From Burnout to Breakthrough
In a perfect world, work should be enjoyable, challenging and fulfilling. It should lend us purpose and a sense of meaning, offer us structure and stability. But invariably, if things start to go wrong, many people have to drag themselves to work at a job that is burning them out.
Job burnout has reached epidemic proportions and it accounts for an estimated $125 billion to $190 billion in health-care spending each year and has been attributed to type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, gastrointestinal issues, high cholesterol and even death for those under the age of 45. Burnout does not exclude any working group, it happens to high powered executives, senior management, front line employees, entrepreneurs and students and the list goes on.
Unfair treatment at work, operating a demanding business, unreasonable deadlines, unmanageable workload, lack of support from managers and the added stress from having to respond to emails and texts during off hours are primary drivers of job burnout:
Here are 6 strategies to help you avoid and or recover from burnout.
Know Your Own Strengths
If your job doesn’t fit your strengths and skill set, you will find yourself becoming disenfranchised, disengaged and heading towards burnout. Studies show that workers who are truly engaged spend about four times as many hours doing what they do best every day, in comparison to doing what they don’t do well. Getting involved in activities that develop your strengths further can help you feel even more energized, confident and motivated.
Understand Your Weaknesses
In order to understand what you need to work on, it’s important to figure out what, exactly, is holding you back. Self-assessment is essential; without it you can’t even begin to grow. Can you improve your knowledge or skills? Learn New skills?
Develop Strong Partners and Advocates at Work
Colleagues and friends at work may distract or exhaust you, but on the flip side, they can help boost your confidence, efficiency and productivity. Having friends at work can be beneficial by making it easier to seek advice without feeling judged, allowing you to gain access to information you might not otherwise get and creating a more pleasant work environment.
Communicate Your Feelings
Communication is key to helping you identify burnout to start taking the necessary steps to overcome it. It is a known fact that employees who feel supported by their managers are overwhelmingly less likely to experience burnout on a regular basis.
If you are feeling burned out, don’t try to suck it up or hide it (it won’t work). A good manager or a career executive coach will be open to discussing your situation, and supporting you through the rough time, working collaboratively with you to address the stressors causing the burnout. Sharing what you’re going through and feeling heard is, in and of itself, a powerful step toward improving your situation. According to a Gallup Study, employees who felt supported by their manager are about 70 percent less likely to experience burnout on a regular basis.
Some basic health rules to manage workplace stress
Accept the fact that you can’t control everything
Exercise daily, or as often as time allows.
Take slow, deep breaths throughout the day.
Take short breaks throughout the day to help restore your clarity and focus.
Narrow your focus and craft your brilliance into a proven framework
Simplify your business model so that your ability to generate income does not depend entirely on you
Amplify your impact so that you can easily reach more people with your thoughts and ideas
Seek professional help if your burnout has reached a level that you simply cannot cope at work and you are experiencing constant anxiety, fatigue, cynicism powerlessness and overwhelm. Take advantage of my Free 15 minute coaching call and let me help you on the road to recovery from burnout to breakthrough.https://jennifergrantinternational.com/book-a-consultation