5 Common Warning Signs of Job Burnout (& What to do)
It’s no surprise that the changing job market is resulting in burnout. From new working styles to employee shortages, many employees feel more stressed. 77% of professionals surveyed said they experienced burnout at their current workplace.
With the increase in burnout, it’s important to check in with yourself. We’ll outline what job burnout is, the common signs, and what to do if you’re feeling burnt out.
Why Recognizing Burnout is Important
No one wants to feel stressed or exhausted all the time. Burnout can affect your mental health. Use Sarah, for example:
Sarah is a Production Line Associate and is up for a promotion. To impress her supervisor, Sarah is working ten-hour days. Then, she goes home to her family to cook, clean, and spend time with them. Lately, Sarah has been feeling over-worked. She doesn’t want to say anything to her boss because she doesn’t want to jeopardize her chances of a promotion.
After a week, Sarah often grabbed takeout for her family after work and went straight to bed. She wasn’t spending much time with them anymore. Even on weekends, she spent most of her time sleeping. Then, it was getting harder to pay attention at work, and she was staying longer hours but not getting any more done. She felt like she had to keep going, otherwise, she’d lose the promotion.
Sarah’s burnout is negatively affecting her work and personal life. If she keeps going like this, she could jeopardize her promotion or job altogether.
What is Job Burnout?
Burnout is the “state of vital exhaustion.” It occurs when a situation exceeds someone’s capabilities or resources. Burnout can result from your personal life but is common in the workplace. Resulting in job burnout. Job burnout has three main symptoms:
Feeling less motivated to complete tasks
Lacking enjoyment in your job
Not believing in your ability to complete tasks
Additionally, there are three reasons it might arise:
You’re over-working yourself
You’re feeling under-challenged in your role
You don’t feel a sense of purpose
It’s important to recognize the type of burnout you’re experiencing to create a plan to fix it.
5 Common Signs of Burnout
Here are five of the early signs you might be feeling burnt out at work:
You’re constantly tired
Exhaustion is most associated with burnout. Try to think if there are any other reasons you might be tired (i.e. not getting enough sleep or a change in your routine). You might face burnout if you feel tired no matter how much you sleep.
You’re feeling detached from your work
Do you feel like you’re going through the motions with no drive? Job detachment often pairs with a lack of motivation. You may notice burnout if you’re completing tasks without wanting to think of new ideas or improve.
You’re never excited about work
Not feeling excited may surface if you dread going to work more than you look forward to it. This is different from “Sunday scaries” after a fun long weekend. Burnout can make you feel like you never want to go to work.
You’re not as productive as usual
You may have noticed you’re not completing as much as normal. This could be from a lack of focus or less productivity in your work — which are signs of job burnout.
You can’t stop
If you feel like you must keep working, it’s often due to a fear of failure. You may already feel behind or that you’re not doing enough. So, you’re trying to do more, faster. This is not a sustainable way to work and most likely means you’re already burnt out.
What You Can Do
First, to prevent burnout, check in with yourself regularly. Pay attention to your feelings and see what is causing your burnout to set boundaries in the future. If you’re already feeling burnout, remember that you’re not alone, 35% of Canadians also feel burnt out. Then follow our top recommendations to put yourself at ease.
Talk to your boss
If you’re in a good workplace, your boss will want to help you. Talk to them and see what your options are. They may help you set boundaries, lighten your workload, or even encourage you to take some time off. The same solution isn’t right for everyone, so discuss what will help you.
Don’t say yes to everything
Saying no to a request is difficult for most, especially if it comes from someone senior to you. Yet, if you don’t have the time or capacity to do something, you shouldn’t be the one taking it on.
Take breaks throughout the day
While you’re at work, you don’t need to be at your desk from 9-5. You can:
Stand up and stretch every hour or so
Go for a walk during lunch
Take a minute to breathe if you’re feeling overwhelmed
Don’t take your work home
If you’re working at an office or site, you can leave your work once you go for the day. In the age of working from home, it’s impossible not to take your work home. Though it is possible to set boundaries. It can be helpful to keep your workstation in a separate area from your living spaces. Or, if you don’t have the luxury of a home office, closing your laptop and putting it to the side, or in a drawer, can be just as useful.
Take time for yourself
Time for yourself doesn’t have to be a vacation or mental health days. Take time for things you want to do on your evenings or weekends. Take a moment to relax and unwind or do something that gives you pleasure.
Check other aspects of your life
Outside of work, are you getting enough sleep? Exercising regularly? On a regular eating schedule? These are all aspects of mental well-being and should be prioritized to avoid burnout.