Don’t Get Burned Out at Work: Here Are a Few Things That Can Help
It happens to all of us from time to time, we get overworked, stressed out, and hit a major wall. Don't let yourself get to that "burned out" point.
If you're already at that "burned out" point, it may feel like there's nothing you can do until you can take a mini-vacation, or at least have a few days away from work. Don't worry though, whether you're at that point or not, there are a few things you can do to get back on track, and start feeling like the hard-worker you know you are.
Take a Break
The last thing you want to do when you're overwhelmed with work is take a break. You NEED all the time you have available and you can't walk away from that project or the tasks in front of you. But the thing is, you have to walk away. If you feel like you're slowing down, take a quick break. Do a lap around the office, distract yourself with a quick conversation with a coworker, or anything else that gets you away from work for 5 to 10 minutes. This break can help you think clearer when you head back to your work. If you're already feeling burned out, take a little bit of a longer break. Maybe go to lunch early, or try to leave work early, to give your brain time to refocus. You can always come in early the following day to finish up work.
Sleep
Okay, we know you already know this one. But how come it's the first thing to go when we're busy? We even know that when we don't get enough sleep, we don't perform at our best, and that makes us burn out a lot quicker. Somehow though, we continue to take away from sleep first, when we feel like we don't have enough time. Don't Do That. If you're feeling exhausted, set aside work and get some extra sleep. Common sense, we know. But how come no one does it?
Eat Something
Again common sense, but when we're really busy it's so easy to work through lunch, or tell yourself you'll get something later, then completely forget. This is a terrible idea for two reasons: Number one, you'll crash faster, you could get headaches, and you won't be able to finish up all that work you're trying to get through. Number two, you're more likely to over-indulge later if you didn't eat during the day. That may cause you to not feel good, and if you continue to do it, you'll end up gaining weight (which can add more stress to your life). We're not saying throw everything down the second it's time for lunch, but finish up the spot your working on (the sentence or paragraph you're typing, or whatever), then get some food. Even if you're on a roll, you need that food to fuel you for the rest of the day.
Exercise
How can you exercise if you're tired, or feeling burned out? Well, this is a rough one. If you get some exercise, it will help you feel more energized and you're less likely to get burned out. If you're already burned out, you won't have any energy left to exercise. So what do you do? As hard as it is, you'll have to force yourself to get some sort of workout in. Now we're not saying you have to go to the gym for an hour (especially if you're already burned out), but it could be as simple as taking a walk around the block. That little bit of exercise will help power you through the next day of work. Plus the fresh air is always a great bonus.
Get a Plant
May seem a little weird but trust us, it will help. Houseplants are natural air filters. Having one can get rid of the toxins you're breathing in, and those toxins can add to that dragged down, exhausted feeling. Get rid of the toxins, start feeling better. It's that simple. Keep a few in your house so you have clean air when you get out of work, and if you can, keep one or two on your desk or around your work space.
There are tons of other ways to keep yourself from getting burned out at work or at home, and tons of other ways to deal with it if you do end up burned out. Hopefully though, these suggestions are enough to help you get started, and help you feel better sooner.