Below are some burnout recovery strategies that have been inspired by a Healthline article. This article was published in March, just as the coronavirus pandemic was turning everyone into remote workers.
Although remote work might mean more spare time and more time spent at home, it can actually be very easy to overwork at home. If you consistently overwork or have trouble setting boundaries, you might be at risk for burnout.
Workers who are constantly working, without taking a vacation, and without taking steps to manage or reduce any existing stress, eventually feel exhausted.
Once you get to this stressed-out and exhausted state, it might be too late to turn things around.
Did you know that burnout happens gradually? You might not notice symptoms immediately. But once it takes hold, it can affect your ability to function across many aspects of your life.
How to Recognize the Signs
Key signs of burnout include:
- Forgetfulness,
- difficulty concentrating,
- losing sight of yourself and your goals,
- difficulty maintaining relationships and being present with loved ones,
- frustration and irritability with co-workers,
- unexplained muscle tension, pain, fatigue, and insomnia.
People who experience burnout sometimes see lasting negative effects.
Burnouts negatively affect work performance. They keep you from enjoying hobbies and time with family. Relaxing outside of work becomes very difficult.
Taking action to address burnout is essential since it generally only gets worse. In the following paragraphs, we will outline a few burnout strategies. These could help you on your road to recovery.
Burnout Recovery Strategies
Talk to people you trust
If you feel unsure of how to begin sorting through the causes of burnout and looking for ways to ease your stress, that’s normal.
Burnout can become so overwhelming that determining how to address it still seems exhausting. It’s also hard to identify potential solutions when you feel completely drained.
Involving a trusted loved one can help you feel supported and less alone. Friends, family members, and partners can help you brainstorm possible solutions.
They’re close enough to your life to have some understanding of what works for you but still have enough distance to consider the situation with some clarity.
Opening up to people about the distress you’re experiencing can take some courage, especially when you worry they’ll see you as incapable or lazy.
But struggling through burnout alone can make overcoming it more difficult.
And you never know, your loved ones may have experienced burnout themselves and could have some valuable insight to share.
Examine your options
Unfortunately, addressing burnout isn’t always straightforward. But this doesn’t have to mean it will hold you down forever.
You may not see an easy road to recovery, but a little exploration may unearth some kind of path.
Maybe your boss keeps piling work on, despite your requests for help from co-workers or time to finish current projects first.
It might be time to start searching for a new job that respects your capabilities.
If you feel burned out because of relationship difficulties, a counselor can offer support as you take a closer look at your relationship and whether it’s serving your best interests.
In short, when you give everything you have and it still isn’t enough, there’s not much more you can do besides move on, for your own sake.
Sometimes, just knowing other routes exist can renew hope and help you remember you have the power to make changes, even if those changes don’t happen right away.
Take back control
Burnout can make you feel powerless. You might feel as if your life is rushing past and you can’t keep up.
If outside factors contributed to burnout, you might blame these circumstances and have a hard time seeing what you can do to change the situation.
You may not have had control over what happened to bring you to this point, but you do have the power to take back control and begin to recharge.
A few tips and tricks
Prioritize. Some things just have to get done, but others can wait until you have more time and energy. Decide which tasks are less important and set them aside.
Delegate. You can’t do everything yourself, so if more tasks than you can handle need immediate attention, pass them off to someone you trust.
Leave work at work. Part of burnout recovery is learning to prioritize work-life balance. After leaving work, focus on relaxing and recharging for the next day.
Be firm about your needs. Talk to others involved and let them know what’s happening. Explain that you need some support in order to take care of your health and manage your workload productively.
Set boundaries
Setting boundaries on the time you give to others can help you manage stress while recovering from burnout. We are all guilty of sometimes accepting too many commitments.
Before you agree to help someone or accept an invitation, take a moment. Ask yourself if you really have the time and energy for this task or project. Consider whether doing it offers value to you. Part of boundary setting also involves learning to say no.
Pay attention to your needs
Taking charge of your physical and emotional health is key to burnout recovery.
In an ideal world, reaching the point of burnout would mean you immediately take time off, clear your schedule, and dedicate your days to rest and relaxation.
But most people simply can’t do that.
If you have bills to pay and children to take care of, quitting may seem impossible until you have other prospects.
If you’re caring for a sick family member who has no other relatives, you may not have anyone else to turn to for support.
Remember what makes you happy
Severe burnout can drain you and make it hard to remember what you used to enjoy. You may have lost your passion for a career you once loved and feel angry and stressed when you get to work each day.
Perhaps you no longer care about your favorite hobbies, or you’ve stopped responding to texts from friends because you lack the energy for conversation.
You might even feel perpetually irritated and snap at your partner or family without reason.
To counter these feelings, create a list of the things that bring you joy. Then, make time for these activities every week, and keep this habit up even after you feel more like yourself.
Resetting yourself after burnout can be a lengthy process, but by choosing to address it, you’ve already taken the first step.
