The feeling of being overwhelmed can be all-consuming and debilitating. It can stop us from taking action, prevent us from achieving our goals, and make it difficult to even get out of bed in the morning.

Burnout is a real issue that many people have to deal with on a daily basis, but there are ways you can combat this feeling.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to cope with burnout and reduce feelings of overwhelm so you can start living your best life again!

How to Beat Burnout and Take Back Control of Your Life

You can click on these links below to jump on a specific section:

What Is Burnout?
What Causes Burnout?
What Are the Signs of Burnout?
7 Coping Strategies for Burnout

What Is Burnout?

The World Health Organization describes burnout as a state of physical and mental exhaustion. Individuals who are burned out may feel cynical and hostile towards their work.

Burnout isn’t just a psychological burden but an organizational one as well. Studies show that burnout contributes to poorer performance.

Feeling anxious, stressed, and worried is a normal component of modern life. Short-term stress can give us the push we need to improve performance. But when these feelings last longer than a few days and you don’t manage them, then it can lead to burnout.

What Causes Burnout?

Individuals who experience high levels of chronic stress and anxiety are at greater risk for burnout, especially if their workplace has the following characteristics:

excessive workload
low levels of autonomy for employees
lack of work recognition
lack of peer and supervisor support
unfair policies and practices
unmeaningful work

Sometimes, you have to constantly render longer hours to try to meet a tight deadline, causing you to feel overwhelmed, and it’s emotionally draining when you constantly feel like you’re failing because of unrealistic demands.

What Are the Signs of Burnout?

Burnout can manifest itself in different ways. It can cause serious health issues physically, emotionally, and behaviorally.

Physical symptoms include:

fatigue
constant lack of energy
lower immunity (ex: employee gets sick a lot)
poor eating and sleeping habits
constant headaches
frequent muscle pain

Emotional symptoms include:

persistent distress and guilt
cynical or pessimistic outlook
feelings of failure
feelings of self-doubt
sense of helplessness
detachment from peers
lack of motivation

Behavioral symptoms include:

distractedness
inability to deliver
isolating from social interactions
disproportionate reactions (ex: yelling at colleagues, outbursts, panic)
arriving at work late or leaving early
procrastinating
drinking more alcohol
eating more food
overmedication
declining work opportunities

Some psychologists liken burnout to depression because they share similar symptoms. Unlike depression though, burnout usually results from a toxic work environment. If employee burnout is common in an organization, then it’s probably a red flag.

If these symptoms seem familiar, then it’s time to find a new way of operating. Below are a few things you can try if you’re feeling overwhelmed and burnt out.

7 Coping Strategies for Burnout

1. Take a Break

If you’re overwhelmed with work or emotions, take a break. It’s hard to get anything done when negative emotions take over. So it’s more productive to take a break and step back.

If it’s possible, take some time to unplug from work. Use those small pockets of time to rest your brain and find your calm. That way, when you’re recharged, you can complete tasks at hand and get the job done.

Pro Tip: If you really want to unplug, try spending some time in outdoor settings. A change in scenery can clear your head and do wonders for your mental health. You never know where you’re going to get that elusive moment of peace.

2. Determine Stressors

Burnout is the result of chronic stress. So if you want to manage it, you need to identify those stressors.

There’s a level of complexity in everyone’s work experience. For some, the cause of burnout may be a toxic work environment. For others, it may only involve certain tasks or people.

If you want to address your work stress in a meaningful way, then the most important thing to do is to understand what triggers it. Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

When do you usually feel overwhelmed?
Does it usually involve a task or a specific person?
Are there situations that make you uncomfortable?
If your burnout is new, did you experience any major changes?
Were there any recent policy changes that had an impact on you?

Your answers to these questions matter, as they can help you identify your triggers. Writing down your responses and your observations can help you find ways to avoid your triggers and make a plan of action.

Sometimes, even if you can’t completely avoid stress triggers, it’s still important that you’re aware of them. That way, you can prepare and they won’t catch you off guard.

Pro Tip: Equip yourself with self-soothing techniques like thinking, reflecting, and meditating. These techniques can come in handy as you prepare for future stressors.

