{"id":26610,"date":"2023-03-07T12:55:18","date_gmt":"2023-03-07T12:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/?post_type=resources&#038;p=26608"},"modified":"2024-09-04T11:02:52","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T09:02:52","slug":"5-ways-to-help-prevent-a-burnout","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/en\/resources\/5-ways-to-help-prevent-a-burnout\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Help Prevent a Burnout"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>This article originally appeared on\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/en\/microlearning\/\">Microlearning<\/a><\/em>, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/5-ways-to-help-prevent-a-burnout-mi.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26634\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The road to burnout is paved with good intentions. You want to perform at the highest level and you care deeply about your work. But slowly, over time, the chronic stress and pressures lead you to feel utterly depleted and ineffective, like you\u2019re running in quicksand, perhaps even losing confidence in your abilities or growing cynical or detached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often burnout results from a prolonged overload of work, but not always. Some people can work extremely hard for long periods and still feel happy and engaged at work, notes renowned burnout researcher&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2013\/11\/30\/your-money\/a-solution-to-burnout-that-doesnt-mean-less-work.html?_r=1http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2013\/11\/30\/your-money\/a-solution-to-burnout-that-doesnt-mean-less-work.html?_r=1\" target=\"_blank\">Christina Maslach<\/a>: \u201cSometimes the problem of work overload turns out not to be the most important.\u201d Other common contributing factors include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Feeling like you don\u2019t have enough control over your work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lack of clarity about your responsibilities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feeling isolated or unsupported within your organization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not enough feedback, reward, or recognition<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A sense of unfairness, or conflict between your values and the values of the organization<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There are no quick fixes to stem the tide of looming burnout \u2014 especially in cases where it\u2019s triggered by something as serious as discrimination. (See your HR representative immediately if you suspect this is the root cause.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in other cases, with work and persistence you can make significant progress toward changing the behaviors and relationship patterns that are the more common culprits. These tips can help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Build good personal habits that foster resilience (and break bad ones).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Building good personal habits is one of those blindingly obvious things that everyone nods along with but very few burned out people actually do. Why? Because those who most need to change their habits are often the least equipped to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of it this way: When you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed, you\u2019re much more likely to slip into self-destructive behavior patterns that seem like time savers, especially if you\u2019re highly focused on a challenging goal. To eke out every precious minute of productive work time, maybe you skip exercise, eat lunch at your desk every day, and work weekends for two months straight in order to meet a tough deadline. This strategy may even work. Once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem is that these types of productivity shortcuts are mirages. Over time, they erode your mind and body of the capacity to cope with stress effectively and \u2014 potentially even worse \u2014 cloud your ability to recognize that you\u2019re zooming ahead at an unsustainable rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to break this terrible cycle, and one way to do it is to focus on healthier work-life balance habits, in particular:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Prioritize physical exercise.<\/strong>&nbsp;While moderate and high-intensity aerobic exercise feels tiring in the moment, gobs of research suggests it\u2019s actually rejuvenating for those experiencing burnout, increasing positive moods and reducing feelings of stress. Plus, the increased stamina that comes from being physically strong and healthy helps you resist exhaustion in the first place. If you\u2019re having trouble fitting exercise into your schedule, try getting creative: Could you walk, bike, or run to work or at lunchtime? Buddy-up with a colleague for a post-work fitness class?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reframe your mental approach to stress through self-awareness and calming techniques.<\/strong>&nbsp;You can never eliminate emotional stress at work, but pausing for a little deep breathing or to recognize when you\u2019re feeling anxiety can go a long way toward minimizing the impact of stressors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Take breaks \u2014 and vacations.<\/strong>&nbsp;When you step away from your desk and create some mental space, you\u2019re providing your brain much-needed recharge time that\u2019s likely to re-invigorate your attitude and your creative juices. One key: When you step away, truly step away, for example by leaving your phone (and email) behind when you have lunch and not checking in while on vacation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Manage your workload by prioritizing and making smart time trade-offs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s challenging to balance the many meetings, interruptions, and competing priorities that come with working in a fast-paced environment. It can feel like there\u2019s never enough time to get on top of things or like it\u2019s impossible to keep up \u2014 and ultimately this sense of time scarcity can feel overwhelming and contribute to burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Efficient time management can help.