While the phrase is “work to live not live to work” many of us often find ourselves in a conundrum where we are working too much and no longer finding the joy in everyday things in life. If you find that you are staying at work late, missing out on important milestones because you are stuck to your desk, or answering work emails when you are on holiday, it is probably the case that you work too much. As well as working taking a toll on your personal life and not having the time to see your loved ones, it can also take a toll on your physical health and leave you feeling mentally drained and becoming ill. This is known as burnout and is something that you should try and avoid where you can. If you are suffering from burnout or stress from work, we have put together some top tips to avoid burnout that should help.
Don’t be afraid to share the load
While it can feel that all the pressure is on you at work, don’t be afraid to share the load with your colleagues, after all, that is what they are there for. There are many resources out there explaining the importance of a good work culture, such as Dee Agarwal that can help you with this. If you find your colleagues aren’t of help, go to your manager or supervisor and tell them that your workload is simply too much. They might not realise how much they are offloading onto you and will be able to find a way to lessen the amount you have to do and ease your burden.
Focus on your health and wellbeing
When you take care of yourself, everything else in life falls into place much easier. There are a host of different ways you can take care of yourself, from eating healthy and drinking enough water, to getting a good night’s sleep every night. Be sure to take time for yourself to do the things you enjoy and try to get some exercise every day, even if it is just a light walk around the block or half an hour in the gym. This can release endorphins that can lower your stress levels.
Take time off
While you might feel you need to be working all hours to get tasks done, it’s important to take time off to recharge and reset. It could be something as simple as just taking your lunch break every day, but make a conscious effort to stop when you are finding you get brain freeze and let yourself come back to it with a clear head. By giving yourself a rest you can reset, benefiting your mental health and stopping yourself from becoming too overwhelmed. This can be a real help when it comes to reducing burnout.
Don’t check your work emails outside of working hours
While you might be connected to work all the time, it doesn’t mean you need to be. When you are out of work, try not to check your work emails or messages. If it is urgent they will call or leave a message – and chances are if it’s outside of work hours it probably won’t be. Make a conscious effort to let people know that you are only available during certain hours and that outside of this you aren’t to be contacted unless it is strictly necessary. Without having this added strain, you will feel less pressure and be able to perform better.
Don’t work too much over time
Overtime can be okay if done occasionally, but if you find you are never home for dinner or to put your kids to bed it could be that you are doing too much of it. Make sure you find a healthy balance between working extra hours and sacrificing your home life.
These are just a few top tips to help you avoid burnout. Burnout is unfortunately a very common occurrence in today’s world, particularly due to the fact it’s so easy to get hold of anyone at any time. No longer are employers and employees separated by distance, for they can be texted, emailed or messaged at any hour. This can add a large amount of stress and pressure and make them feel like they are never able to switch off. Have you ever suffered from burnout? If so, what tips have you done to start living a healthier work-life balance? Let us know in the comments below – we’d love to hear your tips!
find ourselves in a conundrum where we are working too much and no longer finding the joy in everyday things in life. If you find that you are staying at work late, missing out on important milestones because you are stuck to your desk, or answering work emails when you are on holiday, it is probably the case that you work too much. As well as working taking a toll on your personal life and not having the time to see your loved ones, it can also take a toll on your physical health and leave you feeling mentally drained and becoming ill. This is known as burnout and is something that you should try and avoid where you can. If you are suffering from burnout or stress from work, we have put together some top tips to avoid burnout that should help.
Don’t be afraid to share the load
While it can feel that all the pressure is on you at work, don’t be afraid to share the load with your colleagues, after all, that is what they are there for. There are many resources out there explaining the importance of a good work culture, such as Dee Agarwal that can help you with this. If you find your colleagues aren’t of help, go to your manager or supervisor and tell them that your workload is simply too much. They might not realise how much they are offloading onto you and will be able to find a way to lessen the amount you have to do and ease your burden.
Focus on your health and wellbeing
When you take care of yourself, everything else in life falls into place much easier. There are a host of different ways you can take care of yourself, from eating healthy and drinking enough water, to getting a good night’s sleep every night. Be sure to take time for yourself to do the things you enjoy and try to get some exercise every day, even if it is just a light walk around the block or half an hour in the gym. This can release endorphins that can lower your stress levels.
Take time off
While you might feel you need to be working all hours to get tasks done, it’s important to take time off to recharge and reset. It could be something as simple as just taking your lunch break every day, but make a conscious effort to stop when you are finding you get brain freeze and let yourself come back to it with a clear head. By giving yourself a rest you can reset, benefiting your mental health and stopping yourself from becoming too overwhelmed. This can be a real help when it comes to reducing burnout.
Don’t check your work emails outside of working hours
While you might be connected to work all the time, it doesn’t mean you need to be. When you are out of work, try not to check your work emails or messages. If it is urgent they will call or leave a message – and chances are if it’s outside of work hours it probably won’t be. Make a conscious effort to let people know that you are only available during certain hours and that outside of this you aren’t to be contacted unless it is strictly necessary. Without having this added strain, you will feel less pressure and be able to perform better.
Don’t work too much over time
Overtime can be okay if done occasionally, but if you find you are never home for dinner or to put your kids to bed it could be that you are doing too much of it. Make sure you find a healthy balance between working extra hours and sacrificing your home life.
These are just a few top tips to help you avoid burnout. Burnout is unfortunately a very common occurrence in today’s world, particularly due to the fact it’s so easy to get hold of anyone at any time. No longer are employers and employees separated by distance, for they can be texted, emailed or messaged at any hour. This can add a large amount of stress and pressure and make them feel like they are never able to switch off. Have you ever suffered from burnout? If so, what tips have you done to start living a healthier work-life balance? Let us know in the comments below – we’d love to hear your tips!
