Lost motivation? It could be something serious.

FEATURE

By Haley Shapley

Don’t live your days feeling exhausted and unmotivated. Learn to recognize burnout and understand its causes in order to reverse it.

The term burnout was coined by psychologist Herbert Freudenberg nearly 50 years ago, but it’s perhaps never felt more relevant than in the past year.

While burnout was originally used to describe those who work in helping professions, such as doctors and nurses, we now recognize that burnout can affect anyone. In fact, more than half of the U.S. workforce reports suffering from burnout, according to a recent survey from Eagle Hill Consulting.

But workplace woes aren’t the only factors that contribute to burnout. Common causes include:
• A heavy workload
• Lack of meaning or purpose in work
• Confusion around your role and expectations
• Difficulty juggling personal and professional lives
• Lack of sleep
• Few close relationships or little support from others

Defining burnout
Burnout is something many people experience, but what is it exactly? Burnout resembles stress, but short-term stress tends to spur you to action and make you feel overly emotional, while chronic stress that turns into burnout zaps your energy and dulls your emotions.

There are three main dimensions that characterize burnout, including:
1. Feeling exhausted.
2. Being mentally distanced from your job or feeling cynical about it.
3. Struggling to tackle your task list or doubting your capabilities.
Also, if you already tend toward pessimism or perfectionism, you may be more likely to experience burnout.

Discover more details here

How to combat burnout
Burnout doesn’t come on suddenly, so it’s also unlikely to disappear suddenly — but it can be reversed with the right strategies. Try these tips for beating burnout:

Change your work environment. Identify the main factors causing your burnout. If you have an unrealistic workload, talk to your manager about ways to mitigate that, whether it’s bringing on a freelancer to help or building in longer timelines to finish projects. If your tasks are dull, discuss adding in a few duties that would make you feel more fulfilled.

Take consistent breaks. Going on a long vacation can be a nice way to temporarily recharge, but it can be more effective to schedule regular breaks, like spending 30 minutes of your lunch hour walking around the neighborhood or take a vacation day every other Friday and enjoy a three-day weekend.

Employ self-care strategies. Perhaps nothing will help more than consistently getting a good night’s sleep. It’s also important to exercise regularly, nourish yourself with healthy foods, stay hydrated and make time for the things you love, whether that’s reading romance novels, working on an old car or dancing in the middle of the living room.

Talk it out. Just sharing what you’re experiencing can make you feel better — we ultimately are social creatures who crave the support of others. Don’t be afraid to confide in your friends and family, or talk to a mental health professional, who can offer further strategies to help you cope. Strengthening your relationships with your colleagues at work can also help you enjoy the days more.

It’s important not to ignore burnout or try to power through. That strategy won’t resolve it. By recognizing the signs that something is wrong and taking steps to change it, you can battle burnout — and win.

Haley Shapley is a Seattle-based freelance writer and the author of Strong Like Her: A Celebration of Rule Breakers, History Makers and Unstoppable Athletes.

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