Finding Work-Life Balance After Burnout

Are you feeling completely drained or overwhelmed with stress? 

Do your work hours seem never to end, even when it's time for dinner and a night of Netflix- watching doesn't cut the tension anymore? You could be experiencing burnout! 

Burnout is an extreme form of chronic job strain that manifests mentally and physically. 

A recent survey found that over half (51%) experienced it within the last year alone, and many feel like they can't get back on track because it's so hard for them to deal with everything life throws at them. When your body is already feeling stressed out from all this extra pressure coming down onto us as humans living today without ever being able to relax or take proper care of ourselves until finally, the breakdown happens.

Burnout Symptoms

The symptoms of burnout can be difficult to recognize, but there are several telltale signs that may indicate that you may have reached your limit. You might find yourself feeling irritable or overwhelmed at work with an intense sense of dread about what needs to be done next. Or being unable to reach any happy moments from the day before yesterday because they all seem so tedious now! Burned-out employees often need support more than ever to get back on track. 

Here Are a Few Signs You are Burned out

• Feeling Emotionally Exhausted
• Physical Symptoms such as Headache, Stomach Aches 
• Lack of Motivation
• Lower Productivity
• Self-doubt and Low Self Esteem
• Feelings of loneliness and detachment

How to Recover from Burnout

1. Track your stress levels: There are different trackers like Apple Health or FitBit that help track sleep and fitness daily goals.  
2. Identify your stressors: Try to avoid situations that trigger stress levels to rise.
3. Create a habit of journaling: Excellent for decompressing. Make it a habit!
4. Seek professional help from coach or therapist: Trained professionals who can help you heal.
5. Build a support network: Lean on others for support to discuss your struggles in a safe environment.
6. Get enough exercise: Something I wish I did more of and I highly recommend long walks. 
7. Speak up for yourself: Schedule a meeting with your boss to figure out how to reduce stress levels. 
8. Learn stress management techniques: Breathing exercises, cardio workouts too!
9. Create work-life balance: Simple things such as self-care like “Spa day".
10. Do things that you enjoy: Try doing fun things that make you happy to help reconnect with yourself on an emotional level.
11. Follow a healthy diet: There is a correlation between our diet and mood. Eating fresh aids in fighting stress.
12. Practice mindfulness and meditation: Cultivates for a more peace-oriented lifestyle.
13. Create a healthy sleep schedule: Study after study show that getting a minimum of 6 hours of sleep can help reduce stress. 
14. Set boundaries: Important because it lets us conserve emotional energy.

Recovery from Burnout

We all have a different relationship with stress, and that is why each of us needs to find our own way of recovering. It is essential to know the different ways you can recover from burnout so it doesn't continue getting worse. Of course, you might need professional help, but there are plenty of self-care tips that will also work for your needs!

When you are feeling stressed, it is crucial to take care of yourself. We all experience stress in our lives. However, the key to unlocking a healthy relationship with work is learning how we can take care of ourselves by investing time into daily acts of self-care that make sense for your values and ideals as well your capacities.

For Business Owners This Means

Make it your duty to ensure you provide your employees with the best safe workspace to help minimize some of the stress in their day-to-day life. The goal in mind as we designed our workspace was for businesses of all sizes to produce their best work.