By Daniel Bobinski
One of the most daunting problems facing workers is burnout. Excessive workload due to employee shortages plus new and changing workplace rules are growing issues.
These conditions lead to frustration, cynicism and low levels of commitment, among others. Sometimes it can feel like a full-court press of tensions and turmoil around us, so what follows are some suggestions for maintaining sanity.
To explore this topic, I contacted psychologist Dr. Lynn Laird of Meridian, Idaho, and asked what people could do to beat burnout. The first words out of her mouth were, “Maintain relationships.”
Maintaining Relationships
More than just having people serve as sounding boards, Laird says relationships are important for taking our minds off of the things that are causing us stress or burnout.
“Talk about things that have nothing to do with work,” she says. “Get out and do things that engage your creativity. Maybe it’s learning a new skill, maybe it’s playing sports.”
She also says relationships provide a sense of belonging and being connected.
“Not only do relationships help us to feel in touch with and supported by something bigger than ourselves, they can inject happiness that counteracts the weariness that comes with burnout,” Laird says.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask others for help. The last thing we need is to come home from work and be faced with a project that feels burdensome. More often than not we can find someone in our circle of friends who will help us with that project, but they can’t help if we don’t ask.
Strive for Balance
Something else Laird says that is helpful for beating burnout is striving for balance.
“If people don’t have a system for working towards balance, it’s likely their lives will get out of balance,” she says.
Recently in this space I wrote about the seventh habit in Stephen Covey’s book, “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” That habit is called “sharpen the saw,” and it means paying attention to specific areas of life and doing things in those areas to keep a balance. If we’re more balanced, then we can work and live more effectively. The areas outlined by Covey are social, physical, mental and spiritual.
Laird highlighted that the spiritual aspect of life often gets neglected when people start getting burned out. She says, “Sometimes when we hit a point of overwhelm or despair or get despondent, we forget about our spiritual lives. But staying tuned spiritually is important because it revives us from the inside out.”
Stay Principled
Whereas striving for balance is associated with steadiness and moderation in the various aspects of life, being principled means being well-connected to your values. While reviewing our principles is certainly something that can be done on a regular basis so that we stay balanced in this aspect of our lives, regularly reminding ourselves of our chosen principles helps us act on our priorities. Laird says that reminding ourselves of our principles helps to root us to our foundation, which provides a sense of stability in the face of the emotional exhaustion or cynicism that accompanies burnout.
Left unaddressed, burnout can cause serious problems. If you or someone you care about is experiencing burnout, perhaps the suggestions listed above can help in combatting it.
