Burnout is a serious stress-induced reaction that you can get at work. It’s been getting talked about more and more which is fantastic for spreading awareness, but it also has caused some misconceptions. Today, we’re going to talk about what burnout is (and what it isn’t), as well as some things you can do to mitigate it.

🕯️ What is burnout?

Burnout is not just being stressed about work. It’s really prolonged, untreated work stress that affects your mental state and also typically will cause physical symptoms. Some common signs that you’re burnt out include:

• Trouble sleeping, chronic exhaustion and fatigue

• Feeling hopeless or trapped at work

• Avoiding or procrastinating work

• Increased irritability or getting upset easily

• Stomach issues, headaches, or other physical symptoms with no clear cause

Like I mentioned earlier, burnout =/= stressed. But if you are experiencing increased stress at work, it’s important to be aware of it and take action to prevent it from spiralling into burnout. Burnout is very taxing on your body and mental health and it can take a long time to recover, so prevention is really what we’re aiming for!

❤️ How can I mitigate the risk of burnout?

This is not an exhaustive list, but rather some ideas of what you can do when you feel your stress levels rising.

🛌 Guard your sleep schedule so that you’re getting enough rest.

🌴 Use your leave instead of hoarding it.

• In Australia, Fair Work states that you can use sick/personal leave for stress.

• You can use leave for short weeks if you don’t want to take a long block of time off.

• If you tend to get stressed at similar busy periods, you can schedule leave knowing this so that you can look forward to a break. (I always take leave in September or October because it’s usually the height of my work stress.)

🥑 Make time in your schedule for activities or hobbies you know calm you down.

• If you know you always feel more energised after a friend brunch, schedule something in with them soon. Or if you feel calmer after a run, make sure you plan to keep them up.

• You can also inject “little treats” into your day-to-day so that you’re not just waiting for the weekends. Get a croissant on the way to work on Friday. Listen to your favourite album on the commute in. Take a stroll around the block when you’re getting lunch.

💬 Let your manager know you’re stressed.

• This is super important if you need them to help protect you from extra, incoming work for a while.

• I recommend flagging stress even when you’ve got it under control, and just let them know you’re handling it. This means that if it suddenly becomes tough, it doesn’t surprise them.

🥡 Find ways to lighten your load. This one looks different for everyone, but in times of high stress you might need to get temporary extra support from others so that you have less to worry about. Some examples might be:

• Switching from self-directed exercise to classes so that you don’t have to plan your workout.

• Using a recipe box so that you don’t have to plan and shop for groceries.

• Hiring a cleaner for a couple of weeks so that you don’t have to deal with extra housework.

If you want to learn more about burnout, this is a good article from the Mayo Clinic. And if you think you’re experiencing burnout, please consider chatting to a doctor and/or mental health professional depending on your symptoms. (Many Australian employers offer EAP or other one-off consulting services for you to use.)