids while you do some work. The extra hands will allow you to focus on yourself. - Dedicate time for yourself.
Self-care at home is important. Hire a sitter and go on a date night with your spouse or hang out with your girlfriends. If you can't get out, try drinking a cup of tea, soaking in the tub or even surfing the Internet to relax. Learn about self-care activities that anyone can afford. - Make your home life easy.
Get people to come to you so have less to worry about after work. Have dry cleaning picked up and delivered. Order your groceries online. Hire a cleaning service. - Stay healthy.
See to your own needs so you're in optimal health. Eat a healthful diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Get plenty of sleep; it helps protect your health and restores well-being. Exercise regularly; it can help take your mind off work and help you deal with stress better. - Write it down.
Use a journal as a way to release your thoughts and feelings. Record your fears, impressions, confusion and more. - Remember to laugh.
Laughter isone of the best medicines. Rent a silly movie, read a funny book or magazine or call a friend with a good sense of humor to help you let loose and chuckle. - Unplug.
Turn off your cell phone at dinner. Designate certain times to check work email at home, if at all. That way work stress won't seep into your family time. - Do something you love outside work.
Get passionate about something not related to the office. It may be a hobby, volunteering or playing a sport. These activities can help you mentally turn off and be rewarding and fulfilling, too.
