You're feeling burnt out in your information security career. What can you do to recharge?

Working remotely can certainly drain individuals. The best thing you can do to recharge efficiently is to speak with your manager and ensure time boundaries are set appropriately. Ask about 80 percent work and 20 percent time commitments to learning. In this field it’s important to stay up to date. However you also cant spend hours on end in your personal time learning new technologies.

Life can be draining when repetitive tasks lead to burnout and exhaustion. To overcome this, it's crucial to: . Diagnose the underlying reasons for your burnout . Conduct a self-assessment to evaluate your situation and goals . Implement revitalizing strategies, including: - Building connections through networking - Enhancing skills through upskilling - Venturing into new areas of IT - Surrounding yourself with loving support By addressing the root cause and taking proactive steps, you can break the cycle of burnout and find the motivation to keep moving forward.

Great insight. I had similar case last year. I had to stepped into a vacant manager role. It was a different ball game. Though interesting and eye-opening. I realized I had to be a manager in the day and being a supervisor in the evening. It was highly demanding on the team. I had to a lot myself. Working into midnight became a norm. I didn't only get burnt out, my health suffered. I became a walking patient. I overcame by doing the difficult task using tools and not over thinking. Delegating effectively with clear communication helped me pulled through. It is important to have loving people around you, but most beneficial if they understand how to relieve stress. I was blessed with such colleagues. Being confident would be beneficial.

When I feel burnt out in information security, I make it a point to revitalize myself by delving into articles on emerging topics, thereby enhancing my understanding of cutting-edge concepts. Additionally, I prioritize revisiting specific domains where I've previously worked, ensuring that I reacquaint myself with relevant solutions and methodologies that I may have initiated but left dormant for a period.

Take some time off work. Use your paid vacation days to step away from work completely for a week or two. Disconnecting fully can help you recharge your mental batteries. Pursue a hobby or interest outside of work. Spend your free time exploring a new hobby, whether it's photography, gardening, cooking, music, etc. It's a great mental break from work. Engage in physical exercise. Exercising helps relieve stress and releases feel-good endorphins. Try starting an exercise routine like walking, yoga, running, swimming, etc.

Boundaries are the limits you set that help you be your best. They can be limits you set with yourself or limits you set with others. They help you create and protect a better working environment for yourself.

?For example, I took a three-month break from social media and focused on the most important things. It is important to have focus and set priorities.

To recharge from burnout in your information security career, focus on setting boundaries. Establish clear limits on work hours and responsibilities to create a healthier work-life balance. Prioritize self-care activities, such as exercise, hobbies, and relaxation techniques, to reduce stress and rejuvenate your energy. Consider seeking support from colleagues, mentors, or a professional counselor to gain perspective and cope with burnout effectively.

Burnout often stems from overcommitting and neglecting personal needs. Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life. Determine specific work hours and stick to them as much as possible, resisting the temptation to constantly check emails or work outside designated times. Communicate these boundaries with your colleagues and supervisors, so they understand when you're available and when you're off-duty. Prioritize self-care activities outside of work, such as exercise, hobbies, or spending time with loved ones. Setting boundaries also means learning to say no when additional work or responsibilities will stretch you too thin. By respecting your limits, you'll maintain a healthier work-life balance and reduce the risk of burnout.

This is very important. Setting the personal and professional boundaries is important but communicating with the wider team is key. E.g not responding to emails during break and out of office hours is a good boundary to have. But share this message out(using out of office or personally) so that people understand and respect your boundaries.

If I'm feeling burnt out, I make time to disconnect and focus on physical activity, like working out, which helps clear my mind and reduce stress. Playing video games also offers a fun escape, allowing me to relax. These activities help me recharge by giving me a break from work-related thoughts and refreshing my perspective.

In my experience it is very crucial to have security incident news time off. Keep away from news and updates. Invest time in physical activities that keep your phone away. Such activities will help to re-energised your body and mind.

Prioritize regular breaks throughout your workday to rest and recharge. Step away from your desk, go for a walk, or engage in activities that help you relax and rejuvenate your mind.

In my experience, using a Pomodoro app to manage my time to focus and breaks were vital in avoiding quick burnout. You should work 25-30 minutes and take a small break of 3-5 minutes. After 4 hours, you should take a 20-minute break to clear your mind and do something completely different than keep working.

