6 Ways To Avoid Burnout At Work
Your ability to focus and concentrate is being hampered by constant access to business communications. You no longer leave the office and put work on hold until the following day. It has become difficult to ignore continuing work-related communications thanks to chatting apps and email which are easily accessible on a smartphone. According to Statista, most individuals check their phones five minutes after going to sleep. And this is not healthy at all.
Working from home is now feasible and simple thanks to remote working, video conferencing, and collaboration software like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and many more. As a result, you start working more and spending less time sleeping, exercising, and socializing. This is because of free access to the workplace intranet via cloud-sharing devices.
You lose your way in the process of working, losing all your precious time just because you constantly work without stopping. Where do you compromise? You might want to show the best of your working quality to your employer, thus why you always try to be available even though it is no longer your working time. Overworking and having too much communication related to your work might result in illness or complete burnout for you as an employee.
In this article, we’ll look at some strategies to regain control over your busy schedule so you can manage your professional obligations while still finding time to unwind and work on your physical and mental health.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is frequently the first thing you compromise when you have a lot of tasks at hand. Meanwhile, according to health experts, adults should sleep for 7-8 hours every night but sadly, many adults are sleeping less than that on a regular basis.
You can consider using a sleep mask which can be especially beneficial for those who have trouble falling or staying asleep due to light sensitivity or disturbances in their sleep environment.
Getting enough sleep can not only help you perform better at work, but it will also do wonders for your health. Appropriate sleeping time can help to enhance your immunity and mood.
Exercise Regularly
Staying active is one of the first things experts advise us to do in order to prevent burnout. Even if you can’t exercise every day, you can do it a couple of times a week. Having a quick workout in the morning can help to improve your mood throughout the day.
You can also get up and move around during breaks, and purchase a foot pedal or a yoga ball topper to be put on your working desk. Both your body and work performance will gain from this.
Stay Away From Electronic Devices
We’ve all done it: despite spending the entire day staring at a computer screen, whenever we have a free moment at work, we check social media. During lunch, we watch videos on YouTube. During dinner with the family, we unwind in front of Netflix. Being constantly connected to a stream of information and entertainment might be problematic. For instance, a study conducted at the National Library of Medicine discovered that even only two hours a day of social media use can cause depression and low self-esteem
Once a week, take a break and spend the evening without using your electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops. Take one evening to do simple activities such as reading, playing card games, or organizing your room.
Choose A Relaxing Activity
Find something that you might enjoy doing, and can help you to feel relaxed after the constant work you have to do. It may be reading, painting, playing racquetball, knitting, watching birds, skydiving, or even relaxing in a hot bath while listening to classical music. These relaxing activities can help to soothe your tiredness and make you feel energized afterward.
Appreciate Nature
To enjoy nature, you don’t have to go outside barefoot and hand-feed birds. Studies have revealed that even just having access to the outdoors can benefit the brain. So, if there are no windows near your workplace, you can try to get outside as often as you can to get some fresh air. You can get back to work with much more energy after doing this in between your break.
Say No When You Need To
One thing that will definitely make you easily get burned out is when you accept any project that your supervisor gives you. Some new employees even say ‘yes’ to absolutely anything which the employer tells them to do – often something that is not under their work scope.
For example, an employee agrees to help clean the office after working hours. This is not good, and it is normal for you if you want to reject it. If you are afraid to say ‘no’, you can instead give your employer a recommendation of a cleaning service provider, such as Luce Office to help maintain the office condition. It is not your responsibility to clean the entire office out. Keep in mind that, when necessary, saying ‘no’ politely but firmly is acceptable. Don’t let external or internal pressure cause you to have a plate that is overflowing with obligations.