3. Get Support

If you feel like you’re drowning in work and stress, reach out and let people help you out. Consider reaching out to the following people:

supervisor
co-worker
close friend
family member
mental health professional

Your supervisors and co-workers may be able to address the source of your burnout. For example, if you’re feeling overworked, you can ask your supervisor if it’s possible to delegate certain tasks to co-workers.

Outside of work, you can seek support from family or friends. Even if they can’t address your problems directly, they can help you relieve some stress.

Simply talking and verbalizing your frustrations can help let off some steam. You can also do this with co-workers. You may not be the only one feeling burnt out at work. Learning about your co-workers’ struggles may help provide some perspective. It’s helpful to have a good support system at work.

Apart from your co-workers, friends, and family, you can also consider seeking help from a professional therapist. Therapy can allow you to talk through your issues and build better coping mechanisms.

4. Set Boundaries

Sometimes, people get burned out because they simply can’t say no. That’s why it’s important to set boundaries.

Setting boundaries isn’t just about clocking in and out of work. It’s also about how you spend your hours at work.

If you want to dedicate time to one task or project, communicate this to your supervisors and co-workers. That way, they can adjust their expectations about your availability.

When you’re off the clock, try to take your mind off of work. It helps if you carve out specific hours of leisure.

5. Ditch Perfection and Prioritize

It’s easy to become overwhelmed if you set unrealistic expectations for yourself. If you’re aiming for perfection, then you’re setting yourself up for failure and frustration. On top of that, you’re more likely to procrastinate if your goals seem unattainable.

If you’re handling projects at work, try to break them down into smaller tasks before you begin. Stay in the real world and set realistic targets. That way, you can prioritize feasible strategies.

It’s important to note that there’ll always be another to-do list. That doesn’t mean you should try to get everything done in one go. Perfectionism isn’t only exhausting, it can also set you up for burnout.

Focus on the most important tasks and prioritize efficiently. You don’t have to get everything done perfectly or at the same time — take a deep breath, and just focus on the one thing in front of you.

Remember, trying to get everything perfect can cause you to feel anxious. It usually feels better to get the job done.

6. Prioritize Physical Health

Burnout can seem like a purely psychological issue from the onset, but it can also have an impact on your body. Stress can negatively impact your activity level and eating patterns.

To help prevent this, it’s important to prioritize your physical health. Here are some tips on how to do that:

- Exercise regularly: Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week. Studies show that regular exercise can improve mood and contribute to emotional resilience. Additionally, incorporating deep breathing exercises and stretching into your daily schedule can also help relieve stress.
- Eat a balanced diet: Try not to go beyond your calorie needs. Fill your meals with vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and healthy fats. Stress can alter your nutritional needs, so it’s important to fill your meals with vitamins and minerals.
- Improve sleep quality: Adults should get 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Sleep deprivation can make you more sensitive to stress.

Pro Tip: If you don’t know how to jumpstart your diet or exercise routine, YouTube and Instagram offer a lot of free resources.

7. Consider More Drastic Changes

Unlike other mental health conditions, burnout is a specific stress response. If your stressors are limited to a set of tasks or certain people, there are ways you can cope with them.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. If the root cause of these stressors is the company’s culture, then it may be difficult to solve on your own.

If you think that your coping mechanisms aren’t enough, then perhaps it’s time to consider a more drastic change. Unfortunately, prioritizing employee mental health isn’t a standard feature in all companies.

So, if it’s possible, try to find an organization that values work-life balance and their employees’ well-being. Otherwise, you may find yourself burned out again.

Final Thoughts

Burnout can be a difficult problem to tackle, but it’s possible with the right strategies. Even if your job is demanding and you have a lot of responsibilities, remember that taking care of yourself is just as important.

When burnout strikes, try to develop healthier coping mechanisms and build an environment that supports productivity and well-being. That way, you won’t get overwhelmed or exhausted so quickly.

Feeling burned out in your current job? If you’re considering a career change, check out The Virtual Hub! Our globally competitive company doesn’t only offer a lot of opportunities for career growth, but we also value work-life balance. Visit our website today.

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