Recognising the three key signs of burnout in the workplace are crucial, but there are five strategies and tools you can use to avoid burnout even before you are burnt out, writes Martin Preston, founder, and chief executive at Private Rehab Clinic Delamere.
Read part one of this article on 3 signs that your job might be getting a bit too much.
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Finding the root of the problem
Burnout is a response to stress, increased working hours, changes to the work environment and increased workload. But finding where the issue has stemmed from can be beneficial in helping you deal with the situation.
For example, if you are faced with unrealised working hours, it may be that you need to speak to your employer about decreasing your overtime and taking extended annual leave.
- Ask for help
Getting external advice can give you a different perspective on the situation. Counselling can provide you with a solution to the problem before it develops and help you to discover what is causing the burnout you are experiencing.
If counselling is not an option for you, reaching out for help to your friends and family during stressful times can benefit the situation. Your employer may also be able to provide you with the support you need.
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Eat a balanced diet
Healthy body, healthy mind. Eating the right food, drinking water frequently and keeping a balanced diet is one step in the right direction.
Foods are fuelled with natural vitamins and minerals that can give your mind and body a boost.
- Exercise and keep active
Keeping active and regularly exercising can give you a physical and emotional boost. Take a short stroll during your lunch hour, or spend 15 minutes stretching after work.
You do not need to hit the workout machines to feel motivated and enthusiastic; it is as simple as heading outdoors for some fresh air.
- Correct your sleeping habits
A lack of sleep or too much sleep can cause exhaustion and fatigue in the workplace; breaking out of this pattern can drastically improve your day-to-day mood and motivation.
Drifting off at bedtime is a challenge for most people all around the world during this unprecedented time. But there are simple ways you can improve your sleeping habits.