One thing that works for me is to shift away from hard skills and focus on learning new soft skills. I always try to take courses on emotional intelligence, productivity, and similar topics. They help me disconnect from technical pressure a bit while still benefiting my career. Do different things; our brains don't enjoy repetitive tasks without challenges.

Well this is what I said in the beginning, learning a new skill is always good even it's far from your speciality, you will never know what is the outcome until you try

Practice makes perfect, so it's important to get hands-on experience with cyber security tools and techniques. This can be done through online simulations or by setting up a home lab environment where you can experiment with different tools and techniques.

Explore opportunities to expand your skills and knowledge in information security through training, courses, or workshops. Learning something new can reignite your passion for your career and provide a fresh perspective.

If you feel the burnout is getting you and making you feel horrible, try learning something new that can push you further. When I felt really burned out, I started my hacking studies. Doing that, I disconnected from my day-to-day work and engaged in something new and exciting that I always wanted to work with. Now, the one skill that is getting me out of burnout is AI, and I am trying to learn how to work with it better. Something that makes you think about another thing is essential while fighting burnout.

Well seeking support is important, although most of us do not know how and when to ask for help, I would suggest finds a mentor or personal coach, just to talk and bring all the negatives out, this will help

Reach out to colleagues, friends, or a professional counselor for support and encouragement. Sharing your feelings with others can help alleviate stress and provide valuable insights and advice.

Talk to your peers to see how they are feeling and if they feel the same way or if they overcome burnout. Don't save everything for yourself; sharing what is happening can alleviate your pain. For someone like me, I always want to express if I'm feeling burned out; at least by doing that, I can let, for example, my boss know, "Hey, something needs to change, or I'm about to get burned out." You are not the only one who feels burnt out; seek help, and you will find someone with a good idea to help you get better.

Asking for help is an act of greatness. Seek out a colleague, friend, or family member who can assist you without judgment. Learn to express yourself; it alleviates much pressure from your shoulders.

Throughout life, there are times to reconnect with your purpose and times to recover. A time to reconnect to your purpose is an important and urgent situation that requires you to buckle down and work hard until the situation is resolved. A time to recover is a period where you have more flexibility to recharge. When it's time to recover, you can leverage different strategies. When it's time to reconnect o your purpose, you can use your skills and techniques to achieve your goals.

In my experience you always need to be honest with yourself and find the security domains you’re passionate about. I’m sure you’re heard that the CISSP is a mile wide and an Inch deep. We as security professionals can’t learn every facet about security. However I’m not saying we should specialize either. As I also think specialization is for insects. However find 3-4 domains and do become an expert in them. This field requires tremendous efforts to take your career to the next level and sometimes you have to rely on a team and surround yourself with people smarter than you.

Finally, you can recharge your energies by reconnecting with your purpose and passion for information security. Remember why you chose this career, what you love about it and what impact you want to make. You can also revisit your career goals and aspirations and align them with your values and strengths. You can also celebrate your achievements and recognize your contributions to your field and society.

Reflect on why you chose a career in information security and reconnect with your underlying motivations and values. Finding meaning and purpose in your work can help reignite your passion and drive to succeed.

First of all, don’t beat yourself up about it. Second of all, take a look internally and ask yourself if you truly love and enjoy what you’re doing. Cybersecurity and information security is a very popular field right now and understandable many flock to this industry because of high salaries, but they may not truly enjoy the work. Maybe you’re burnt out because you don’t really enjoy the work that much. That’s totally ok. Just be honest with yourself. Instead look for the things to do enjoy in the work and try to do more of that.

Scream at the top of your lungs, "What's GOING ON????" (Cue the music) And then recognize, yes. The stress is going to come. Most other fields aren't fielding constant attacks that are mostly invisible to everyone else (but still definitely happening). Stand tall and prod. And keep going. Take some time off. Exercise, eat well, sleep well - all those things we recommend for just general good living.

I have felt burnt out quite a few times in my career in this field. What I typically do is just go do something else for a while. I took a year off to learn how to sell. It helps a lot in understanding how people are motivated and you always have to sell internally. Or you might go get another degree in some relevant field. I think the point is to get away from it for a while, see if you feel like coming back, and if you do, rejoin us. Otherwise, you will have your experience in this field to bring to other things you do.

Spend some time grounding yourself every day by just standing outside for 5-30 minutes. Put in some headphones and just feel the ground at your feet. But maybe not when it’s wet. ??