by Caryl Teh

We’ve all heard of “Monday blues”. But when those blues spread to every single work day of the week and start creeping into your weekends too, it might be a sign that you’re edging towards being burnt out.And although there might be a voice in your head telling you to just buckle down and keep working because it gives you a sense of validation, taking a moment to get to know yourself better, including how to prevent yourself from seriously breaking down, is probably going to be much more worth your time. So today, we’re going to provide a general framework to help you do just that.

Step 1: Perform a self-diagnosis

(First, signs.) It’s great being your team’s energiser bunny and source of sunshine all the time! ?⚡️?? But it might be wise to do a quick self-check to see if you are experiencing signs of burnout:

• Physical and emotional exhaustion – I need a break.
• Difficulty with concentration – Squirrel!
• Irritability and restlessness – I’m not being snippy, they are!
• Low self-confidence – I don’t know where to start! I can’t do this! The project is going to fail because of my incompetence!
• Isolation and detachment – I’m the only one working on this. And I don’t see how my role fits into the bigger picture.
• Lack of energy and enthusiasm – Do I really want this project to succeed? Er, yeah. Sure.
• Disrupted sleep patterns – ‘Nuf said.

(Next, causes.) If you are, we highly recommend that you take a few minutes to pinpoint what might be causing it. If you can identify the cause, then it’ll be much easier to plan how to recover from it. Here are some common causes of burnout:

• Extreme / overwhelming workload – I have sooo many things to do! And every new day just adds new things to my list.
• Long hours and overtime – I feel like it’s come to this: office hours and off days are just a show for prospective employees. Once you’re in the company, you’re pretty much a slave. Weekends don’t exist.
• Insufficient compensation – I don’t feel appreciated for the work I do.
• Overly competitive atmosphere – I feel like someone is always looking for my weaknesses to prove that they can do a better job than me.
• Inadequate sick or vacation time – Or not taking the vacation days you’re given.
• Toxic work environment – People are always putting each other down. The negativity is suffocating! ☹️
• Lack of healthy boundaries – Even after I clock out, work emails and messages still come in and I can’t take my mind off work!

Step 2: Reach out to a colleague

If going straight to your boss seems too intimidating, confide in a friend or trusted coworker about what you’re going through so you can begin to feel heard. Getting this support first can help build your confidence to approach your manager. And it’s also a great opportunity to get some perspective: your peer may be able to provide context on areas where you lack visibility or provide suggestions for handling similar issues based on their own past experiences.

Step 3: Brainstorm needs and solutions

Based on your self-diagnosis, identify 2-4 things you feel you need in order to overcome employee burnout and try to think of some feasible solutions. Here are some suggestions:

• If you’re losing track of your tasks, then maybe you need to seek advice on how you can level up your time management skills, streamline tasks, and prioritise more effectively.
• If your mental headspace is constantly bombarded by work, then maybe establishing set times for work-related communications would help. 
• If you want to manage your stress levels, then speak to your manager or team about whether you can lighten your workload by placing any tasks on the back burner or restructuring them as a more collaborative effort. 
• If you feel overwhelmed and are needing a break, then explain that to your manager and team. And start developing the mindset that while work will always be there, and yes, will probably pile up while you’re gone, when you need a break, you need a break. It’s ok to be human. You’re less effective in your job and for your team if you keep pushing yourself on empty.

Step 4: Be open with your manager

When you feel ready to go to your manager, be open. 

• Communicate the symptoms you have noticed, both physical and mental, and highlight some things you identified as needs for overcoming your current state. 
• Before sharing any solutions you’ve thought up, ask for their advice. 
• Of course, we’re not saying that at this point you can just leave all your responsibility at their office and happily skip off to do whatever you want. If your manager reassigns some of your responsibilities, offer to help with the transition and provide regular guidance to whoever will be taking over. 

Step 5: Advocate for yourself

In a worst-case scenario, you tell your boss that you’re being crushed by your heavy workload, and they don’t do anything. This is tricky, but you have to advocate for yourself — whether it means providing more granular insight into your crowded to-do list, tapping on coworkers to validate your claims, or just learning how to say “no, I won’t be able to handle that.” Depending on your budget, you can even consider taking a small amount of unpaid time off to get some much-needed R&R.However, if you do find that your manager won’t adjust your workload or accommodate your time-off requests, it may be time to investigate other opportunities or begin your job search so that you can find a work environment that is better suited for you.

Employee burnout is clearly an issue in a variety of workplaces, so rest assured that you’re not alone. Chances are that your manager is familiar with the employee burnout crisis and will be willing to support you by finding a more manageable workload for you. If you’re feeling the effects of burnout in your own role, take some time to reflect and recharge — for the health of your mind, body, and career.

Source:
Lattice