How To Avoid Burnout at Work
Are you stressed even thinking about work? Do you have too many projects to juggle and not enough time to get them done? Do you have a burned out boss who is driving you crazy?
If you’re stressed at work, you’re not alone. A survey from Accountemps—a Robert Half company—highlights that 28% of workers reported being within the 8-10 range based on a scale of 1 (not at all burned out) to 10 (completely burned out). 91% said they had some degree of burnout.
That means that almost everyone is burned out on some level. And once it starts it can get worse, unless the workplace or your role changes to provide better work-life integration.
What Causes Burnout at Work
Why are workers so burned out? Here are some of the factors listed as causing stress.
Employee Ranking:
- Constant Interruptions
- Career Stagnation
- Unmanageable Workload
- Toxic Culture
- Dated Technology
Managers agree: 96% of managers feel that their team suffers at least some degree of burnout. Managers’ ranking of burnout causes is very similar to that of the workers who responded to the survey.
Manager Ranking:
- Unmanageable Workload
- Constant Interruptions
- Career Stagnation
- Toxic Culture
- Dated Technology
Are You Burned Out?
Even if you’re only considering whether you’re being burned out, you probably are to some extent. How can you tell for sure? There are specific work-related factors that can lead to burnout. Most of them are related to the factors listed above.
It can be easier to tell if you look at it objectively and try to set aside the stress you’re feeling about work. The Mayo Clinic has a list of questions you can ask yourself to learn if you have job burnout, and tips for what to do about it if you do.
How To Avoid Workplace Burnout
What can you do to avoid getting burned out at work? Most jobs have at least some level of stress, but there are some jobs that are considered lowstress. Even though changing careers isn’t always practical or feasible, it can be done. Here are 10 steps to follow for a successful career change if that’s the best option for you.
It’s not always easy to change careers, but there are things you can do at work to make your time on the job more palatable. District President of Accountemps Richard Deosingh shares his advice:
- Keep your to-do list manageable by building time into your schedule to focus on important assignments. Block out your calendar during those periods to avoid adding extra meetings or juggling too many tasks at once.
- If you can’t seem to dig out from under a heavy workload, talk to your manager about what’s on your plate. They might be able to help you get organized, delete,delegate or delay assignments that aren’t priorities, or bring in extra help.
- Make sure you take breaks during the workday. Get up and stretch periodically. Even better, step outside and take a walk, run or practice yoga for a boost of endorphins. Exercise can help clear your mind and reenergize you to tackle your tasks.
- Managers play an important role in helping workers avoid burnout. Meeting with staff individually to discuss workload and priority assignments can help address any red flags signaling potential burnout before issues arise.
- Lead by example and take your vacation time – and sign off from email when you do. Demonstrating the importance of taking time away can create a company culture of healthy work-life integration.
How To Boost Your Productivity
It’s not a solution, of course, but improving your productivity can help. It’s important to make your time at work as productive as possible, and that’s something you can work on yourself. If you can save some time on the tasks you do every day, it will free up some time for other projects and alleviate your stress.
To get you started, here’s a 10-step guide to improving productivity at work .