Burn-out* (n)  – a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:

• • feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
  • increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
  • reduced professional efficacy.

*according to the World Health Organization

It’s a real thing. If you haven’t experienced it yet, I’m so happy for you. If you have experienced it, you know how it feels. And if you feel like you’re not far from experiencing it, you’re probably right. Burnout takes a while to fully get back from, but is something that can also be avoided if you’re smart about it. These are some of my top ways to avoid burnout.

1. Don’t Set Yourself Up for Failure

Sometimes we get so caught up in checking off everything on our to-do list that we forget to realize how long the to-do list is constantly getting. Being productive is a great thing! But over-committing yourself day after day will set you up for failure. It’s important to remember that there are only a subset of working hours in a day. How many exist in your personal schedule is up to you and your specific situation. For some people, it’s eight working hours. For others, it might be 10. No matter what your limit is, don’t set yourself up for 12 hours of work, if the limit is eight hours. Sure, sometimes you need to overhaul the day, but doing that for months on end will only lead you in one direction. A good metric for me is checking in on my personal life tasks, ie laundry, cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, etc. If I’m getting to a point where month after month, I’m struggling to keep up with household responsibilities which only help me set myself up well for the next day, then there’s probably an aspect of imbalance in my life, which is soon to lead to burnout. Think about it. Unloading your groceries, washing dishes, unloading the dishwasher, and taking out the trash, probably take about 10 minutes for each task. Doing laundry only takes about 30 minutes of active work. If you’re struggling to keep up with personal tasks that collectively take you about 1.5 hours out of your daily or week, something is off. You might be overloading yourself with work, and neglecting your personal life, which is a great path to burnout.

2. Take Breaks – But Seriously

A 9-5 is a myth nowadays, and I think we all know that. I think an 8-7 is more like it, but even then everyone’s job requires a different chunk of their daily time. When you are just running Monday through Friday or even working on the weekends, you really need to make time to reboot. Take a break, even if that is just a couple of hours on the weekend. Constantly consuming your brain with work tasks and responsibilities will eventually drive you mad. When you start to forget what day it is, or stop recognizing the weekends as a time for some sort of personal reboot, you might need to take a step back and reevaluate the way you are going about your work. I understand that some industries require weekend work, I’ve been in one myself. But is there something you can do for yourself every few weekends to help give yourself time to reboot? This might even be something as simple as scheduling a dinner with friends or setting up a round of golf. This small change of routine in your life and social interaction can be a huge boost to your morale and stamina. It’s also a great reminder that you are human and not a robot made only to work in your life. Taking breaks is a huge step in the right direction to avoid burnout.

3. Make Time to Be Childish

“Being childish” is one of my favorite things to do right now. Yes, we are adults, but when did we forget about the joys of the things we once loved as kids? Remember when we used to have after-school activities
doing the most random things? From taekwondo to drawing classes, to chess club,  to sports. We used to do it all on a weekly basis. Let’s bring that back! Find the activities that you used to enjoy or new activities that you want to explore and give them a go! There is no loss in this investment and there is no better time in life than your 20s to get back into your hobbies or find new ones. Maybe you’ve always wanted to get into horseback riding. Maybe you want to join a rec flag football team in your area. It can be anything!  You are more than your job and it’s okay to do something that is just “for fun”. Doing these “childish” activities will help you refresh your mind, step away from your mounting work responsibilities, and replenish your energy and creativity in a different way.

4. Spend Time with Friends and Family

We are all social creatures, even the introverted ones out there. We are all a part of a community and your involvement in these is valued and appreciated. Our work schedule can get ahead of us sometimes, but no one ever wants to be that person who’s 50, successful, yet has no one to call on Friday or Saturday night. Just like you invest your time into your work and career, don’t forget to step back and invest time into your community. Check in on the people around you and let them check in on you too. Stay a part of your friends’ and family’s lives and allow yourself to decompress, laugh cry, and make memories outside of your office and computer screen. Social interaction can be a huge mood booster and stress reliever in your life and just like taking a break, and making time to be childish, having a change in your schedule can really help you to avoid burnout. Remember what is worth it at the end of the day, and ask your friends and family to hold you accountable to ensure that you’re finding balance in your life.

5. Move Your Body

Move, move, move. You can never move enough! Sitting sedentary in front of a computer screen day after day can really get to a person. It’s important that you make time to exercise, go on a walk, stretch, and get away from your office chair. Get some sunlight and fresh air, and let your mind and body reconnect from time to time. It’s even better if you can do this on a daily basis. Sitting sedentary all the time and starting out the same window day after day is not good for your mindset. Eventually, you’ll feel like a hamster running on the same wheel day after day getting nowhere. Although the odds are that you are being productive, being in the same place at the same time on repeat will make you feel differently. Don’t be afraid to change up your workplace for the day or your style of work if you can.

Burnout is a b*tch to say the least. I’ve learned my lesson the hard way before and I only hope to help prevent this from occurring in other people’s lives. I got so caught up in the day-to-day that I failed to stop, reflect, and live along the way. Make sure you do this, and remember to do the fun and childish things along the way. At the end of the day, spending time doing anything other than work is a great way to avoid burnout.

Sources:

“Burn-out an ‘Occupational Phenomenon’: International Classification of Diseases.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.