What is Burnout and How can I Manage it?
What is Burnout?
Burnout is when you are emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted often as a result of prolonged periods of chronic stress and overwork. Burnout usually happens when individuals feel overwhelmed by the demands of their work or personal life and find it challenging to cope with those demands effectively. Essentially it is all too much!
Burnout can affect various aspects of your life, including work, relationships and overall well-being. It is characterized by symptoms such as:
- Exhaustion: Feeling drained and lacking energy, both physically and emotionally.
- Cynicism and detachment: Developing a negative and detached attitude towards work, colleagues and responsibilities.
- Reduced performance: A decline in job performance, productivity and overall effectiveness.
How to manage Burnout?
To manage burnout, consider the following strategies:
- Recognise the signs: Pay attention to the early warning signs of burnout, such as feeling constantly stressed, irritable or physically unwell. Recognising and acknowledging these signs is the first step in addressing burnout.
- Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Avoid overextending yourself by taking on too many tasks or working excessive hours. Learn to say no when necessary.
- Prioritise self-care: Make self-care a priority. Engage in activities that promote relaxation and well-being, such as exercise, meditation, deep breathing or hobbies you enjoy.
- Manage stress: Develop effective stress management techniques, such as mindfulness meditation, yoga or regular exercise, to help reduce stress levels.
- Seek support: Talk to friends, family members or a mental health professional such as a counsellor, about your feelings and experiences. Sometimes, simply talking about your situation with someone you trust can provide relief and new perspectives.
- Delegate and ask for help: Do not hesitate to delegate tasks at work or seek assistance when you are overwhelmed. You don’t have to do everything on your own.
- Set realistic goals: Avoid setting unattainable or overly ambitious goals for yourself. Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps and celebrate your achievements along the way.
- Take breaks: Ensure you take regular breaks during the work day to recharge. Short breaks can improve focus and productivity.
- Change your environment: If possible, make changes to your work environment that promote well-being, such as adding plants, personalising your workspace or improving lighting and ergonomics.
- Consider professional help: If burnout symptoms persist or become severe, it may be necessary to seek help from a mental health professional, such as a counsellor. Counselling can provide guidance and therapeutic interventions to address burnout effectively.
Remember that managing burnout is an ongoing process and it may mean you will need to make significant lifestyle changes. It is crucial to prioritise self-care and make changes in your life to prevent burnout from recurring. Additionally, developing resilience and stress-coping skills can help you better navigate the challenges that lead to burnout in the first place.
If you have read this and recognise you experiencing burnout please reach out for support. For individual counselling I am here for you. Contact me to book an initial session and I will support you.
Written by your local counsellor in Fleet, Caroline at Caroline Ellison Counselling – this is my experience and these are my opinions. Carpe Diem.