&nbsp;So can adopting a ruthless focus on what matters most: To start, make a list of all the tasks on your plate, then determine which three to five are the most crucial. Check in with your manager to make sure you\u2019re on the same page about what\u2019s most important and where you should spend the majority of your time. What other tasks can you postpone for later, or cut out entirely? Where do you need more clarity or help from your manager to get the work done? Then, spend 10 minutes each day and 30 minutes each week scheduling time to work on your most crucial tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Consider whether your relationship with your manager may be contributing to feelings of overwork or lack of control.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Poor communication, little to no feedback, unrealistic expectations, micromanagement \u2014 these barely scratch the surface of the possible relationship dynamics between you and your manager that can contribute mightily to sapping your energy, enthusiasm, and confidence. If you determine your relationship needs improving, the good news is that it\u2019s almost always possible to do so, as long as you take the initiative. And even small changes in how you work together can make a big difference in your happiness and engagement at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When thinking through what\u2019s not working well, it\u2019s helpful to consider what role you might have played in establishing the dynamic. For example, say your boss regularly gives you a large project with a one-week deadline that means late nights and weekend work for you while your other projects slip through the cracks. Could they think the timeline is reasonable because you (perhaps eager to prove yourself) have delivered quality work this quickly in the past without communicating the sacrifices required to do so?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for how to best address the issue, a lot depends on your boss\u2019s communication preferences and the strength of your relationship. Being calm and direct in tone often works well:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cNermin, I\u2019d like to discuss my workload with you. In order to complete the project in that time frame, I\u2019ll need to stay late and work weekends, which doesn\u2019t feel sustainable in the long term. Would you be willing to discuss ways we could lengthen the time frame or get additional resources to contribute to the effort?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Connect with a peer to help you feel less alone in your struggles.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It may seem counterintuitive to prioritize networking when you\u2019re already stretched too thin, but taking the time to talk with a peer can help you uncover all sorts of useful information that may help you feel more connected and supported at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What common challenges do you face, and how are you both dealing with them? In addition to reaping the emotional benefit of a shared burden, you may learn helpful solutions you hadn\u2019t thought of. Or, what details can you both share that will give you greater insight into your organization\u2019s big picture and help you do your job better, or possibly find greater meaning in your work? Perhaps you\u2019re struggling with a recent team shift in strategy, and your peer is able to offer advice on how they\u2019ve adapted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One caveat: If you have the cynical feelings that often accompany burnout, be careful that your conversation doesn\u2019t devolve into a gripe session \u2014 negative, damaging ideas spread just as easily as positive, helpful ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Take time to reconnect with what motivates you at work.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think back: What excited you about your job in the first place? Amid the rush of daily demands, it\u2019s easy to lose sight of why you\u2019re doing what you\u2019re doing. You can find ways to regain a sense of meaning in your work. For example, say you\u2019re a designer driven by your company\u2019s mission to help clients. Why not reach out to a past client to learn how you made a difference for them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even when this approach doesn\u2019t work\u2014 for example, if you\u2019re motivated by advancement but promotions are slow in coming at your company \u2014 it often has silver-lining potential. Maybe you can\u2019t advance in rank right now, but could you advance your skills in some way (which might ultimately help you land a higher position)?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What if you just can\u2019t shake it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Work burnout can spiral into pervasive feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, and it may not get better without help. If you\u2019re not making progress, seek support and guidance from trusted friends, your manager, a mentor, HR, or a health care professional.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors. The road to burnout is paved with good intentions. You want to perform at the highest level and you care deeply about your work. But slowly, over time, the chronic stress and pressures lead you to feel utterly depleted and ineffective, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-26610","resources","type-resources","status-publish","hentry","type-newsletters"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>5 Ways to Help Prevent a Burnout - FranklinCovey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors. The road to burnout is paved\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/en\/resources\/5-ways-to-help-prevent-a-burnout\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Ways to Help Prevent a Burnout\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors. 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