From Burnout to Balanced: 5 Tips to Rejuvenate Your Work Life

Burnout is a real thing and it can have a huge impact on your performance and quality of life. If you’re feeling burned out at work, here are five tips to rejuvenate and rediscover the joy of doing what you love:

1. Reflect on Why You’re Burnt Out

The first step to dealing with burnout is to acknowledge that you are feeling this way and reflect on why. Work stress is the most common cause of burnout, but there are many other contributing factors that can lead to feelings of exhaustion and disengagement: 

• Lack of recognition and appreciation
• Inadequate social support in your personal life
• Mismatched values with the company
• Lack of autonomy
• Dealing with a toxic environment
• Neglecting essential self-care practices

It is important to take the time to understand the root causes of your work stress, as it can help you make better decisions about how to cope with the feeling of burnout.

2. Talk to Your Supervisor

It’s important to not only recognize that you’re feeling burnt out, but to also take the steps to remedy it. One of the most important things to do is to talk to your supervisor about how you are feeling and the work stress that you’re under. This can be a daunting task, especially if you’re worried about what your supervisor may think or whether they’ll be sympathetic. However, it’s important to have an open and honest conversation with them in order to reach a resolution. Your supervisor may be able to adjust your workload, or allow for flexibility in terms of when you complete the tasks that you need to do. They may also provide resources or advice on how to better manage your stress levels. It’s possible that they’re unaware of the amount of work stress that you’re under, and talking to them will help them to understand your situation better. Be sure to be specific about what changes you need and explain why these changes will benefit both you and your employer.

3. Take Time Off

Taking time off is essential for maintaining your mental health and keeping yourself productive. Even if it’s just a day or two, stepping away from your responsibilities can give you the opportunity to recharge and reset. While you’re taking time off, avoid working or thinking about work. Instead, do something that brings you joy like reading a book, spending time in nature, quality time with friends and family, or even taking a vacation away to recharge.

4. Determine What’s Essential

When you’re feeling burnt out, it can be difficult to recognize what tasks are essential to performing your job well. Ask yourself: 

• What are my priorities in my personal and professional life?
• Are there tasks that I’m currently doing that could be delegated or outsourced? 
• Are there tasks that I can streamline or spend less time on?

Taking the time to evaluate and identify what is truly essential can help alleviate some of the stress and burnout you may be feeling. Once you have a better understanding of what is essential, you can then focus on creating a plan for how you will manage and prioritize those tasks more effectively.

Need help determining what’s essential in your personal and professional life? Check out our blog on Essentialism here.

5. Set Boundaries

Establishing healthy boundaries at work will help you maintain a realistic workload without burning yourself out. Here are some tips on how to effectively set boundaries at work:

• Set specific working hours: Designate a specific window of time during which you’ll be available for work and stick to it. Try not to check emails outside of your business hours.
• Don’t be afraid to say no: We all have our limits, and it’s important to know when you need to say ‘no’ in order to maintain your wellbeing. If you feel like you’re being asked too much, or asked to do things beyond your capabilities, speak up and let your supervisors know where you need support.
• Take breaks: Make sure to take breaks throughout the day, even if it’s just a walk during lunchtime or a coffee break to catch up with your coworkers. 

Author: Victoria Cohen

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