Manage Workplace Stress and Burnout

Workplace burnout can impact your performance at work by making you feel emotionally and physically exhausted. When you acknowledge what is causing you stress, you can start to identify and use strategies to prevent burnout.  

Acknowledging the signs of burnout is your first line of defense against it. Here are a few signs you may be experiencing burnout:

• You’re feeling cynical and critical towards work and your duties.
• You rarely feel motivated throughout your week, making it hard to get tasks completed. 
• You are impatient with coworkers, clients, and anyone you have to interact with during your workday.
• You aren’t performing at a level that is consistent or that you’re feeling proud of.
  

Strategies to manage workplace burnout:

1. Name it. It’s sometimes easier to reconcile our feelings by naming them. Have you been reluctant to just let yourself feel?  Sad, angry, frustrated, etc… Name it, claim it and don’t fear it.  Just naming and accepting the emotion can be freeing and can help you create more space to move through it.  Moving through it makes it possible to...

2. Create a strategy: Once you recognize the signs and symptoms of your burnout, you can start to think about how to revise your routine. For example, you can: 

• Incorporate mindfulness and relaxation into your workday. Take short breaks to breathe, look at something funny, or check in with a friend.
• Build up hobbies and create moments of joy outside of work to replenish you. 
• Find enjoyment in the little things. What are the parts of your job that you really like? How can you focus on those aspects more during your work day?
  

Once you assess these you will be able to:

3. Think more broadly about how you can create possibilities for self care, self advocacy, and healthy boundaries for work-life harmony. 

4. Collaborate with the people in your life both at home and at work to lighten your load.  Allow other people to be resources to you. Find places where a little bit of “teamwork can make the dream work” for you professionally and personally.  

For the full activity card, please visit the Ginger Emotional Support app.