Avoid Burnout and Stay Productive with These 6 Tips!
Stressed about work? You’re not alone. According to Statistics Canada, on a daily basis, 27% of Canadians feel a high-level of stress at work, and an additional 46% feel a mild-level of stress at work.
With so many stressful situations at work and lack of a work-life balance, burnout has become a common occurrence. Add in a work-from-home order and the rising numbers of the global pandemic--it’s no surprise that people are still feeling burned-out!
Burnout can affect you, your team, and your whole office dynamic. Productivity levels drop and team morale takes a hit.
But what exactly is burnout?
According to Healthline, burnout is extreme physical and emotional exhaustion, often resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
These are the top three symptoms of burnout in office workers:
- Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion (running on an empty tank)
- Increased dissatisfaction with their career (hating their job)
- Reduced productivity at work (getting less done during the day)
Though these are just some of the most common symptoms, other signs of burnout may come in other forms. Are you starting to feel the effects of workplace burnout? -- It’s time to take action to combat it!
How do I recognize burnout?
The signs of burnout are not always clear, and can show up in different forms--it’s not always easy to notice. If you feel like you’re constantly under pressure at work, watch out for these signs. You and your coworkers may be at risk of burnout.
In the early stages of burnout, you might feel fatigue and lack of energy, especially at work. You might feel overwhelmed with a sense of dread about the week ahead. Anxiety may interfere with your ability to work effectively and sleep well, which may lead to insomnia.
Physical symptoms of burnout can extend to chest pains, stomach pains, and headaches. You might also feel weary.
Burnout also reflects in your attitude towards work. Burned-out workers may be pessimistic and irritable, from a lack of enjoyment at work, or loss of purpose.
Unlike a cold or fever, burnout isn’t something that can be fixed by taking a day or two off work. Recovering from burnout and preventing burnout requires planning and reflecting on work habits.
If left untreated, burnout can spill into your personal life and affect the relationships with your friends and family outside of work. In more severe cases, it can lead to depression, chronic anxiety, or addiction.
So, how can you avoid burnout during a pandemic? How can you treat burnout from home?
Here are 6 great strategies to remedy and prevent burnout!
1. Take a break!
First, and most importantly, take a break! Make sure you are taking breaks and making time for yourself! Taking short breaks between work can boost your productivity. Have a snack, get up, and stretch!
PRO TIP: Try the Pomodoro work/break cycle! Set a timer for 25 minutes and focus on a task, take 3-minute breaks intermittently, and repeat the cycle 4 times. This technique has been known to boost productivity and help the user stay focused. Upon completion of 4 cycles, make sure you take a longer break to give your brain the rest it deserves!
2. Re-energize in your own unique way
During the pandemic, it’s important to rest--really rest--when you have time off. It might seem like everyone on your Instagram feed is learning a new language, finishing their passion projects, or baking bread 24/7, but that’s not realistic. Remember that you need proper time off! It’s okay to binge-watch Netflix, or lay in bed for a day!
Feeling like you have to be productive at home during quarantine can also prompt a different kind of burnout.
3.Build a comfortable workspace
Burnout is not only mental but physical, too.
Working at a desk that’s too low or from a chair that’s too high, while your back and neck get stiff from hours of work?--these all contribute to physical stress on your body! Minimize that stress by outfitting your office in a way that allows you to work comfortably. Having an office you enjoy working from, can help alleviate stress, and boost productivity.
Check out EFFYDESK’s range of ergocentric products that provide maximum comfort, whether you’re working at your work office or at home!
4. Create connections
Creating connections with your peers helps to avoid burnout while you’re on the job.
A work environment where you feel supported and appreciated will boost your mental health, by decreasing your level of stress.
Having a network of understanding co-workers means a healthier work environment. Lunches together in the middle of a busy week allow for some much needed light-hearted, social interaction.
Let your peers know when you’re starting to feel burned out, don’t be afraid to ask them for help or advice.
5. Setting healthy work/life boundaries
A clear distinction between your professional and personal life is one of the first steps to successfully working from home. As we continue to work from home, it is important to set clear boundaries, as your personal space has also become your office space.
PRO TIP: Take time to limit how much work you do in a day.
At a designated time, leave your work alone, and focus on your personal life. Just as you would while working at the office, set at-work hours and off-work hours for yourself. Keep your work at work, prevent it from overflowing into your personal time.
Spend time with friends and family outside of work and strengthen those relationships. Don’t forget, you have people who care about you outside of the office!
6. Start using positive self-talk
Negative words, whether spoken or thought, can cause long-term anxiety and stress. This is because your brain releases stress-inducing hormones when it encounters negative talk--even if it’s something you tell yourself. Phrases like “I’m not good enough” are harmful to your brain.
PRO TIP: Replace the negative mental chatter with positive self-talk!
Give yourself some room to make mistakes (we’re all human, after all).
Instead of statements like “I can’t do this,” and “This is impossible,” use questions to turn it into a challenge for yourself. “How can I do this?” “How can I make this possible?”
Learning positive self-talk takes time, and like any other habit, negative self-talk is hard to stop. Reach out to your friends, family, and work community for support.
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Browse our signature Standing Desks, Office Chairs, and Monitor Mounts designed to boost workplace productivity, so you can get more done, more comfortably. For local Vancouver customers: EFFYDESK offers fast and reliable installations, too! Claim your 30-day free trial today.
To learn more about EFFYDESK’s products and services, be sure to check out our FAQ page or browse the blog archive for other helpful articles on ergonomics in the workplace.