Summary

The article outlines four strategies to combat work-related burnout, emphasizing the importance of self-care and work-life balance.

Abstract

The author of the article shares a personal struggle with burnout, characterized by exhaustion and a lack of motivation, despite working from home and on passion projects. The article suggests that the key to battling burnout is to incorporate controlled breathing exercises to promote calmness, align work schedules with personal productivity rhythms, vary work environments to avoid monotony, and find activities that provide emotional release. These strategies aim to integrate self-care into daily routines and reframe one's relationship with work to prevent burnout.

Opinions

The author expresses a love-hate relationship with work, enjoying the variety and comfort of working from home but feeling trapped by increasing work hours and decreasing personal time.
There is a sense of irony that in a world focused on self-care, burnout remains prevalent, suggesting that the current approach to self-care may be inadequate or misunderstood.
The article implies that societal pressures to be constantly productive can contribute to burnout, and that rethinking productivity to include regular breaks and varied workspaces is beneficial.
The author advocates for listening to one's body and mind regarding productivity, suggesting that aligning work with personal peak productivity times can lead to better work outcomes and personal satisfaction.
Physical activity is recommended as a healthy way to relieve stress, but the author acknowledges that any enjoyable activity that helps to let off steam is valid.
The article emphasizes that overcoming burnout is a gradual process that requires consistent effort and a willingness to change one's daily routine.

How to Battle Burnout in 4 Easy Steps

“Let’s go for a walk”, my husband says, as I look up at him and roll my eyes before face-planting myself back onto the bed.

It’s 6 PM and I’ve had a full-on workday that I just can’t muster up the energy to do anything else — even if I haven’t left the house all day.

Every day it’s the same old thing.

“Tomorrow will be better. I’ll get up earlier, I’ll do some exercise, I’ll eat better, and I’ll be back on it”.

But tomorrow comes and it’s not better. I’m snoozing that alarm yet again and I’m most definitely not doing any form of exercise that gets my blood pumping or my limbs moving. I’m sloping around the house and quite frankly want to chuck my laptop out of the window.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy my work — I do. Every day is different and I love how much I can get done working from the comfort of my own home. But somehow I’ve fallen into the trap of working more and more. I have little time to myself, and when I do, I’ve burnt myself out so much that I don’t have the energy to do anything.

And so begins the vicious circle.

Lockdown encouraged me to start working on my passion projects — things to do in my spare time, which I’m currently less able to do because I’ve pushed myself too far.

I have all these ideas constantly running around in my head, waiting to be let loose, but all I want to do is lie down. I am mentally and physically exhausted.

We live in a world now where we’re all obsessed with self-care, so why is this still happening?

“Dear Stress, I would like a divorce. Please understand it is not you, it is me.” ~ Thomas E. Rojo Aubrey

What can we do to fight burnout?

1. Breathe

I mean hopefully we’re all doing this on a constant daily basis or else I’d be questioning how you’re able to read this article, but controlled breathing is where it’s at. Meditation and yoga isn’t for everyone but taking a few minutes each day to focus on your breathing will help promote a sense of calm and stillness into your otherwise hectic life.

2. Don’t fight your natural productivity clock

I find that I do my best work between 9AM and 12PM and then sometime later into the evening around 9PM. Instead, I sit at my desk from around 8AM until 6PM and wonder why I’m so exhausted. I should be aligning with my natural productivity hours and getting my most important work done then. Sure I still need to work in the afternoon, but if I power through in the morning with important deadlines, I can then focus my afternoon to the smaller work projects and my own personal projects, whilst also taking regular breaks.

3. Work away from your desk

This past week I’ve been experimenting with changing up my work environment and it’s already worked wonders. I associate my desk with solid work and if I’m sat there all day with the door shut, I’m bound to get a little disillusioned with work. And whilst it’s not possible to get out to my favourite coffee shop just yet, moving downstairs to the breakfast bar or to the sofa to do less taxing work has made me feel more relaxed and given me a renewed sense of inspiration.

4. Find a release

Before you push yourself too far and the lid on your pressure cooker explodes, find a way to relieve your stress. The healthy option is physical activity but if you’re not there yet, it might be your favourite TV show or simply reading a book. All that matters is that you find a decent, enjoyable way to let off steam. And if all else fails, just take a break and rest.

The problem with being a freelancer or business owner is that when you’re not working, you’re often thinking about work instead. You’re thinking about what projects you have to do the next day, how you can get more clients, or how you can be a better leader.

Overcoming burnout isn’t going to happen overnight — it requires awareness, effort, and a switch up to your normal routine. So before you get to the point of no return, it’s time to rethink your relationship with work and battle burnout for good.

Understanding how to find the magic moments in your daily life is critical. If you subscribe to the philosophy that says, “My vacation will free me from burnout,” then you’re waiting for a few days out of the year to make up for many days of stress. Instead, you have to be able to take mini-vacations on a daily basis.” ~ Tony Robbins