How to avoid career burnout
What is career burnout?
Workplace burnout can happen to anyone, and most of us have probably experienced it at one time or another. Infact, statistics show that 79% of UK workers have experienced career burnout, so it is definitely not to be taken lightly. Long periods of stress that lead to exhaustion is one of the most common causes of burnout, and it could also be an indication that it's time to pick a different career path or change jobs.
Many companies give their employees an unsustainable workload, and burnout is a direct cause of this. Some employers choose not to prioritise the health or mental health of their workers, and this can lead to severe issues in the workplace. That’s why spotting career burnout early is so important, alongside business owners doing everything they can to protect the mental wellbeing of staff.
Causes of burnout
Career burnout comes in many different forms, but we have picked some of the most common causes:
- Lack of control over work situations
- An unhealthy workplace environment
- Lack of support from colleagues and employers
- Intense workloads
Spotting the causes of career burnout can be helpful in avoiding it yourself, or identifying it in colleagues. These causes must also be acknowledged by employers to prevent their workplace from becoming a toxic environment.
Consequences of career burnout
Identifying what causes burnout is important, especially when being made aware of the damaging consequences.
These consequences may include:
- Exhaustion
- Depression
- Inefficiency or reduction in productivity
- Lack of motivation
- Depersonalisation or negative feelings developing towards the workplace
People who suffer from career burnout will most likely have one or more of these characteristics. Burnout should be taken seriously and steps should be taken to reduce the effects - more on this below.
How to avoid burnout
When it comes to avoiding burnout, we suggest forming long-term solutions that will counteract the destructive side effects. Whether you have had career burnout in the past, or want to make sure it doesn’t happen again, we have a few suggestions.
Prioritise self-care
Your own health should be put above everything else, and practising good self-care is the best way to prevent mental burnout. Meeting up with friends, going for a spa day or taking the time to read a book are a few great examples of self-care. Anything that makes you take a break from your busy schedule will vastly improve your wellbeing.
Create a sustainable work-life balance
Learning how to shut off after work will help to avoid career burnout. Whether that’s turning off your phone notifications or taking up a hobby, creating a sustainable work-life balance is key.
Shift your mindset
Creating a more positive outlook is important not only for your mental health but for ensuring you don’t suffer from career burnout. Many people practice mindfulness or meditation to help the flow of positive thoughts.
Talk to your colleagues
Opening up, and talking to colleagues who could be going through similar experiences, is the best release of stress. The worst thing anyone can do is leave negative thoughts and feelings to fester.
Remember, no job is worth sacrificing your mental or physical health for.
What employers can do to help with career burnout
Career burnout can be avoided best by targeting the source, which can often be the employer or the company. If a company is lacking in staff morale and focuses on results rather than the people who are putting in the work, it might be time for a change.
Get to know your employees
We suggest taking the time to get to know your employees, how they work best, and take the time to understand whether they have any other struggles going on outside of work. Making your employees feel comfortable talking about mental health issues whilst in the workplace is one of the best ways to prevent career burnout.
Create a relaxing office room
The space that your workers spend most of their time in should be designed to fit their needs. That’s why designing a relaxation room can be so beneficial to your staff. With calming colours and furniture this quiet space will be the perfect place for your staff to de-stress.
Wellness days
One of the best ways to give your staff a well-deserved break is to offer wellness days. There are lots of different options for wellness experiences, and allowing staff to pick these themselves will be a hit. Give your employees the chance to wind down with each other and look after their mental health. Wellness days are also great for boosting morale and teamwork in the office.
Wanting to prevent and avoid the career burnout of your staff? Why not get in touch and see how we can make your workplace a relaxation space.