What does burnout feel like?
You might feel:
isolated and trapped
- irritable
- a lack of your usual energy or motivation
- less satisfied with work
- exhausted or drained
- a sense of procrastination
- disengaged from work you used to value
- unable to sleep as you usually do
- headaches and body pain
- a feeling of building stress that won’t go away.
What is stress?
Understanding how stress can feel is a great step towards managing your response to it, and getting some balance into your life.
What causes burnout at work?
There are many different factors that can contribute to burnout.
- Bullying, harassment and other poor workplace behaviours, which cause significant work-related stress for those affected.
- Excessive or prolonged stressor related to workload, lack of support, unclear job expectations, and poor working conditions.
- Mental health conditions can increase vulnerability to burnout, as normal levels of stress become overwhelming due to poor emotional health.
- Burnout can also contribute to the development or exacerbation of mental health issues like anxiety and depression.
No matter what kind of work you do, the risk of stress and burnout exists. That risk is greater if you work in a caring industry such as healthcare, emergency services or education.
How to manage burnout and balance work and life
10 tips for avoiding burnout at work
You can take charge of your working life and avoid burnout by making sure you have healthy working habits, so when things do get busy or stressful you can take it in your stride.
Take regular breaks throughout the workday to recharge.
Make sure you eat healthy and drink water throughout your workday.
If your work is desk-based, make sure you get up and move your body regularly.
Respect your non-working time and avoid checking work emails or taking calls during off-hours.
Schedule and take vacations or personal days to fully disconnect from work.
Set clear boundaries between work and personal time and communicate them to colleagues and supervisors.
Learn to delegate tasks and say no to additional responsibilities when your plate is already full.
Explore flexible work arrangements or remote work options, if possible, to better suit your lifestyle.
Prioritise tasks and create to-do lists to manage your workload efficiently.
Avoid procrastination and last-minute rushes that can contribute to stress and burnout.
