How to avoid burnout in your career
The unashamedly determined drive to succeed and to be constantly moving forward in your career is likely the attribute that’s got you so far so soon. However, that same drive also has the potential to cause severe career burnout and fatigue. An often overlooked but extremely important part of being a successful professional is recognising when to change gears, when taking your foot off the gas for a while might get you further in the long term. The best way to ward off career burnout is to practice self-care proactively as a preventative measure, rather than as an afterthought when you’re already feeling yourself fading.
Clearly separate work and home
One of the sure-fire ways to get burnt out is to overwork yourself. Your admirable work ethic might have got you where you are, but even you can’t keep up that level of productivity all the time.
A way to prevent this is to be sure to mentally check out when you physically leave the office and to never bring work home with you; it’s actually better to stay at work slightly longer to finish a task. It’s important to keep your home environment one of relaxation, so that when you spend time there, you associate it with unwinding and letting all of the stress of your day leave you. Something as small as deleting your work email app off your phone might just do the trick.
Prioritise time for relaxation and enjoyment
We plan our work life and we plan our household chores, we write down what tedious errands we need to run. Because we know we have to do these things we do indeed get them done. Treat your downtime in a similar way. It’s vital to prioritise enjoyment in what little time you have away from work. Write down what makes you happiest – spending time with family, going for walks, dining out – and make sure you can tick those things off your list at the same rate you’re ticking off items on the chores list.
If you’re so burntout you can’t even fathom the idea of leaving the comfort of your sofa, you can always make strong use of the internet! Browse Netflix for a film that doesn’t require too much concentration and brain power, and swipe through Reiss’ new online collections or zone out with online gaming. Don’t get too carried away though; it can be all too easy to go over-budget. It’s ok, we’re all allowed a little splurge every now and again, but overspending can end up adding even more to your stress levels. A good way to combat this is by using an internet payment method such as this, which allows you to use one-time vouchers of £10 or even £25.
Take that break
There is almost nothing better for your career than to actually take holiday time. Taking the holiday time that you’re absolutely entitled to does not mean you’re slacking off. It does not mean you don’t care about your job. In fact, it shows you care about it enough to know when you’re not allowing yourself to reach your full potential because you’re so burnt out!
Taking a much needed trip away not only adds value to your life through incredible experiences and fantastic memories, but it tends to give you enough distance from your normal routine to make you feel like you’ve properly unwound. Instead of falling into a rut of the mundane, time away can help you better appreciate both home and work more once you return.
With batteries recharged and a full tank of renewed energy ready to go, now you can enjoy accelerating towards your next career goal!
