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July 8, 2022

How to Avoid Burnout

Work-life balance has become a phenomenon that more are transitioning to because of their experiences with burnout. Burnout is a state of fatigue or frustration caused by unclear goals, working in a dysfunctional team, or experiencing work overload. Burnout is like stress; however, exhaustion is the main symptom of burnout–physical, cognitive, and emotional.  

Burnout can come when you feel like you are "going through the motions" or must always be "on"; it is an unsustainable position. This state causes cynicism, depersonalization, or lack of connection with your work's purpose, enjoyment, and pride. Results are poorly produced work, lack of motivation, and resentment for leadership and their position. 

If you think you are experiencing burnout, although typical, it is avoidable when taking precautions and having the right conversations. Here is how to remain energized and engaged: 

1. Work with purpose.  

Although this can be challenging, try your best to work with purpose. Rediscover your sense and find ways to shift your projects in fulfilling ways. Find ways to put effort into tasks and projects that give you the motivation to do better. Rediscover this by analyzing your position.

2. Do a job analysis.


Doing a job analysis is one of the easiest ways to learn where your energizers lie and what brings you the most purpose. You can analyze a day in your life, hour by hour. Take note of your schedule, various tasks, and how you feel after moments throughout the day on a scale of 1-10 (10 being a feeling of having supreme energy). This technique can be an effective way to gauge your passions and what you can do to alter any draining blocks of time to be more effective. By assessing your desires, you can learn to manage your stress by taking charge of your day.   

3. Learn to manage your stress by taking charge.


Learn to manage stress by taking charge of your day-to-day life. You can do this by creating autonomy in your role through prioritization techniques. Prioritization creates calmness and space in your life to focus your energy and attention on things that matter. The correct prioritization can massively reduce stress and move toward a successful conclusion. Different matrices and prioritization tools are available when deciding which projects take precedent.  

4. Talk to leadership.


Often, burnout is inevitable within a dysfunctional organization. It is more common than one might think. Leaders might not understand or know how their team is feeling. Therefore, it is wise to bring burnout to their attention to find accommodations for the issue. Leadership is often understanding, and you never know what resources or capacities they are willing to grant without asking.  

5. Prioritize self-care.


Self-care in the workforce should always be a priority for working Americans. Self-care can look like many different things: exercise, meditation, good sleeping habits, nutrition, social connection, journaling, hosting walking meetings, or getting a change of scenery. It is common to feel overwhelmed. Recognizing this feeling and implementing a "step back" can benefit viewing initiatives from a clear perspective.  

6. Shift your perspective.

Take a closer look at your mindset and assumptions. What can you change? Are you being too pessimistic? Changing your perspective can drastically alter how you view your work. Sometimes, you are not fond of your responsibilities, and it helps when you sandwhich any task you like less with projects you enjoy for better balance.  

There are ways to deal with and beat feelings of being burned out; addressing it is the only way around it. 



Managing and defeating burnout can also begin with a search for a new job. Take control of your well-being and career with a cnect profile. Get started here!

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