Most of our lives will be spent working. If you want to find ultimate happiness then you are going to need to figure out how to prevent workplace burnout. However, follow these helpful tips to destress and you will be on your way to living a happier life.
Almost one third of our lives are spent working. This time we spend in our career is precious because it is the one nonrenewable resource we have.
Time is by far our most valuable asset and spending it at work extremely stressed is not doing you any good. If you want to prevent workplace burnout then try these life-changing tips.
Why We Experience Workplace Burnout
While there are many factors that go into experiencing workplace burnout, there is one main reason that rises to the top. Two people could have vastly different jobs and yet the reason they burn out are likely similar.
The problem with most people’s jobs is that they simply spend so much time doing the same thing over and over again. We wake up every day and the monotonous routine drags on you.
One day you are excited to start a new job and within a year you are already fed up with it. Often times the cause is because we are stuck in a routine.
Furthermore, this routine can break your soul. It robs you of innovation and excitement in your work life. But there are things you can do to prevent workplace burnout!
However, if you use these tips to destress, then you will be on your way to avoid workplace burnout. Try them for yourself and see the change happen with your mindset.
Top 3 Tips to Destress
1. Find a Job You Enjoy
One of the easiest ways to avoid burnout is to find a job that you enjoy. If you enjoy what you do every day, then you will be less likely to get fed up with your job.
However, this is not the easiest thing to do. Life commitments and circumstances can have other plans for you. Fortunately, if you keep working at it you can achieve your dream job.
Destress by learning new skills, mapping out your career, and working diligently so that you can get closer to finding a job that you actually enjoy.
Additionally, once you find a job that you enjoy you will not need to prevent workplace burnout. While there might be times that you get slightly bored with your career, if you enjoy what you do, you will not be overwhelmed or stressed.
This would be the ideal situation to be in. If you’re never burnt out, then you do not need to follow the rest of these tips.
Unfortunately, the reality is it can take a while to get there. It might take a few years to get to your ideal job. But never stop working.
In the mean time, find one thing that you love about your current job. It may be as simple as taking lunch with a happy coworker. Or asking your boss to attend a conference to learn a new skill.
Do anything you can to get out of that day to day, boring routine. In the mean time, continue to focus on how you can obtain the dream job that you have always wanted.
2. Actually Take Your Vacation Time
In the United States, we have a very industrious nation. Our country prides itself on working hard and long hours.
However, this can make it difficult to actually relax. One great perk most companies offer includes paid time off (PTO).
PTO is a great benefit, but it often goes unused. In fact, American employees will only use about half of their PTO per year. This equates to $65.5 billion in lost benefits every year.
There is a stigma within the workplace that you need to be putting in extra hours and not take your vacation.
However, if you want to prevent workplace burnout, then you should take all of your vacation time, every year. Part of your total compensation package is your PTO time.
Most corporate employees have anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks per year available to takeoff. Use this time!
Use your PTO to destress and relax. Take a vacation, explore the world, and come back refreshed and rejuvenated.
Use this time to enjoy yourself, even if it is only for one personal day. Reset your mental health and come back ready to work.
3. Create a Separation Between Work and Life
One of the hardest things to do is to separate work and life. Constant evening emails and notifications bog down our ability to separate these two.
This tip to distress emphasizes the importance of creating a distinct separation between work and life.
There are a few ways to do this. First, do you not answer emails after 6 PM. Hold the standard tight and do not falter.
However, before you use this tip to destress make sure you run it by your boss. Most employers do not have the expectation for you to answer emails at night, even if they send you one.
Ensure your job does not require you to be on call 24/7 and then hold yourself accountable. If you want to prevent workplace burnout then you need to create this separation.
Second, do not work in the same place you spend your leisure time. With hybrid and virtual work becoming more and more prominent, make sure to find an “office” for you to work in.
This could be a spare bedroom, a coffee shop, or even a library. However, do not work in your living room, kitchen or any other spaces that you consider your personal leisure space.
This physical separation will help prevent workplace burnout and is a great tip to help you destress.
Prevent Workplace Burnout for Ultimate Happiness
Happiness in the work place is attainable, but only if you are not overstressed. Being overworked and under-rested is a recipe for workplace burnout. To prevent this, find a job that you love. Work hard at it and reap the rewards of doing what you love.
Find a vacation spot you love and use your paid time off. Use all of it! Finally, create a true separation between your job and your life and you can find happiness.
Keep your family, hobbies, and career in separate parts of your day and you will be smiling all day.
Work can be hard, but with these tips to destress it can be easier.
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