Practical advise for when you feel career burnout creeping up on you, or you're already experiencing it.
If you’re part of the working class, you have most likely experienced job related stress at some point in your career. This is normal; we all feel overwhelmed, thinking about calling in sick just to have a mental day off. Burnout is a type of job related stress, but to an extreme. Although, it’s not a medical diagnosis, burnout can be serious, causing mental and physical pain. If you believe you’re experiencing career burnout, try these tips for coping.
Voice Your Concerns
The first step to dealing with burnout is to identify what may be the cause. Maybe it’s a heavy workload, unclear expectations, a dysfunctional work environment, or a lack of work-life balance. If the cause can be fixed, voice your concerns with your manager, boss, or HR; ask if there is a way to work through the issue. It could be as simple as reducing the amount of work you’re responsible for or figuring out how to communicate with a problem co-worker.
Try a New Hobby
A stressful day may leave you wiped out, ready to go home and hit the couch. Getting involved in a relaxing activity can help relieve your stress, making it easier to face your work week. Activities such as yoga or general exercises, meditating, or reading a book can be executed in the privacy of your home or in a group. Picking up a relaxing hobby will give you a new sense of purpose and prepare your mind for each new day of the week.
Make Time for Friends
Prioritize being social, going out, and enjoying yourself. Especially after a long day at work, being with friends will refocus your thoughts, helping you to leave work at the office. Moira Lawler of Everyday Health writes, “Sometimes it helps to use social time to step away from stressors and simply use the time to enjoy another person’s company,” (Lawler, 2023). It won’t matter what you’re doing, just being with a friend will feel like a break from career, and general life, stress.
Go To Therapy
Therapy is an effective way to help you cope with work stress and in this day and age, technology has made it easier than ever for you to speak with a therapist. Although you may be trying to cope with burnout on your own, a therapist may be able to provide you with healthy ways to do so. According to Doctors Whalley and Pugh, “Cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for people who are experiencing burnout… Unlike some other therapies, it is quite structured… you can expect to set some goals so you [and your therapist] both know what you are working towards,” (Dr Matthew Whalley, 2022).
Look For Another Option
Maybe you’re not looking to cope with your burnout, and that’s okay. Searching for a different job might be the right move for you. If that’s the case, be mindful of what burned you out of your current career and stay away from job environments that would promote the same issues. Looking through a job sear site could be helpful; past and/or current employees may have written reviews about the company and the site itself will have details about the work environment in most cases. Make sure your manager/boss understands why you are choosing a different career path so that they may be aware of those issues in the future.
Burnout can be mentally and physically exhausting. There are ways to cope with these feelings, but at the end of the day, don’t let your job compromise your health. If you need to move on from the job that’s making you feel burned out, do it tactfully, letting your boss hear your concerns. There are plenty of jobs out there, so take your time, and find one that’s right for you. Happy working!
Check out these web articles to learn more about symptoms and long term effects of burnout.
Dr Matthew Whalley, Dr Matthew Pugh. “Burnout.” Psychology Tools, 26 Aug. 2022, https://www.psychologytools.com/self-help/burnout/.
“Know the Signs of Job Burnout.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 5 June 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642.
Lawler, Moira. “Burnout: Tips for Coping When You Can’t Just Quit.” EverydayHealth.com, 29 Jan. 2023, https://www.everydayhealth.com/burnout/what-to-do-about-burnout-if-quitting-is-not-an-option/.