The Big Q: Will a break cure my burnout?

Q: I'm a C++ developer working at a growing scale-up in London. I like my work, but the job can be exhausting, particularly if we have a few big projects going (which we always seem to do). I haven't had a proper holiday in about a year, and I won't lie, I'm pretty burnt out. I know this sounds obvious, but will a holiday fix the burnout, or is there something else I should be thinking about?

A: First and foremost, yeah, you should take a holiday. A recent study found that office workers need time off every six weeks to avoid burnout. But the reality is that's not always possible, particularly in an industry where you're juggling multiple projects like tech.

But the worst thing you could do is to return from holiday and dive back into the same routines that caused burnout in the first place. So, what can you do? Let's break it down.

What causes employee burnout in the tech industry?

The anonymous workplace review service Blind surveyed 10,000 tech workers in 2018 about the root causes of burnout. The survey showed:?

• 22.9% of tech workers say that poor leadership and unclear direction is the #1 factor for burnout.?
• 19.4% of tech workers say that work overload contributes to burnout.
• 17.5% of tech workers believe that a toxic workplace is a cause of burnout.?
• 15.4% of tech workers listed poor control and career growth as a reason for burnout.?

Sound familiar? Interestingly, 95% of HR personnel know that burnout negatively affects company performance.

So, burnout's driving you around the twist AND it's affecting the bottom line. It's not good for business by anyone's definition.

What can you do to take the heat out of burnout?

While taking holiday is a key ingredient in beating burnout, there are other things you can do to keep the situation cool.

Mental Health charity Mind suggests four ways to manage burnout:?

• Get enough sleep. Turn off your screens and do something to relax before you go to bed at night. If your mental health is causing you to have problems falling asleep you may find our sleep tips helpful.?
• Try to finish work on time. Without the commute and with the pressures of homeschooling, it's easier to work late into the evening to try and get everything done. Once in a while, this is ok, but try to make sure you finish work on time most days.?
• Schedule in time for pleasant activities: Make time for relaxing, hobbies and calls with friends and family. Sometimes having something non-work-related to look forward to can help.?
• Ask for help if you need it. If you are struggling with burnout, it may be beneficial to take a few days off work while you recover. You might want to talk to your manager about any issues you are facing at work-our Workplace mental health guides can help.?

What if it's time for a new direction?

If the thought of going back to work fills you with dread, it might be time to consider new opportunities.

At Client Server, we have more than 400 live roles in the UK and European tech sector.

Many of the roles we recruit offer a remote/hybrid working, plus a range of benefits designed to keep you burnout-free.

Let's Talk

If it's time for a new step, talk to us today by calling us on 020 7090 2500 or visit our website - www.client-server.com - to start your job search.