Many people feel tired and stressed after work, especially after a particularly overwhelming day. In these cases, a good night's sleep or a weekend off is usually enough to reenergize yourself and get back to doing your best work.
However, long periods of chronic stress, whether from work or home life, could cause you to become completely depleted—mentally, emotionally, and physically. This is a phenomenon called “burnout,” and it can seriously impact your well-being.
Learn more about burnout and its symptoms in this article so you can spot it early. We've also included work-life balance tips to help you avoid and overcome burnout.
What is burnout?
The World Health Organization classifies burnout as an occupational phenomenon caused by unmanaged, chronic workplace stress. For example, people often get burnt out from working too hard, constantly being under time pressure, or having poor work-life balance. Experiencing these stressful things at work for a long time can make you feel severely exhausted, overwhelmed, and down.
The symptoms of burnout are similar to those of depression, but it's important to know that burnout is not the same thing. You can recover from burnout by taking a break, whereas depression is a mental health condition that requires specialized treatment like psychotherapy and medication. While burnout is not a disease or health condition, it can increase your risk of depression and cause physical symptoms like headaches and stomach aches.
The signs of burnout at work
Work is often a central cause of burnout. Look out for these signs of burnout so you can catch it before it becomes a problem:
- Fatigue: The most common and noticeable symptom of burnout is intense exhaustion or fatigue. A long day of work can make anyone feel tired, but fatigue is a stronger tiredness that follows you throughout the day. You might also feel emotionally drained, which manifests as mood swings, irritation, hopelessness, and negative thoughts.
- Withdrawal: If work is the cause of your burnout, you may start to distance yourself while working. Things you used to handle can suddenly feel too much, and you may lose interest in your work. You might also develop negative feelings toward your workplace and colleagues and stop attending events or chatting with everyone.
- Poor performance: As the exhaustion gets worse and you feel more negative about work, your performance may slip. Exhaustion can make it hard to concentrate, and low morale can affect your motivation and creativity. Burnout makes it hard to give your all, and this can bleed into your personal life, too.
Burnout symptoms checklist
If you're unsure whether you're experiencing burnout, ask yourself if you:
- Battle to get out of bed.
- Feel extremely tired and lack motivation.
- Can't focus on your work.
- Take longer to complete tasks.
- Get irritated and impatient easily.
- Feel little satisfaction for your accomplishments.
- Question the value of your work.
- Feel negative and resentful toward work.
- Isolate yourself from friends and colleagues.
If you answered yes to a few or many of these statements, you might be burnt out. It's important to seek support from a professional healthcare provider to assess your symptoms and find a way to overcome them. Burnout symptoms are similar to other conditions, so a professional can better determine what you're going through.
How to prevent burnout
Most cases of burnout are tied directly to issues at work. Thankfully, this means you can avoid burnout by managing workplace stress and taking care of yourself. If you'd like to keep burnout at bay or recover from a current burnout state, try the following employee burnout solutions:
1. Set boundaries
Boundaries help others understand what your limits are, which is essential for preventing or reducing burnout. Consider what's causing you stress at work, and create boundaries that stop you from overcommitting yourself. Learn to say “no” more often. For example, you can decline new tasks when your schedule is full and end work at a specific time every day.
2. Prioritize and delegate tasks
Being responsible for too many tasks can easily make you stressed and overwhelmed, leading to burnout. When you have a long list of tasks and not enough time, prioritize the most important and urgent ones. Delegate the others to someone else. You may need to talk with your boss and colleagues about reducing your workload and sharing it with others.
3. Take breaks
Working long hours with few breaks can also contribute to burnout, so consider taking your lunch break and many small breaks throughout the day. Research suggests that frequent breaks under 10 minutes each can actually boost productivity and performance. During your breaks, consider eating a healthy meal or snack, going for a walk, listening to music, or socializing with your colleagues.
4. Exercise regularly
Exercise is a powerful tool for managing and relieving stress. Moving your body reduces stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, and produces feel-good hormones like endorphins. Aim to exercise at least 150 minutes a week to prevent burnout and reduce your risk of anxiety and depression.
5. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is a form of meditation where you practice focusing on the present. Grounding yourself in the here and now can reduce stress and help you take control of your emotions. You can use mindfulness techniques anywhere, even at work. Simply close your eyes and pay attention to your breathing and how your body moves. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back without passing judgment.
6. Seek support
Having a support network is one of the best ways of overcoming burnout. Spend time with your friends, family, and colleagues, tell them about your feelings, and explain how they can support you. If you're experiencing burnout that is significantly impacting your life, consider meeting with a doctor or mental health professional. They can help you identify the cause of your burnout and teach you ways to cope with stress.
Apply for a job at Intuitive, where your health and happiness matter
Intuitive employs over 15,000 people who work every day to prove what's possible in minimally invasive care. We're united by our mission to help doctors improve patients' lives, and we know it wouldn't be possible without our incredible teams. That's why everyone who works at Intuitive receives comprehensive benefits. We support our team members so they can excel in their careers and live happy, healthy lives.
To improve our team's physical well-being, we offer health insurance, telehealth, discounted gym memberships, and virtual yoga. We also support employee social connects by providing caregiver support, pet insurance, discounted tuition, and more. Additionally, we focus on improving mental health through benefits like mental health care, vacation time, paid holidays, and parental leave.
If you're interested in making a difference, consider applying for a position at Intuitive. If you're not ready to apply yet, join our Talent Community, where you'll receive job opening updates, company news, and employee stories.
