What do you do if your career is leading to burnout?

One of the signs of burnout for me is a short fuse with my family. I can usually maintain a steady coolness at work, but I am quick to jump on my kids for not doing what I want them to do, exactly when I want them to do it. They are older now and politely call out the change in my demeanor. With practice and their partnership, I now recognize the sign much quicker.

It′s fundamental to pay attention to how you're feeling physically and emotionally. If you're constantly exhausted, experiencing frequent headaches, or finding it hard to concentrate, these could be signs that burnout is on the horizon. Try to listen to your emotions – if you're feeling increasingly cynical or detached from your work, or if you are running low on patience with the people that matters to you (like your family) it's time to take action!

To address career-related burnout: 1. Reflect on burnout triggers. 2. Establish work-life boundaries. 3. Seek support from mentors or colleagues. 4. Manage time efficiently. 5. Prioritize self-care and well-being. 6. Explore development opportunities. 7. Consider transitioning to a role that aligns better with your needs. Taking these steps can help mitigate burnout and guide your career towards fulfillment and sustainability.

According to the definition of burnout used by WHO, there are 3 dimensions of burnout: 1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion 2) increased mental distance from one's job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job 3) a sense of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment. Noticing an increase in any of these feelings and emotions is a sure sign that the permanent stress at work is likely to evolve into burnout.

Workload is one of the six factors contributing to burnout according to researchers (others are control, rewards, community, fairness, and values). Excessive workload is an obvious contributor to exhaustion, but it may also happen that a lack of challenges and boredom contribute highly to stress and mental exhaustion.

Setting boundaries between work and personal life is a must to protect oneself from overworking and stress, but sadly it cannot be done without the support of the organization. It is practically impossible, e.g., to stop checking emails during time off, if everyone else does it and it is expected by the management (even if it is said "I am sending emails at nigh but you can respond the next day").

Learning is my passion. I find that when I take some training or learn a new skill, I am energized and excited to practice it in my work.

Any support group, whether associated with work or purely personal, is a great outlet for talking it out and gaining new perspective. There's nothing like a girls night out to take your mind off work, lighten your burdens and uplift your spirit!

Sometimes people hesitate to reach out for support from friends, family, or a professional when needed, because they don′t want to look weak. If this is your case, you really need to change your perspective here and remember, taking care of your well-being is not weak, and it′s NOT selfish; it's necessary for your long-term success and happiness, and also, for the happiness of people around you.

It's okay to ask for help and prioritise your well-being but it can be difficult to do so. Consider speaking with a professional coach who can provide you with coping strategies, stress management techniques, and a safe space to express your feelings. Taking proactive steps to address burnout can ultimately lead to a healthier and more fulfilling career.

If you find yourself on the verge of burnout, remember that it is not your fault or a sign of weakness. Talk to people - you are very likely to find out that many of them are experiencing or experienced similar feelings. Take care of yourself, learn how to deal with stress. But also talk with your management, because you cannot remove all sources of stress at work alone. Burnout is not caused by being overworked only, there are more organizational factors that negatively affect your stress at work and add up.

Every so often, typically in the 18 - 24 month range as you progress in your career it’s always good to pause and reflect on the journey. Some questions to ask yourself: Are you still aligned with your north star and your moral compass? Are you still challenged by the opportunities you have? Are you creating a positive influence on the people around you and whether you continue to be exposed to fruitful environments ? Are you “working to live” or “living to work” ? These and similar other question's will help reset the target for you. Determining if this is a time you go ‘long at work’ and ‘short at life’ or ‘long at life’ and ‘short at work’

According to research by Michael Leiter and Christina Maslach, burnout can be treated as a result of job-person mismatch, or a mismatch between employee's expectations and organization offering and culture. There are six factors on which the mismatch can occur leading to burnout: 1. Workload 2. Control over own actions and choices 3. Reward - both financial and social 4. Community 5. Fairness in treating employees 6. Values All of these factors must be examined to understand one's sources of burnout and finding a way to minimize their impact.

Take time off. For some this could mean using banked vacation time or for others it could mean taking a prolonged leave of absence or sabbatical. A healthy work life balance is critical to any long term career success.