Work Burnout is Common
More than 76% of employed Americans are feeling burned out at work. According to a survey conducted by Spring Health in November 2020. The results of the study were as follows:
- 1 in 10 employed Americans experienced burnout.
- Overall, 80% of women reported work burnout compared to 72% of men.
- Employed women 35-44 were more likely than some of their younger and older counterparts to report complete burnout. Within that group 19% reported complete burnout. Women 18-34 and 45-54 report burnout in the single digits.
- Employed men 45-54 are 3 times likely as those who are 18-34 to report burnout by a margin of 15% to 5%.
- Married employees report feeling more burnout than unmarried workers by double the rate 12% versus 6%.
Reasons for Burnout
Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist in NYC says the reasons include:
- Long work hours
- Not having a good work-life balance
- A heavy workload
- A long commute
- Unfair or poor treatment by work supervisors
- Unclear job expectations
- Low pay
- A lack of Social Support
- Insufficient paid time off
A Loss of Control of your work hours, assigned tasks, amount of labor required to perform tasks, and the lack of fairness in the workplace all contribute to work burnout and anxiety.
Here are 10 strategies for fighting burnout at work:
- Talk to your supervisor– Make a list of work-related changes. Talk to your supervisor about the 2 that would make the biggest impact in your life. Figure a way you can make changes that will lead to a better quality of life for you without negatively impacting the company.
2. Take physical breaks– Sitting in front of a computer can contribute to your stress. Get up and stretch. take a walk around the workplace. Walk to get your lunch instead of driving.
3. Set Boundaries– Set boundaries and adhere to them. Start and end work at a certain time. Take an hour for lunch and regular breaks. Before starting a project, you and your supervisor should be clear on Priorities, Deadlines, and Resources that are needed to complete the project successfully.
4. Try the ‘just this’ mantra– Mantra are words or short phrases that can be used repeatedly to help you focus on your retention. Here are some examples:
- Just this paper to write
- Just this conversation to have
- Just this email to respond to
Mantras are powerful tools to keep you focused on what you have to accomplish. They will help you refrain from or control multitasking and they will help you stay in the moment.
5. Ground yourself in your breath– You can only breath right now. When you ground yourself in your breath, you are grounding yourself in the present moment. Focus on the intricacies of your breath
-
- How it feels going in and out
- Whether it is shallow or deep
- It forces your mind to be in the here and now
- Close your eyes and visual your breath going in and out can be incredibly peaceful.
- Use mantras -I breathe in peace; I breathe out stress.
6. Take time off to recharge– Since COVID-19 more people are working remotely, so work is no longer a place. People can now enjoy the benefits of integrating their working hours into the rest of their lives. Be as vigilant about planning and taking time off as you are about your work schedule.
7. Ask for a Flexible schedule- The ability to work from home created a new work-life balance. A survey commissioned by the Harvard Business School Online found that 81% of nearly 1500 professionals polled do not want to go back to the office or would prefer a hybrid schedule going forward. The surveyed employees that worked remotely was from March 2020 to March 2021.
8. Respect Your Down Time- When working at home try to maintain a regular work schedule. Starting and ending at the same time, taking an hour lunch and regular breaks each day. Check your emails and Slack messages during work hours. Working too many hours can lead to burnout.
9. Consider Therapy- Talking to a therapist about your work-related anxiety can be helpful. Therapy can help you process your anxiety in healthy manner and assist you in developing strategies to del with them.
10. Don’t let Your Frustrations Boil Over- Don’t wait until you are at your wit’s end to speak to your supervisor. If you do, your mental health will have probably suffered and your work productivity and quality will be showing it. Talk to your supervisor about your concerns before your frustrations boil over.
The Resources for this information was provided by the following people:
Sanam Hafeez, Psy D, MS- Neuropsychologist in NYC and Director of Comprehend the Mind in her NYC based mental health counseling service
Marybeth Hyland, MS- CEO Spark Vision-a Baltimore based company that works with companies and their leaders to create thriving, value-driven cultures
Joel Steinhaus, MBA CEO of DayBase an NYC firm that provides workspaces for rent throughout the country launched by former WeWork executives
CONCLUSION
To Recap- Work-related burnout is a big problem nationwide. However, there are some proactive steps you can take to address this problem before you have a mental and/or physical breakdown. These steps are as follow:
- Talk to your supervisor
- Take physical breaks
- Set Boundaries
- Try the ‘just this’ mantra
- Ground Yourself in Your Breath
- Take Time Off to Recharge
- Ask for a Flexible Schedule
- Respect Your Down Time
- Consider Therapy
- Don’t Let Your Frustrations Boil Over
If you are going through work-related burnout, are you willing to be proactive and take active steps to correct it, before you crash? You owe it to yourself and to your loved ones. Feel free to comment.