Battling burnout often comes from your job. But anyone who feels overworked and undervalued is at risk for burnout. From the hardworking office worker to the frazzled stay-at-home mom or dad tending to kids, housework, and often caring for an aging parent.
Burnout isn’t caused only by stressful work or too many responsibilities. In fact, other factors contribute to burnout. These include lifestyle and personality traits. What you do in your free time and how you look at the world plays a big role in feeling overwhelmed.
Common work-related causes of burnout.
- Feeling like you have little or no control over your work
- Lack of recognition or reward for good work
- Unclear or demanding job expectations
- Doing work that’s monotonous or unchallenging
- Working in a chaotic or high-pressure environment
- Working too much, without enough time for socializing or relaxing
- Lack of close, supportive relationships
- Taking on too many responsibilities, without enough help from others
- Not getting enough sleep
Personality traits that contribute to burnout.
- Perfectionistic tendencies where nothing is ever good enough
- Pessimistic view of yourself and the world
- The need to be in control; reluctance to delegate to others
- High-achieving, Type A personality
- Superman or Superwoman Complex
- Reframe the way you look at work. Regain a sense of purpose and control by changing your attitude towards your job.
- Rediscover the value of your work. Ask your boss how you add value to the team. Then, let that lead you to find balance in your life. And focus on the parts of your life that bring you joy.
- Re-evaluate your priorities. Above all, remember to keep the main thing...the main thing.
- Nourish your creative side. Try something new, start a fun projec, or resume a favorite hobby. Also, choose activities that have nothing to do with work or whatever causes you stress.
- Set boundaries. Don’t overextend yourself. Specifically, learn how to say “no” to requests. If you find this difficult, remind yourself that saying “no” allows you to say “yes” to what is most valuable to you.
- Set aside relaxation time. Quiet time is time well spent! Try deep breathing to activate the body’s relaxation response. A state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response.
- Take a daily break from technology. So, completely disconnect from technology to recharge yourself.
- Take time off. In other words, take a vacation. Or at least “clock out” at 5 p.m. and use the evening to recharge and refresh.
- Get plenty of sleep. Basically, feeling tired can exacerbate and enhance burnout.
- Make exercise a priority. It may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re burned out, but science proves that exercise is a powerful way to battle burnout. Therefore, aim to exercise for 30 minutes or more each day. Or break it up into short, 10-minute bursts of activity. For example, a 10-minute walk can improve your mood for two hours. Rhythmic exercise, where you move your arms and legs is an effective way to lift your mood and increase energy.
- Improve your mood and energy levels with a healthy diet. Overall, what you put in your body has a huge impact on your mood and energy levels.
- Limit sugar and refined carbs. You may crave sugary snacks or comfort foods, but they quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy.
- Reduce high intake of foods that can adversely affect your mood. For example, avoid caffeine, unhealthy fats, and foods with chemical preservatives or hormones.
- Increase omega-3 fatty acids to give your mood a boost. For instance, try fatty fish like salmon, flaxseed, and walnuts.
- Avoid nicotine. Smoking when you’re stressed may seem calming, but nicotine is a powerful stimulant. As a result, it leads to higher levels of anxiety.
- Drink alcohol in moderation. Alcohol temporarily reduces worry. But too much can cause anxiety as it wears off.
Starting even just one of the above tips can help keep those feelings of burnout at bay. We are here to support you!
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First Stop Health providers are here to care for you! You can schedule a visit to learn how to manage and avoid burnout. All our visits are virtual, so you can get care from where you're most comfortable!
