Workplace burnout and stress are modern ailments that many people face despite having support systems and positive work environments. With the fast pace of modern life and the increasing demand for task efficiency and a healthy work-life balance, it can be a real struggle for people to keep their heads above water at times.
Burnout is defined “as a long-term consequence of adverse working conditions characterized by the simultaneous experience of the symptoms of exhaustion and disengagement from one’s job.” It is especially important to deal with workplace burnout as early as possible if one works in caregiving or other intense medical professions, such as psychiatry. Here are four ways to avoid workplace burnout and stress.
Identify the Sources of Burnout or Stress
Burnout may result from unrelenting stress and cause individuals to be disengaged with their work and deplete motivation, leading to depression. On the other hand, stress can lead to hypertension, emotional distress, and, if left untreated for longer periods, detrimental to a person’s confidence, contentment, and even physical well-being.
Identifying stress can be challenging. It is an abnormal amount of pressure exerted on you that can trigger a response from your body. An example of something that can trigger this is perhaps an increased workload, inability to meet deadline expectations, or simply having a perfectionist attitude about your work.
Take a Break from the Workplace
It’s okay to be out of your comfort zone every once in a while and absolutely to feel some levels of stress sometimes, but when it becomes consistent and is affecting you physically, there might be signs of serious trouble. Physical signs of stress include having chest pain, nausea, muscle tension, excessive breathing, loss of appetite, breathing problems, and fatigue.
These physical issues can lead to psychological and emotional issues, affecting both your personal and professional life. You must detach yourself from work from time to time and have an honest conversation with yourself. If you feel any of these symptoms, regardless of their severity, you should seek professional help and reach out to friends and family to help heal.
Practice Self-Care
The rapid development of technology has helped create awareness about mental health and led to new approaches to fighting burnout and stress. These approaches put the responsibility squarely on the individual and encourage them to be more mindful of their own resources and environment and take care of themselves. One of the core strategies to fight and prevent stress is self-care.
Self-care varies from person to person and can be as simple as having a cup of your favorite herbal tea to something more structured such as joining a weekly yoga or Pilates class.
The purpose of self-care is to mitigate the effects of workplace negativity, exhaustion, and stress to carve out a niche of time where one prioritizes oneself, as put forward by a November 2020 VeryWellMind article, ‘Why self-care can help you manage Stress.’
One should treat themselves to spa-like experiences to jog their senses and give them relief from a high-stress environment. All of these strategies can come together to allow individuals some time to self-reflect in a comfortable situation. These minor activities can go a long way in mitigating the damaging effects of workplace burnout and stress in the long run.
Address Workplace Issues and the Environment
It’s also important to address the issues you face at work and confront your problems at the source. If it’s an individual causing the stress, whether it be your supervisor or a colleague, then try approaching them and having an open conversation where you voice your concerns or issues.
Admitting you have problems is not a sign of weakness. Having an open and healthy conversation with members of your company can go a long way toward helping you manage your stress and developing your communication and soft skills.
If a particular assignment or client affects your work experience, try raising your concerns with upper management and letting them know how you feel. See if there is any way to help resolve your issues without having a confrontation.
Your workplace directly impacts your mental and physical health. It would help if you were situated in an environment where you can have an open relationship with your colleagues and supervisors and are treated with dignity and respect.
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