You’ve probably heard of workplace burnout – defined as stress on the job or because of the job. But did you know there are simple steps you can take immediately to help with the effects of this everyday issue?
Author, speaker, and resilience expert Anne Grady describes burnout as feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance or feelings of negativism or cynicism about work, and reduced professional efficacy.
“People suffering from burnout feel stuck, hopeless, and too paralyzed to deal with it. They have let stress overwhelm them to the point that they are not taking active steps to cope with it,” Grady says. “The key to managing stress that’s causing us to feel burned out is to create a purposeful plan to start addressing it, rather than reacting to it.”
Grady recommends people take steps to head off burnout before it grows so severe that they suffer health problems or are forced to quit their jobs, including the following:
- Examine how you respond when you feel overwhelmed. Do you become tense, distracted, irritable, and/or short with the people around you? Do you have trouble sleeping and constantly feel tired? Your body is talking to you. Listen to it. Start proactively recognizing the signs before stress causes you to freeze up.
- Practice mindfulness. Our ability to control our emotions and attention comes from the gray matter in our brain. Practicing mindfulness allows you to restore gray matter that has been damaged by stress. By simply bringing yourself back to the moment, getting curious about your emotions, letting go of negative or self-defeating thoughts, and controlling your attention, you build self-care from the inside out and change how you respond to stress.
- Create a self-care ritual. Make caring for yourself a priority. It may be exercise, meditation, regular time with a friend or pet, or taking time to read for fun or savor artwork or music. Don’t neglect what brings you joy – make it a ritual.
“There are many other things you can do to grow in resilience and face all the challenges of your life without burning out, including cultivating optimism and other positive emotions and regularly practicing gratitude,” Grady says.
