Burnout occurs when emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment combine. A burned-out employee typically feels cynical and depleted of energy. Nothing they contribute at work appears to make a difference to the organization.
An employee experiencing burnout usually feels unmotivated, disengaged, and unproductive. This typically is a result of feeling chronic stress over an extended period.
During the summer months, you may experience an increase in family commitments, spending on sports and vacations, or other situations that can increase your stress level. You might feel that you cannot manage your time well enough to fit in everything. Or, you could experience trouble balancing your personal and professional responsibilities. This can result in frequent absences from work, withdrawal from your team, and other adverse consequences.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to decrease your odds of experiencing burnout. The following tips can help.
Discover three factors that can contribute to burnout and how you can alleviate them.
Juggling Work and Child Care
You may struggle to find reliable child care when schools are closed. This can interfere with your ability to work. You may find it difficult to remain engaged and productive.
You can resolve this issue by asking a family member or friend to watch your children while you work. Or, you may be able to find a summer camp or other day-long activities to drop your children off at during your work hours. There may be resources available to cover the costs if needed.
Increasing Workloads
When your colleagues take summer vacations, you likely have to fill in during their absence. Adding to your already-packed schedule can lead to feelings of overwhelm.
To combat this issue, make a list of everything you need to accomplish for the week. Then, break down your activities from most important to least important. Next, set a time to complete your most important tasks. Keep going until your least important tasks are scheduled. Be sure to include time for breaks and flexibility for interruptions.
Do your best to adhere to your schedule. Move any unfinished tasks to first thing the following day.
Feeling the Need to Always Work
You may have difficulty working only during your regular hours. This might be especially true if you are asked to cover your team members’ shifts. Although you need time for yourself, you likely want to help your employer as much as possible.
You can reduce the impact of this problem by setting clear boundaries for the hours you work. This may include adding no more than one or two shifts per week when requested. Or, it may involve saying “no” to completing additional tasks during your off-hours.
Is It Time to Find a New Job?
If finding a new job can reduce your odds of experiencing burnout, make Salem Solutions part of your search. Here is a link to our job board.
