If you find yourself exhausted and worn down after work, you may be experiencing work burnout. Work burnout can lead to distracted eating, high levels of stress, self-critisicm, and even physical illness. To avoid work burnout in your everyday life, be sure to follow these five tips.
Get Plenty of Sleep
As tempting as it is to stay up late working on projects, whether work-related or personal, in order for your body to function properly, it needs at least eight hours of sleep each night. Make your rest a priority. Getting more sleep can help you be more productive throughout the day.
If you have a hard time falling a sleep, retire to bed half an hour before you actually plan to sleep, and use that time to unwind. Play a relaxing game, read a chapter from a book, or simply relax without worrying about everything you need to accomplish for tomorrow.
Take Breaks
Working for too many straight hours can lead to work burnout. Take time each day to stretch, walk around, or get a drink of water. Never work straight through lunch. Instead, unwind. Enjoy your meal without worrying about answering emails at the same time. If you have extra time in your lunch break, use it to catch up on social media, read a book, or play a short game on your phone. Changing paces during your work day helps your mind relax.
Set Limits
If you’re a perfectionist, take a moment to step back from the tasks before you and separate what needs to be done from what you’re doing. You may be surprised to find that you’re putting more effort into your work than what is asked of you. Identify what level of work is good enough to provide success for your business, and stop there. Don’t let yourself break these limits. Putting too much time into activities that don’t need your attention can wear you down and cause stress.
Socialize
Everyone needs time away from work to interact with friends and family. Socializing helps cut back on stress for you and those around you. Enjoy time together watching movies, going for walks, making food, or anything else. Taking time to interact with those around you will help you feel valuable, which can lead to more confidence, and stronger performances at work.
Protect Your Recharge Time
Though socializing is healthy, everything must be in moderation. If you find that you need time to be alone to recharge and pursue your own intersets, make that time. Give yourself at least an hour each day where you can catch up on your hobbies and enjoy doing what you love.