Dealing With Burnout

Are you working like a zombie?

Imagine waking up and realizing you have to go to work, again. You go through the motions at home to clean yourself up, maybe eat some breakfast, and get out the door on time. Maybe you come out of the fog of dread long enough to have some meaningful time with your family.

The next thing you know, you are pushing your body into your workspace, your plastic mask of professionalism hanging slightly askew as the weight of the day ahead settles onto your shoulders. Things happen. You react. You say things, move things, lose things. Then you go home, exhausted, and wonder if any of it mattered. Because even an hour later you hardly remember what you did.

Can you relate to any of that? I can. I was a zombie IT employee. We are not alone. According to a 2002 report released by Aflac, close to 59 percent of the American workforce had experienced professional burnout.

I want you to know there is hope. There are tools you can use to move out of the zombie masses and reconnect with your work. Your days can be full of color, meaning, and stories that your friends will want to hear. Your time at work can be driven by purpose.

Start with your body

Everything is more difficult if your body is suffering from low energy. Start giving your body what it needs so it can give you the energy to enjoy your life again.

  • Make sure you are staying well hydrated by drinking plenty of water that is not accompanied by sweeteners or caffeine.
  • Get seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
  • Exercise at least 30 minutes per day.

Strengthen your mental state

When you are functioning from a negative mental state, you are likely to focus on low value activities. Since you are working on your energy level, you want to direct that energy where it will provide you with greater and greater benefits.

  • Continue your daily exercise. It helps stabilize your mood.
  • As corny as it sounds, smile.
  • Keep a list of small wins – both at home and at work – for the day.
  • End your day by recording ten things you are grateful for.

Reconnect with your work

Now that you have a higher energy level, and the ability to use that energy more effectively, let's focus your power by giving meaning to your work. I used to think this meant finding the meaning in my work. Instead, we need to give our work meaning. This is a gift we must give ourselves in order to work with purpose.

  • Tie your activities to customer benefits. Ideally, your work directly helps a customer solve a problem. If not, identify the people who benefit from your work, as well as the people they are able to help because of what you do.
  • Remind yourself why you started working for your current employer. What part of their mission or vision attracted you?
  • Update your resume. Work is easier when you have options. Find a resume format that focuses on skills and achievements. Your resume should start a conversation, not provide documentation of all of your job duties.

There are other tools you can use to get out of the dismal world of professional burnout. If you would like more information or think you would benefit from the structure of a plan and individual coaching, reach out to me on Facebook or connect with me here.