Burnout treatment

Job burnout is a subtle problem. The quiet monster in the closet. Stress and exhaustion are facts of life, but when your work-life balance falls to the wayside, the physical, emotional, and psychological repercussions can be severe. About one million workers in the United States miss work daily due to workplace stress. While job stress looks different per person, some burnout recovery strategies and useful tips can change how you balance your life and work.

Prevention is Key

Every level of stress isn’t avoidable, but in the realm of health, prevention is the number one way to keep your body and mind whole. Burnout isn’t something that happens all at once, it comes in stages, each progressing in intensity. Be aware of your surroundings! Do you feel yourself slipping into a funk at work? Is your job creating unrest in your out-of-work relationships? Catching these signs early will save you a bunch of time and stress. Navigating and addressing issues early makes work related stress squashing much easier.

Set Some Goals, Achieve Them

A big part of job burnout is day-to-day monotony. Now, having fun in your job constantly isn’t realistic, but there should be ways to ensure that you’re doing meaningful, engaging work that not only achieves company goals, but personal ones too. This is all about communication. Talk to the people you work with, set efficiency goals, make a game of it. Give your brain and body a reason to do something instead of just going through the same motions. Make sure you actually do them! Our minds love achieving self set goals, because it feels good. Don’t get lazy with yourself.

All Work and No Play Make’s Jack a Dull Boy

We’re not machines. No matter how desperately we try to act like automated, caffeine-fueled work monsters, it’s not how we’re wired. We have to take breaks, not look at computer screens, walk, nap, vacation, and not do work. Find a “thing” and do it. Your break and playtime is up to you and it’s 100% necessary. If you’re feeling like you’re slipping into the workplace stress vortex, take a break, do your “thing”, work will still be there after you clear your mind.

Your health is your most important asset. Don’t neglect it! The amount of people who think health is something limited to the doctor’s office is alarming. Pay attention to your work environment and look for subtle signs of workplace stress so you can nip job burnout in the bud before it grows and nips at you.