Struggling to sleep after a long day? Having difficulty getting up for work in the morning?
Feeling like there’s no point to your work? Snapping at people around you?
It could be burnout. There’s a certain amount of work-related stress in our lives, but burnout is different. It’s a more serious type of chronic stress. It leaves you physically and mentally exhausted (brain-fog), and can cause you to catastrophise and question everything you do.
• Struggling to get to work, feeling drained, lacking energy and focus, not sleeping well and becoming sick.
• Not enjoying your work anymore, being critical and cranky with the people around you, feeling pessimistic.
• Feeling apathetic, being less productive, becoming snowed under and missing a sense of satisfaction.
• A mismatch between you and your job overall withdrawal, isolating yourself.
· Poor work-life balance
· Feeling constantly overwhelmed by your workload
· Lack of support or feedback
· Mental health challenges
· Not taking leave / breaks when you need to
· Expectations to work longer hours
· Inability to say ‘no’
· Socially toxic workplace
· Lack of control of workplace environment
• Identify the source: Work out where your stress is actually coming from – is it a task or person? Identify one thing you can do this week to address the pressure. Start small first, then see if you can work up to bigger actions.
• Stop working harder to overcompensate: Step back and identify the easiest things you can do which will have the biggest impacts – work smarter.
• Step back into your values: Ensure what you do, aligns with what you believe in.
• Seek help: Holding it in can worsen the effects of burnout. Identify a trusted supervisor or friend and speak to them about what you're experiencing. Sometimes simply talking about your feelings can offer relief.
• Set boundaries: Burnout can be overwhelming, so as you're getting back on track set boundaries and commit to saying ‘no’.
• Find joy in everyday things you do: It might be helping a colleague, a good coffee in the sun, a podcast on a walk, planting sunflowers in your garden, or a regular catch up with a friend.
• Turn off: Put down the tech and limit your exposure wherever possible, screens can drain huge amounts of your time and energy.
• Ask for feedback: Tell your manager you thrive with positive feedback.
• Take care of your health: Sleeping, eating, and exercising well are important for mental and physical wellbeing. In times of stress, it can be harder to keep these healthy habits but not tending to your health can compound the original stress and hold you back from recovering.
Contributed with thanks to Judy Porter from SHIIFT
