6 strategies that can help you recover from burnout

What is burnout? The World Health Organization (WHO) defines it as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Burnout has been around for a long time, but the world became more aware of it during the COVID-19 lockdown. In 2021, a study showed that more than half of U.S. workers surveyed were feeling burned out as job demands changed and increased. Today, burnout is still a real concern for many people, especially those in high-stress professions.

Burnout is characterized by reduced professional efficiency, increased negativity and dissatisfaction or mental distance from your job, and feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion. While burnout is not classified as a medical condition, stress, exhaustion and negative feelings can have several adverse effects on your body and well-being. 

While the WHO describes burnout as “occupational,” it should be noted that a significant role in your life, such as parenting children or caregiving for elders, can also make you subject to burnout, as can full-time academic study at a rigorous level. If you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, irritable and distanced or cynical about what you’re doing, it’s time to stop and face your true story. Evaluate whether you are burned out and need to make a change.

Symptoms of burnout can include:

• Losing patience with co-workers, customers or clients
• Changes in sleep habits, including insomnia or oversleeping
• Changes in eating habits—loss of appetite or increase in eating for comfort
• Feeling let down by one’s job or role
• Having a hard time focusing
• Having trouble getting to work or getting started on projects
• Feeling little satisfaction in completed tasks
• Feeling like your work doesn’t matter
• Mental and physical exhaustion

If this is you, STOP! It is a strength, not a weakness, to recognize that you are burning out or burned out and to take action to change the situation. Don’t try to keep “powering through.” Instead, take time to re-evaluate and see whether you can make changes to improve your life. You might want to start by journaling or talking to a friend, family member or therapist about how you feel and what hasn’t been going well for you lately. Remember, you have the power to change your life. Sometimes even small changes can help you feel more in control and get back your enthusiasm. 

Here are some tactics to try:

Find support. You don’t have to go it alone. Find a counselor or speak to your health care provider about symptoms you’re experiencing. Ask family members for patience and understanding; let them know you’re going through a rough time. At work, find out what kinds of support you can get to lighten your workload or change your tasks or role.

Identify what you can change. Make a quick list of problems at work—such as “there’s no coffee,” “my chair is uncomfortable,” “my room is cold” and “I don’t like the project I’m working on”—and identify which of these things you can change. If possible, ask your co-workers to swap tasks with you and help you change some of the physical surroundings you don’t like. Ask your supervisor if there are other tasks you could work on or if change in your role is possible. Sometimes just a small change, like a new coffeepot or an electric heater under your desk, can make a big difference because you will feel more in control. Take vacation time and do not work or answer emails while off. Recovery breaks are so important to reduce burnout.

Create a vision board. Make a collage or doodle of how you would like life to be. Include pictures and words that inspire you. Identifying what you value, what brings you meaning and joy, where you would like to see yourself in the next two years and what’s missing can help you chart a new course.

Schedule into your day stress release, mindfulness and activities that bring you joy. Try 5-10 minutes of yoga, meditation, stretching, deep breathing, dancing to music or a walk in the sunshine to connect with your calm, joyful side. When work becomes hectic, safeguard these times for yourself to shed some stress. 

Examine your work/life harmony. Are you working so hard that you have little energy left over for your personal life? Making time for family, friends, relaxation and fun isn’t selfish; it’s self-preservation. See if you can spend a little less time on work demands so that you can enjoy your work more. Schedule time to connect with friends and family as diligently as you would plan a work meeting, and stick to it.

Find connection, at work or elsewhere. Connection with others is key for a positive mindset. Joining a book club, walking group, or even a theater production can help boost your attitude. If that sounds too overwhelming, try reaching out to old friends by phone, Zoom chat or for a cup of coffee now and then. Just hearing a friendly voice can remind you that you are not alone and that you are valued.