At some point in nearly every person’s career, they’ll experience some degree of burnout. At times, it’s caused by a sense of tedium that can come when a role is no longer exciting. In others, it’s a response to being asked to shoulder far more than a reasonable amount for an extended period, creating an ongoing source of stress that negatively impacts their day-to-day.
Regardless of the trigger, burnout isn’t just an issue at work; it can harm your personal life, too. Since that’s the case, it’s wise to know what burnout involves and how to respond to it, allowing you to take corrective action quicker. If you aren’t sure what to watch out for, here are some tips to help ensure burnout doesn’t ruin your summer.
Understand That There Are Different Types of Burnout
Burnout is a pretty broad category that can describe several unique scenarios. Feeling overwhelmed by your workload to the point of it making you ineffective is a form of burnout. The same is true of being so bored that you can’t stay engaged long enough to do your best work or believing that your job is so meaningless that it isn’t worth the effort.
Ultimately, burnout can manifest in a lot of ways. Plus, it can lead to a range of emotions, including anger, frustration, annoyance, sadness, and depression. By knowing that, you can better assess whether burnout is likely involved, ensuring you don’t ignore an issue because of a misunderstanding about the condition.
Learn the Unconventional Signs of Burnout
In some cases, signs of impending burnout aren’t what you’d expect. While feeling frustrated at work or having regular bouts of the Sunday Blues are typical of someone experiencing burnout, other signs like finding household chores overwhelming or feeling resentful when a family member asks for a bit of your time are, too.
Daydreaming about becoming ill so you can call in sick or have a day to yourself could also signal burnout. The same goes for staying up later than you should to reclaim lost “me time” or skipping activities that you know are beneficial because you simply can’t muster the energy.
By knowing the signs beyond the classics, it’s easier to spot a potential issue before it becomes a catastrophic problem. Then, you can look for possible solutions earlier.
Get Comfortable with Setting Boundaries
In many cases, burnout is exacerbated by this internal belief that saying “no” isn’t an option. This may be a conditioned response based on antiquated ideas about work or family, particularly the notion that those areas of your life should always come before self-care.
However, setting boundaries isn’t just wise; it’s an outright necessity. No one knows if you’re overtasked, overwhelmed, or overstressed but you. Since that’s the case, you have to get comfortable with setting boundaries for when the need arises.
Often, people will respond kindly to a “no” if you present it properly. At work, you may simply be able to let your manager know that picking up a new task could make sacrificing the quality of your other work a necessity.
Ultimately, setting boundaries makes it easier to achieve balance. As a result, you may have an easier time avoiding burnout, allowing you to be at your best as much as possible. If you’d like to learn more, the staff at The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
