These days it can feel like workplace burnout is an epidemic.
Everyone seems to be busy. People have less and less time for their hobbies. Spending your evenings at the office rather than at home with your family is common. And all of these long hours in the workplace probably aren't making you feel more fulfilled and successful. Instead, you’re likely just feeling stressed out or depressed.
How can you kick your workplace burnout? Can you reclaim your time and start clocking out a little earlier? With the right strategy, it’s definitely possible.
Here’s how you can say goodbye to workplace burnout and finally get a moment to breathe.
1. Start Saying “No”
You might be guilty of biting off more than you can chew. You may feel bad if you turn someone down when they ask for help. It’s easy to get into the mindset that if you don’t help your coworkers with everything they need, you’re letting them down.
It’s time to start asserting strong boundaries in the workplace. Don’t be afraid to tell someone, “No,” when your schedule is already packed. Yes, it will probably feel a little uncomfortable at first. But you have every right to turn down tasks that you know you can’t complete within your work hours.
2. Know Your Skills and Interests
Sometimes burnout happens when we feel bored or under-appreciated. There’s nothing worse than feeling like your work is a waste of time. If this is causing you to feel burned out, you may want to explore the possibility of pursuing classes or mentorships that could allow you to move into a more interesting job.
If job change isn’t an option, consider ways to change your focus within your job. Take some time to examine the parts of your job that are interesting and engaging, and focus your energy on those. Choosing to spend more of your time on work that feels meaningful can help prevent burnout.
3. Yoga and Meditation
Before or after work, take time to do some yoga or meditate. You don’t need to be experienced or athletic to make yoga work for you. Even going through a basic flow sequence for a few minutes can help ease your stress.
Need more motivation to sit down and meditate regularly? Download a guided meditation app. You can track your sessions, listen to tracks from teachers to help you focus, and even journal about how you’re feeling.
4. Prioritize Self-Care
Working long hours can leave little time for self-care. But if you’ve been busy lately, it’s even more important for you to find a window for self-care.
Self-care looks a little different for everyone. Perhaps you love to spend time with friends. Maybe going for a hike or run feels good. Or maybe you just want to make yourself a mug of tea and get cozy with your favorite book. No matter what you like to do, it’s crucial that you find the space for it in your schedule. Rest is productive and necessary!
5. Give Therapy a Try
Feel like you’ve tried to deal with your burnout on your own for long enough? Still feeling stressed, overworked, and exhausted? It might be time to book a session with a therapist.
A therapist can help you uncover the source of your burnout. Once you’ve identified the root issue, you can take steps to solve the problem for good with stress management tactics, exploration of your needs and values, and tips on setting boundaries.
Are you struggling with serious burnout? Have you tried all of your go-to self-care methods to no avail? Therapy might be the next right step for you. Please, feel free to contact me and see how I might be able to help you kick your burnout.
To learn more about Stress & Burnout Therapy, click the link.