7 Ways to Avoid Burnout at Work and Recover Your Energy

You take on a lot during the day, from work responsibilities to daily life obligations to all of the randomness that gets tossed your way when you least expect it.

And after a while, the buildup of these pressures and stressors can take its toll—even if you don’t realize it right away. 

Burnout is a state of mental, physical, or emotional exhaustion that occurs when you experience long-term stress. It can build up gradually and even affect those who actually love their jobs.

In the “always on” work culture, there can come a time when the never-ending deadlines, meetings, and emails just get to be too much. 

Burnout is an all too common occurrence in our modern world. Current research suggests that the average worker will experience career-related burnout at least once by the age of 32 for reasons such as workload, community issues, and lack of control. 

But with the proper self-care tools, techniques, and mindset, burnout can be overcome and avoided in the future.

In this blog post, you’ll find seven ways to avoid burnout at work that will help you recover your energy (and love for work). 

7 Ways to Avoid Burnout at Work

1. Recognize the Signs

The best way to avoid burnout at work is to prevent it from transpiring in the first place.

By knowing the warning signs, you can take the necessary steps to avoid burnout and, if you notice any potential signs of burnout, you can tackle them before they intensify. 

Some of the main signs of burnout include forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, exhaustion, diminished pride in your work, frustration and irritability with co-workers, and losing sight of your goals.

You may also have difficulties being present in your relationships with loved ones, loss of interest in your hobbies and time outside of work, and unexplained muscle tension, pain, and fatigue. 

2. Make Self-Care a Priority

So often, with work and other responsibilities, you may forget to take care of the most important thing: yourself.

By making self-care a non-negotiable, you’ll find time to separate from work, discover peace and relaxation, and enjoy your life a little more. 

Self-care for avoiding burnout at work doesn’t need to be a lavish bubble bath every night. It can be as simple as taking three deep breaths throughout your day and saying no when you’ve got too much on your plate.

3. Set Healthy Boundaries

Burnout is often a result of overextending yourself, to the point where you begin neglecting your own needs.

Learning how to set healthy boundaries at work (and at home) can alleviate the stress of pushing yourself too hard at work. 

You can set boundaries by knowing exactly what your responsibilities are and what they entail. Moreover, have a strong understanding of what you can take on and what just isn’t worth committing to. Learn how to say no to additional work asks.

Setting healthy work boundaries also includes not working overtime on unnecessary tasks and taking those much-needed breaks throughout the day to instill balance and prevent exhaustion.  

4. Go Off the Grid

Sometimes, the best recipe for preventing burnout and adding more “life” into your work-life balance is by going on a trip. 

If you’re able to, going on a vacation with your loved ones can help you reconnect with those simple pleasures outside of the office (hello, nature!).

Connecting, caring, sharing, and forming memories with those you love can lower stress levels and boost mood, so when you do come back to work, your energy levels are recharged. 

Traveling is also a great way to change your environment and allow new energy to flow through your life, sparking more creativity, joy, and motivation into your work.

If you can’t travel, meditation is the next best thing!

5. Embrace Meditation

Meditation may sound daunting, especially if you haven’t yet found a way to squeeze this daily practice into your routine.

But the truth is that establishing a daily meditation routine (even if it’s just a few minutes) can do wonders for preventing burnout.

Neuroscientists have found that those who meditate shift their brain activity from the stress-prone right frontal cortex to the calmer left frontal cortex.

The result? Less stress, depression, anxiety, fear, and more feelings of calm and happiness. Bring on the stillness!

6. Don’t Forget to Get Your ZZZs

The tip you’ve been waiting for! Yes, burnout may very well be a sign that you need more sleep. 

To avoid burnout at work, it’s vital that your mind and body are getting the rest and relaxation time they need. Getting sufficient sleep every night is necessary for your physical and mental health.

Good sleep also positively influences abilities such as memory and productivity that we need for a healthy workday. 

Read this post on creating a restful, mindful bedtime routine to tap into deeper sleep every night.

7. Find Your Purpose

To avoid burnout at work, you may need to sit down and get straight about what you stand for and what you want your life’s purpose to be.

Besides earning money to support you and your family, what other parts of your career excite you?

What deeper purpose does it play in your day-to-day life?

What are your long-term career goals and ambitions?

Once you have an idea on your purpose regarding your career, you can begin to live more intentionally, energetically, passionately, and creatively in all areas of your life.

Living in alignment with these goals and intentions can help you avoid stress and burnout at work and find more love and satisfaction in what you do.