How to avoid workplace burnout in the office or at home.

In the fast-paced world of modern workplaces, an increasing number of individuals are facing burnout. A recent study by Indeed revealed that over half of respondents encountered burnout. The good news is effective strategies exist to proactively prevent burnout.

Let’s look at ten effective ways to avoid workplace burnout.

1. Establish boundaries.

Managing stress at work means establishing clear boundaries between work and home life.

It's almost impossible to avoid burnout if your work interferes with your life at home. This is why it's important to balance your commitments.

For instance, you should stop checking work emails before going to sleep. This is one of the most common causes of workplace burnout. If you can't avoid checking emails at home for whatever reason, try to set reasonable limits and abide by them.

2. Balance your tasks with quick wins.

A good way to help manage stress at work is to switch gears from time to time.

Sometimes accomplishing a goal can help to restore your sense of confidence and achievement. It doesn't matter what it is—clean up your workspace, finish a less complicated task, complete a book, work on a hobby. All that matters is that you achieve a quick win to rebuild belief in yourself which can help to prevent burnout.

3. Take a break.

Dealing with burnout isn't easy, and that's why interrupting your workday with short, restorative breaks is critical.

It doesn't even have to be anything major adding just a few five or ten-minute breaks is a good start. With any luck, you can expand on the length of these breaks. The point is to set a reasonable goal, sprinkling short breaks throughout your day to change your work habits to something healthier.

Even something as simple as going out for lunch is an excellent way to refresh your mental energies. And you'd be surprised by the benefits of a short walk. A little exercise can do wonders for managing stress at work, by calming your nerves and helping you relax.

4. Develop new interests.

It's easy to become single minded when it comes to new jobs. You want to impress your boss and turn in the best quality work.

But becoming too focused on your job, to the exclusion of all else, is a sure way to court workplace burnout. Again, this is all about maintaining that all-important balance between work life and home life.

Don't neglect outside interests—something to take your mind off your job, and help you disconnect from work-related stresses.

5. Manage the signs of stress.

Managing stress at work is critical to avoiding burnout. However, if we all knew how to manage workplace stress, workplace burnout may not be an issue.

There are plenty of effective techniques and strategies that you can use. Create a list of aspects of your job or your workday that cause the most stress and discuss these with your manager or HR to see if you can find ways to improve your mental wellbeing.

It might also be worthwhile to practice some meditation or relaxation techniques to lower your stress levels. Whatever you do, don't ignore the signs of stress.  

6. Build relationships and team culture.

Co-worker relationships can do a great deal to help alleviate stress at work. After all, there are many benefits to being part of a team culture.

Building good, strong relationships with your colleagues leads to teamwork which makes you feel engaged, happier, and more productive at work. You will feel an increase in job satisfaction which will help reduce stress. If you do feel burnout, you can always talk to your colleagues and ask for help.

7. Exercise frequently

It is important to stay active by exercising as often as possible. Exercise is a natural stress reliever - it recharges your battery, and you'll be surprised by how much more productive you are after a short workout. Whether going for a run, or even just taking a stroll in the park, exercise can do a great deal to mitigate your feelings of burnout.

Managing workplace burnout.

While it may not be possible to avoid workplace burnout altogether, these strategies outlined above can help to manage burnout. However, sometimes the causes of burnout are deeper and longer lasting. In this case, a change of career might be in order. If you are thinking of changing careers, contact Drake International and we can help you find a job that suit your skills and interests, or join the Drake Talent Network today to be notified of great new jobs as soon as they're posted.

Search available jobs