There’s a lot going on this time of year, and long to-do lists at work and home can lead to burnout. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to manage burnout to help you feel less stressed and exhausted.
 
What Is Burnout?
Burnout is mental, emotional, or physical exhaustion plus reduced motivation, decreased performance, or negative attitudes towards yourself or other people. It’s caused by functioning at a high level for so long that stress and tension take a toll on you. Signs of burnout include fatigue, headaches, changes to your sleep patterns, changes in your diet, feeling apathetic towards work, and more. 
 
How to Manage Burnout
Burnout can affect your physical and mental health and lead to issues like excessive stress, irritability, high blood pressure, and more when not properly dealt with. Here are six ways to manage end-of-year burnout. 
 
1. Talk to a Mental Health Professional
A therapist can talk to you about how you’re feeling and suggest ways to make you feel less burned out and to prevent burnout in the future. A mental health professional can also determine if you’re dealing with other issues, such as depression.
 
2. Take Breaks
Taking a break gives you rest from what’s causing stress and gives your mind time to focus on other things. Breaks are also good times to check in with how you’re feeling so you can keep tabs on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Taking a break from work at the end of the year can help you come back in the new year feeling refreshed and better prepared to handle challenges.
 
3. Discuss Your Options at Work
Consider talking to your manager about some of the work challenges you’re facing. You can discuss possible changes to your responsibilities or daily schedule to ensure you can manage your tasks without getting burnt out. 
 
4. Create Healthy Habits
Exercise can help you manage stress and deal with burnout, so try to add some to your routine. Stay emotionally present by practicing mindfulness. You can do this by taking deep breaths and allowing yourself to feel your feelings without judging them. Relaxing activities like yoga and meditation may also be helpful. Getting enough sleep is also crucial to staying healthy. 
 
5. Set Boundaries and Maintain a Routine
Make sure your day includes eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and spending time on activities you enjoy by creating and maintaining a routine. Setting an alarm when it’s time to stop working for the day or when it’s time to go to bed can help you stick to your new routine. 
 
6. Make Time for Fun
Find an activity outside of work that you enjoy doing and make time for it to support a healthy work-life balance. This could be spending time on a hobby, getting involved with a local organization, hanging out with friends and family, or some other healthy activity.  
 
Burnout is common this time of year, but if you or a loved one are dealing with more than just burnout – such as a mental health or behavioral health crisis – contact Connections Health Solutions or find a center near you. 
 
 
 
 
Sources
https://dictionary.apa.org/burnout
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/signs-of-burnout/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642