We all get busy sometimes, but feeling constantly and chronically swamped, worried and overwhelmed can
lead to burnout, which can have serious consequences. Think of burnout as stress taken to another level.

Because so many of us frequently feel stressed, it can be hard to recognize when the line has been crossed. True burnout is different from feeling overextended. Feeling exhausted when you begin working is a red flag.

What to do to prevent burnout ? Avoid stress before its late

Living at a burnout level of sustained stress can lead to serious health consequences, including problematic sleep patterns, digestion woes and even a greater risk for depression, heart problems, diabetes and weight gain.

Before the stress in your life ramps up to that level, know that experts say there are proactive steps you can take to prevent burnout:

How to prevent burnout from work

Look for meaning at work

We can tolerate stress longer if we believe we’re doing something purposeful and worthwhile. We are more likely to experience chronic, burnout-inducing stress when something seems out of our control, against our will or totally meaningless. Try to identify ways in which even the smallest of your daily tasks contributes to the lives of others. Take stock of what’s on your plate. If you can, cut or outsource one or two of those things that don’t personally give you meaning.

Look for meaning outside of work

If you’re struggling to make your work meaningful, prioritizing life outside of work might be especially beneficial. Research published in BMC Medicine shows that people more likely to experience a greater sense of engagement when on the job are those with a hobby—the ultimate burnout buffer.

Try to separate work and home/outside life

With boundaries blurring between work and non-work these days, there are some tactics individuals can use. Try turning off work email notifications on your phone, using separate email accounts for work and personal life and setting up boundaries — physical and temporal — between work and personal life, especially if you work from home.

Don’t neglect yourself

Neglecting your diet or eating fast foods or comfort foods can become a way of dealing with stress, but it will rob your body and brain of nutrients necessary to facilitate energy and regulate moods. Physical activity is essential to shaking out stress hormones too. Movement is the most natural evolutionary response to our body’s stress. While you don’t have to run away from a mountain lion these days, even light movement helps ‘complete’ the stress cycle, flushing stress hormones out of the bloodstream.

Recognize when it has become too much

Talk to your supervisors when you feel your job should be more manageable, rewarding, and under your control. It is very common for superiors to continue to increase tasks over time. If we don’t communicate our needs or limitations, they may be overlooked. If you don’t expect things will improve, consider changing jobs or even careers.

Burnout Therapy / Treatment

If you do feel burnt out, therapy can help you process work-related stress and learn coping strategies, and it can teach you to communicate with your employer and set healthy boundaries. The cognitive behavioral therapy is especially effective for dealing with workplace burnout.

Also read:

How to boost your immunity – naturally