Preventing Burnout

The only way to prevent burnout is to recognize the signs that you are approaching it in the first place. Some of the signs and symptoms are more apparent than others. 

Perhaps you aren’t sleeping well, feel tired or distracted when attempting to complete a task during the day, are overly consumed with your to-do list, or are experiencing physiological symptoms of stress (i.e., stomach pain, headaches, and difficulty with bowel movements). However, none of these examples genuinely portray the storytelling aspects of how burnout feels. 

Several examples of stories you may tell yourself indicating burnout are: “I no longer enjoy my job” even though you thought differently several months ago, “my customers and co-workers are terrible people” despite having felt more bonded previously, “if I don’t take a break from performing, then I won’t get fired” regardless of no recent reprimands from your boss, “if not me, then who” even though your company has hired others who are just as competent as you are, or taking your generalized frustration with work and applying it toward your personal life (thus being unable to escape your dismay). 

These narratives become the great arcs that prevent you from stepping back and considering alternative, more healthy ways of seeing your role.

So then the question becomes, “how do I keep myself from burning out?” The solution is as sophisticated or straightforward as it sounds, depending on your narrative. 

Put simply, retreat. To some, the term “retreat” evokes fear of either cowardice, weakness, or relinquishment of responsibility. The emergence of these fears is associated with the “if not me, then who” and “if I don’t take a break from performing, then I won’t get fired” stories. 

Underlying the fears associated with those stories is the concern that you are replaceable. The fact of the matter is that if you exhaust yourself prior to taking a step back, you are actively working toward actualizing your fear. 

There is no security in draining your performative impact even if you a directly competing with someone else. Many psychological or somatic (the physical manifestation of ailments instigated by your thoughts) issues have the potential to take you out of the game entirely as opposed to allowing yourself to take a step back and rejoin upon recovery.

For those whose narratives are closer to “I no longer enjoy my job” or “my customers or co-workers are terrible people,” taking a break from work can assist in eradicating some of these negative thoughts or potentially reaffirming a need for a more fulfilling position and work environment. 

Working to the point of burnout can skew your perception to the degree that you can no longer view your reality in a nuanced or more objective light. Separating yourself from work for at least a week can lift a veil that allows you to see more clearly upon your return. 

Perhaps all you needed was a vacation or staycation. Maybe you were right all along, and your separation and subsequent return to your occupation confirm that you need to start considering your other options. Retreating is a process worth your participation for the purposes of debunking the best pathway forward for your mental wellbeing and career.

Taking time for yourself and refocusing your energy toward regeneration often leads to the eventual reconnection toward your values. Seeing those values more clearly evokes a renewal of worth and purpose that will assist in propelling you toward what is meaningful upon your return. 

In other words, by removing yourself from a particular environment, you are allowing yourself to gain clarity, which is fuel for accomplishing your goals in the future. 

Remember: retreat does not have to be elaborate; it only has to be personal. The point is to assist yourself; preventing burnout is a survival tactic. At the end of the day, if you can’t enjoy your professional life, you need to find ways to enjoy your personal life.