Burn Out at Work: How to Identify and Deal With It

Photo by Abbie Bernet on Unsplash

Full disclosure, I am not a therapist or have qualities to cure issues like burnout, but having experienced it, I thought it could be helpful to write about. I think it's safe to say we have all heard about burnout in some way, especially in the pandemic. Though I definitely felt I was "burning out" at my job prior to COVID as a working mom, I would describe the last two years (2020-2022) as living in the time of burnout. 

What is it? The official definition of burnout is emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by a prolonged period of stress. There are also different types of burnout, too:

• Under-challenged: you don't feel like you are working to your full potential at work, so maybe you are a little bored. 
• Overload: you feel overwhelmed with the amount of work you have and the expectations of you. 
• Neglect. you feel like you should stop trying, as things you worked hard on are not coming out the right way, or you are disillusioned as to your autonomy or impact at work. 

What does it Look Like? For me, I had to identify what it was I was feeling. There was a loss of motivation, feeling trapped or defeated, sense of failure and self-doubt, decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment. I also experienced increased cynical and a negative outlook. Some more physical symptoms were chronic fatigue and insomnia, fueled by anxiety. 

What to do? Talk about it. Isolating yourself with these struggles only fuels the sense of helplessness. Here are some ways that I dug myself out of burn out, and still apply today when I feel the symptoms creeping back in: 

1. Have a conversation with your employer. Take some time off if you can and re-evaluate if you are in a toxic work environment: it may be time to move on. (Check out my interview guide when you are ready.)
2. Talk to your spouse - if you are a working mom, ask them to take on more on the home front. I tended to feel like I had to do it all, which was not sustainable. Ask your partner to help, put the kids to bed or take them on an errand so you have an hour or two for yourself. 
   
3. Change of scenery. Take a vacation, or plan some fun things on the weekend. Take yourself out of the same rut you feel like you are in. Also change up your routine or work environment: have you  been working from home? Take a day to go to the office.
4. Self care. This is a term that gets throw around so often, but it needs  to be broken down into ways that are actionable. If you feel burned out, get up and move your body. Working from home did save me my commute, which I used for exercise time every day. Drink more water. Eat well (we could all use more fruits and veggies.) Don’t neglect your friends, your hobbies, or things that bring you joy. It bears repeating, that you must fill up your cup before pouring it out for others. 

We have all been through the impossible these last few years: communication and connection are ways to realign. The first step is identifying the problem, then you can start enacting ways to change it. And don't be afraid to seek out help when you need it - from your manager, your partner, or even a therapist. Then we can go back to kicking that ass.