Falling into Better Habits at Work and at Home: Burn out Mitigation Best Practices
By Lee Charles- Senior Operations Manager
Not enough hours in the day? Constantly struggling with work/life balance? Have no fear, your friendly neighborhood eGuide is here! Let’s start with something that is all too common in the workplace, Burnouts. And no, we’re not talking about spinning tires from the Fast & the Furious! Technically defined, burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. While this definition seems fairly straightforward, burnout can take many forms and often sneak up on us, or be chalked up to, “it’s just part of the job”, or, “it’s only for this week”. Ever heard the phrase, “it’s a marathon, not a sprint”? This concept is exactly what we will address by identifying burnout early, and developing positive routines to help mitigate and prevent exactly that.
The Fall Season and Burnout
As alluded to above, identifying some of the key causes of burnout, and identifying it in the early stages, will enable us to complete the “marathon”, and hopefully continue to run many more figurative races. During the Fall/Winter Season, or sometimes referred to as the SAD Months (Seasonal Affective Disorder), we can be much more susceptible to that crispy feeling. Why is this? On the surface level, this can be due to less activities, less time outside, longer commutes and colder weather, etc. From a scientific standpoint, there is much less sunlight during these months and we spend less time outside, which means our bodies have a deficit in vitamin D, and serotonin, (one of the big 4 happiness chemicals in the brain). This fact alone can have some major effects on both our mental & physical health, and lead to excessive fatigue and potentially depression. We recommend being particularly mindful of the burnout mitigation techniques that we’ll go into below, during these months.
Recognizing the Signs of Burnout
So what are the signs & symptoms of burnout? As mentioned earlier, these can take many forms, and can look different from person to person - but let’s cover some of the more common signs here. Burnout that affects the body can look like: fatigue, soreness/muscle pain, loss of appetite, inability to sleep or waking up multiple times during the night, etc. Burnout that affects the mind can look like: irritability, depression, lack of motivation, lack of focus/concentration, etc. Burnout can also affect our behavior and look like: lack of motivation, apathetic/lethargic demeanor, excessive napping, avoidance of socializing, etc… But wait, aren’t these just generic symptoms of depression that can be caused by a variety of factors? Yes, while there can be a lot of overlap when it comes to the signs/symptoms of burnout, the key differentiator here is if these symptoms are lasting and/or highly atypical. For example, someone who is normally an extrovert and that usually socializes over the weekend, now just wants to nap and stay-in every weekend, may be experiencing burnout. How do I know this? I know because this was me. I have always been a highly ambitious and extroverted individual, that thrives on the energy from others and from socializing with people, and was finding myself actively avoiding doing everything that makes me who I am. I never considered that burnout could ever apply to me, but then there I was - working a stressful corporate job and burning the candle at both ends; burnt out…
Work-Related Burnout Mitigation
So what can we do about it? Hopefully, no one reading this will ever find themselves in a situation like I was in, and by implementing some best practices and positive habits that we’ll cover next, you’ll be well on your way to ‘sprinting those marathons’, figuratively speaking. As you probably guessed, our day jobs are, generally speaking, one of the main contributing factors to burnout. So, how can we mitigate burnout at work? Regardless of your profession, there are some evergreen techniques and habits that anyone can implement to prevent burnout. First is work/life balance. I know we hear this saying often, and oftentimes it’s quickly dismissed and/or rationalized in our heads, but trying to focus on this balancing act is critical. Setting hard boundaries when it comes to your work-life balance can be highly impactful; this could look like taking scheduled breaks, going outside a few times a day while at work, turning off all notifications, or not answering calls/emails after a certain time, etc. While everyone's work/life balance will look different, setting AND sticking to these hard boundaries can be one of the best mitigators. Outside of setting boundaries, we can also mitigate burnout by optimizing the way that we work and by building a healthier working environment. Effective time management, time blocking, and prioritization can all be things that help mitigate burnout. Feel free to check out our content on project/time management and additional resources that can help with this here. Additionally, communicating with your manager and asking for assistance when needed can be crucial. We all want to do a good job, and no one wants to say “no” to an ask, but knowing your limitations when it comes to bandwidth is highly important when it comes to preventing burnout. It’s important that communication with your team occurs if you are nearing this threshold.
Home-Related Burnout Mitigation
Now that we’ve talked a bit about things we can do at work let's dive into things that we can do in our off time or at home to mitigate burnout. Given the amount of stress many of us may be likely to take on at work, it’s very important that your home and your off time is really just that, your home and your off time. Starting with your physical residence, you can do things like decluttering your house or adding plants/art that are appealing to you, and can help make your home feel like a home. While this seems simple and obvious, little things like these can impact our subconscious mind and help with preventing burnout. Establishing personal and self-care routines is just as important. Whether it’s exercise, meditation, reading, watching TV, or whatever it may be, being intentional about taking the time for these things is just as important. Leaning on your loved ones can also be a great mitigator. Whether it’s splitting up the chores or just spending quality time together, don’t forget to seek the support of those in your life!
Fall-Specific Burnout Mitigation Strategies
As noted above, the fall months can be specifically daunting when it comes to burnout. Some specific mitigation strategies for the fall months can include things like purchasing a UV light like a happy light, keeping some plants in your home, incorporating vitamins or vitamin D-rich foods into your diet, utilizing blue light blocker glasses/screens, and staying consistent with your daily schedule. While we don’t have time to get into the many intricacies of circadian rhythms here, these are some simple and easy strategies that you can apply the next time fall/winter comes around.
The Power of Routine and Consistency
All of these mitigating strategies are great, but they don’t mean anything if you’re not consistent and don’t follow through. Not only is it important to develop positive habits, but they must be sustainable year-round, especially since burnout can be ongoing and ebb and flow; it’s critical to habitualise these best practices and strategies. Likewise, it’s also important that you set regular cadences with yourself to check in on not only your habits but how you’re feeling. Am I extra stressed this week? Have I implemented my mitigation practices? Are there other major stressors impacting my life? These are all great self-check questions that you can ask yourself on a regular basis.
Conclusion
Take it from me: someone who never thought they would be affected by burnout and suddenly began experiencing the worst symptoms without knowing or predicting it. Luckily, if you’re reading this, you’ll have what I didn’t and can utilize this knowledge and these best practices to get ahead of any potential burnout that life may throw at you. By understanding the symptoms of burnout, developing best practices at work and at home, and paying special attention to the fall and winter months, you’ll be well on your way to defeating burnout and preventing it in the future!
Help Someone. Have Fun, Be You. Learn & Teach. Finish What You Start.
