At one point, after giving everything you could to move your career forward, you may feel overworked and unable to accomplish the tasks that you used to do in a breeze. This is referred to as burnout, “a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.” Someone who is experiencing burnout may feel overwhelmed by the tasks at hand, to the point that they are mentally and emotionally exhausted.
Toxic work environment and monotonous work can contribute to burnout. However, this kind of exhaustion is not limited to your career. It can also stem from lifestyle choices, such as having too much on your plate or spreading yourself too thin. These can lead to being overworked and feeling like no amount of rest can suffice.
Some companies help their employees deal with burnout by giving them time off. In the medical field, locum tenens healthcare professionals spot in for regular employees to alleviate a part of the latter’s workload. People experiencing burnout can go on a vacation to relax and detach themselves from work for a while.
Here are other ways to cope with burnout:
Turn to personal connections
When spending a lot of time at work, you may have neglected some areas of your life, like family and friends. So one way of dealing with burnout is to reconnect with friends. Studies show that spending time with other people contributes to well-being. Researchers have found that isolation may have a connection with depression, stress, and “later-life cognitive decline.” Connecting with other people is a healthy coping mechanism that is as powerful as enough sleep, a healthy lifestyle, and staying away from smoking. A simple chat with a friend can already calm you down.
Limit your time off the internet
There’s always information to digest when you’re on the internet. Even when you’re just scrolling through social media, you’re processing other people’s posts. You may also come across interesting articles that will compel you to read. You might even be tempted to check your emails, and that can lead to more work.
After all, downtime is essential for processing information. If you’ve spent the rest of the day learning new things at work, a few minutes of quiet time aids your brain in retaining this information. Consequently, it is during this time that the mind is free to wander and foster creativity.
Coping through art
Art is a way of expressing oneself, and with this expression comes the purging of emotions as artists let out their feelings through writing, music, or painting. Art therapy, for example, allows a person to discover themselves through their output, believing that key elements of the artwork are reflections of the subconscious. When you turn what you’re feeling into art, complicated emotions become something tangible. Therefore, they are easier to acknowledge and confront. This results in reduced stress and a way to calm someone down. It’s a productive coping mechanism.
It’s crucial to admit that you’ve reached your limit in terms of productivity. Sometimes, it pays to listen to your body and mind and give them the break they deserve.