The Dreaded Burnout and How to Avoid It!

Your work to-do list is piling up before your eyes, the boss is yelling and breathing down your neck, not to mention your desk is covered in post-it notes screaming out at you impeding deadlines.  Go ahead and just say it, you are officially stressed to the max.  You’ve been in this scenario a time or two before but for some reason, this time feels different.  Rather than your standard stress symptoms, you have a bit more angst; you’re feeling hopeless and even resentful and have no desire or care to even try to complete your basic day-to-day tasks.  We hate to break it to you, but this isn’t just stress. What’s really going on here is that you are flirting with the dreaded employee burnout. 

Being in the staffing industry, we’re no stranger to the burnout, and in fact, we see the elusive burnout time and time again.  To be honest, this is a major concern for us, not only with our contractors but our internal team of recruiters and account managers as well.  That’s right, it can happen to anyone, us included, and being in a demanding industry doesn’t help the situation.  What’s important to note is that a burnout can really cause some damage to you and those around you.  Not only can it threaten your job, but it can take a toll on your personal relationships and health as well.

So how can you prevent a burnout happening to you?  The first thing you want to do is indentify what a burnout is and pin-point some of the speed bumps that signify that you are in fact, on the road to a burnout.  Warning signs that you may be headed for a full-blown burnout include:

- You can’t recall the last time you had a GOOD day.

- You feel helpless and defeated almost every day.

- You have extreme exhaustion that not even the strongest cup of Joe can cure.

- You have a constant feeling of being overwhelmed and can’t seem to find the energy to get anything done.

- You feel like everything you do or accomplish is underappreciated.

- You suffer from frequent headaches and find that you are more susceptible to illness.

- You’ve become king/queen of procrastination and are struggling to meet deadlines.

Do any of the above touch a little too close to home? We hope not! Let’s get serious and talk about what actually triggers a burnout so you can take the necessary steps to avoid it.  A few work-related causes of a burnout include:

- Slacking on your beauty rest.

- Not being challenged at work or doing tasks that are monotonous.

- Taking on more responsibilities than you can handle.

- Not receiving enough recognition from your manager.

- Working long hours/poor work-life  balance.

- Demanding job expectations in a high pressure environment

Now that you know the signs and the causes of burnout, let’s discuss the steps you can take to prevent it and ensure that you don’t fall victim to it.

- Learn the power of “No”: It’s important to set boundaries for yourself and determine the amount of workload you can handle. Don’t bite off more than you can chew and remember, it’s OK to say “No” sometimes.

- Don’t forget to take care of numero uno….you: We know, we know, there just ISN’T enough time in the day to get everything done, but take our advice and don’t skimp out on sleep.  Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and get plenty of rest.  Remember to give yourself some TLC too! 

- Find a release: Everyone needs an escape or a way to blow off some steam.  Take a second and find an activity or hobby that helps you to release your stress and allow you to have fun.

- Find your own little R & R: When the world has got you in a flurry, just remember to take a second, take a deep breath and just relax.  Relaxation helps calm your body and your mind and helps to relieve stess.  In other words, find your Zen!

Now that you’re familiar with the warning signs of a burnout, heed our advice and follow the precautionary steps to ensure that this doesn’t happen to you.