Burnout is one of those things that can and do happen to almost everyone. They happen at least once in a lifetime. There are both personal and work burnouts that are tightly connected. When you feel burnout at work then your personal life is probably suffering because of it and if you feel burnout on a personal level then you probably can't focus on your work. Thankfully there are some ways to prevent burnouts from happening or at least make them go away faster.
SET A TIME FOR WORK AND A TIME FOR REST
If you are working from home or even from an office it is very important to know when your workday ends and personal time starts. There are a lot of people who are working from home because of the current situation in the world. Normally, you need time to adjust and find your own pace. Working from home is much easier if you set boundaries. Not knowing from when to when you are working and when it is time to leave your work and focus on personal life is what can cause burnout.
When you don't have set work hours it is easy to think that you didn't work enough. That leads to overworking, feeling exhausted, and stressed. With the uncertain times, we live in it is not strange that we feel pressured to work more. What we forget is the fact that our body and mind can take only so much. That is the reason why precisely knowing when you are off work is so important. If you are working from home be sure to set work hours but also a workspace. Distinguishing those two is important for a successful working from home.
BE CONSISTENT & HAVE A ROUTINE
Burnouts usually happen when we overwork and fall out of our routine. Habits are a great way to stay on top of different things in life. They are a way our body starts to do things naturally. Although habits can be hard to make and easy to break, they are really important for making our life much easier. When you are doing something consistently then you are less likely to stop doing them. The important thing here is to be consistent but not too strict with yourself.
Each day is different and as time goes we change. That's why our habits also change and there is nothing bad about that. Being consistent also means listening to yourself and finding the routine that works best for your current lifestyle. Don't try to fit yourself to a routine, make a routine fit you. Even if you experience burnout it will be much easier to get back on track when you know what you need to do. You can't expect to feel motivated and energized to work every day.
TAKE A STEP BACK
Sometimes all we need to do is to step back. As hard as this can be for some of us, it is really important to know when it is time to stop. We are not robots and we can't work 24/7. This is just not how we are programmed. Burnout is what we experience when we feel overwhelmed and over exhausted. A lot of people feel discouraged and bad when they start to lose their motivation and productivity. Pushing yourself to work even harder is not going to be helpful. You need to know when it is time to take it easy.
Once you realize that stepping back isn't something negative you will soon understand why it is so important to do it once in a while, even when you don't feel a burnout. Taking a few deep breaths or going for a walk is what you might need the most. Don't think of it as procrastinating, think of it as a time to clear your mind and get back to whatever you need to work on energized. Remember to take rest when you need it.
DO WHAT SPARKS JOY
Stress is the biggest trigger of burnout. It is also something that most of us feel on a daily bases. The best way to realize that you are experiencing burnout is if you are emotionally drained and unmotivated. In those kinds of moments it is hard to focus on anything, especially on things that you need to do. Forcing yourself to work is as we already stated, not such a great idea. What we want to do are the things that will lift our spirit and mood again. Things that sparkle joy. It is different for everybody. You are the person who knows the best what that thing is.
If you can take at least 30 minutes to focus your attention on something that makes you happy, it will help you counter burnout. Your mood will start to get better and you won't feel as exhausted as you used to. Once you get back to work you will feel much more motivated and ready to finish all the work you have. It is so important that you don't forget to enjoy life and simple moments. When you make this a habit you will realize that dealing with burnouts is going to be so much easier.
ONE STEP AT A TIME
Always remember that burnout won't last forever. This is a feeling caused by many different factors. It is something that will inevitably happen again and again. What you can do is just take it one step at a time. You are the one experiencing burnout and you are also the one who can get over it. All you need to do is to reflect and listen to your body and mind. If you listen carefully they will always tell you when something is wrong. Burnouts can be hard, especially when they are interfering with your work and personal life. They can come in waves or all at once. It is up to you how you respond to them.
Beating yourself down and touching yourself is what will make them even worse. The best thing you can do is to make small steps each day. At one point you will realize that the burnout is gone. You got over it once so you'll do it again. Don't feel discouraged because this is something you can change. If you are currently experiencing burnout or if you experience it in the future, tiny steps are what will help you get back to your usual self.
How do you counter burnout?
Do you feel it often?
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