Feeling burnt out? Here are some quick tips

Welcome!

Believe it or not, the holiday season is already here. It’s that special time of the year when many of us gather with our friends, family, and maybe even some close colleagues to celebrate and observe the traditions that enrich our lives. And, at the same time, it’s also when many of us will find our calendars growing with commitments that can both unsettle our work-life balance and cause excessive stress to build.

That’s why this week, we’re discussing workplace exhaustion and exploring some tips for managing it. Previously, we’ve talked about how re-engaging at work and reconnecting with your goals can boost your job satisfaction. Learning to manage exhaustion at work offers similar benefits, but for countless workers, it's also a critical skill set needed to stay afloat in our busy, buzzing modern world. The holidays only reinforce that need. According to a poll by the American Psychological Association (APA), 49% of US adults report experiencing “moderate” stress during the holidays, and 41% say their stress levels actually increase. 

So, let’s examine work exhaustion, its symptoms, its causes, and what you can do about it.  

😖Are you burnt out? 

Workplace exhaustion—or “burnout”—occurs when someone feels physically or emotionally worn out by their job. So, rather than feeling awake, present, and energized at work, you’re instead tired, scattered, and irritable. 

Being chronically exhausted at (or because of) work can lead to numerous physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that can seriously impact your personal well-being and job performance. Some common symptoms include: 

• Being irritable with your coworkers or managers

• Feeling less energy to be productive

• Experiencing dread about going to work

• Sleeping less or more poorly than usual

• Having difficulty focusing on tasks that normally engross you

• Using unhealthy coping methods, such as excessive drinking or eating, to cope with negative work-related feelings. 

There are many reasons workplace exhaustion strikes. While sometimes it's due to ongoing factors like poor management or a toxic work environment, other times it’s caused by seasonal pressures that lead to unmanageable workloads and demanding schedules. That’s why it’s so important to manage your stress during the holidays—as your personal and professional lives compete for more of your time, feeling burned out becomes increasingly common.  

💆How to deal with exhaustion at work

Dealing with chronic burnout can take time, but focusing on your basic needs, like eating a healthy lunch, taking a walk, or smelling a pleasant scent, can ground and energize you in the present. When you’re ready to work toward long-term solutions, here are some starting points:  

1. Identify the cause. There are several reasons you might be experiencing burnout in the workplace, such as your work environment, workload, or schedule. Identifying the cause of your stress can help you start working toward a solution. 

2. Communicate the problem. If your workload has become unmanageable, communicating with your manager or employer may help. During your meeting, present a possible solution to the problem while also noting that you’re willing to work toward a mutually beneficial alternative. 

3. Protect your time away from work. While it's okay to work outside the office occasionally, your personal life suffers when it becomes a habit. Establishing clear boundaries between the two may help you better manage stress. 

4. Ask your network for help. When work feels like too much to handle, consider reaching out to your professional network or coworkers for support or assistance. 

5. Contact a professional. If your feelings persist or become overwhelming despite your best efforts, think about contacting a mental health professional for expert guidance. 

🧘 Build workplace well-being

Your career is a marathon, not a sprint. Manage stress and build your workplace well-being for long-term success with these courses on Coursera: 

To learn stress management techniques, try Yale’s Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty & Stress course. 

For practical tools that support thriving in life, consider Rice University’s Mindfulness and Well-being Specialization. 

To build effective time management skills, explore UC Irvine’s Work Smarter, Not Harder: Time Management for Personal & Professional Productivity course. If you enjoy it, you’re one step toward completing UCI’s Career Success Specialization. 

That’s it for this week. Before diving back into your work, we’d love to hear some of your tips for managing workplace exhaustion during the busy season. See you next week!

Have a career question you’d like us to answer next? Share it below. And, as always, we welcome YOUR advice and experience in the comments.