3 Signs You’re Burned Out at Work
Are you burned out at work? Chances are if you’ve been wondering this, you are at least close to burn out. If you are burned out at work, Leadology has prepared 3 signs to help you validate those feelings, and what to do about them.
Do me a favor: check in with yourself right now. How are you feeling? Overwhelmed by your compounding to-do list? Maybe you’re blocked from ideas, inspiration, answers, or creativity? Perhaps you’re just working long, strenuous hours but you have no sense of the impact or contribution your work is making on your employees and organization at large.
While the term is tossed around frequently in our personal and professional lives, it’s very possible that all of these feelings are indicative of a larger issue: burnout.
If you haven't personally experienced burnout, it’s likely that you know someone who has. In a post-pandemic world, employees are working more hours and finally coming to terms with their lasting exhaustion.
Burn out can happen at work or at home, but you’ll feel it across all areas of your life
When acknowledging burn out for what it is, it’s important to note that our actual workload only accounts for a portion of the burden that we experience at work. Harvard Business Review notes a few common stressors that often slip under the radar: interpersonal issues, work-life balance, and a lack of job security.
So, how can we juggle it all and still leave the office without feeling depleted of all of our energy? The same HBR article cites research on professionals across a variety of industries who have revealed a strong correlation between “challenge level” and “satisfaction level” at work, meaning that, as the degree of challenge in one’s work increases, so does job satisfaction.
However, as many managers can attest, there is certainly a limit to how challenging a job can be before it becomes overwhelming. To combat burn out at work, experts are recommending consistent and surmountable challenges in one’s day-to-day workload. These are challenges that have “visible impact and a scope that will invite you to stretch but won’t leave you strung out.”
Leadology’s top 3 signs of burnout in the workplace
Collectively, we understand the seriousness of burnout in any professional context, but can we identify the signs of it? Today, we’re sharing the top three tell-tale symptoms of burnout in workplace leaders:
Every single thing on your to-do list feels like an A1 priority
We’ve all been there, in a position where we need a serious time management reality check. The truth of the matter is that items on your to-do list are only A1 priorities if they need to get done today, otherwise, there will be consequences. If you have some wiggle room and can plan to cross items off your list later in the week, next week, or even further out, you absolutely should.
On a weekly, and sometimes, daily basis, we need to recalibrate our calendars, to-do lists, and deadlines.
By prioritizing our responsibilities with a bit more realism and honesty, we’re bound to make better decisions with our time and craft manageable to-do lists.
In need of a transformative time management tool? Check out our resource on the Eisenhower Matrix to accurately prioritize this week’s to-do list!
You feel completely blocked from ideas, inspiration, and motivation, even though you love your job
There’s an all-too-common myth that burnout only happens to people who hate their jobs, while in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you’re experiencing some of the staggering symptoms of burnout, find ways to change up your routine and revive that love in your job again. Make time to go for a walk or exercise during the workday. Log off for the entire weekend.
My favorite option? Take a spontaneous trip and benefit from some much-needed travel therapy.
You think that it’s absolutely impossible to step away from your work
If you find yourself stressing over the idea of taking some time away from work, there’s no clearer sign that you should do exactly that.
According to business experts at Moo.com, a simple break can go a long way in helping managers avoid burnout in the long run. This doesn’t have to be as drastic as taking a two-week vacation, it can be things like taking a lunch break, taking the weekend off, or skipping social events because you need to fill that time with work.
Feeling burned out at work in the first place stems from being inundated with incessant requests and issues and increasing workloads, so “giving yourself more time and space to digest these solicitations is key to preventing the physical and emotional exhaustion they can cause.” Without this intentional time to unwind, you may just be creating an opportunity for the symptoms of severe burnout to surface.
Take a step back and treat burnout in order to create success as a workplace leader
As difficult as it may be in stressful times at work, taking a step back and giving yourself the opportunity to treat the compounding feelings of being burned out is crucial to your success at work. Asking for help– in addition to healthy work boundaries– is the first step to cultivating a healthier, happier work-life balance for the remainder of your career.
In the past few years, workplace leaders worldwide have bounced back from burnout with the help of Activate, Leadology’s premier professional development program. Developed as a high-impact, virtual experience, Activate helps managers engage in purposeful conversations and provides toolkits for leadership that can empower them to prioritize their mental, emotional, and physical health and return to the office better equipped to lead.
Learn more here about how Activate is equipping leaders with the tools they need to prioritize themselves while still checking off everything on their to-do lists.
– Carrie & Team Leadology
