Speak up
Speak up when your workload is too much. Tell your boss if you are stretched too thin or when you regularly work too many hours. Talk about what you can reasonably get done in a week.
Also, don't say yes to everything. If you have a hard time saying no, don't respond immediately. Instead say, "Let me get back to you", or, "Let me think about that."
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- You dread going to work in the morning.
- You show up late or find reasons to leave early.
- You feel bored or don’t want to engage with the work when you’re there.
- You’re complaining about work a lot.
- You check your work email first thing in the morning and before you go to bed.
- You plan all your vacations, so you are always available in case they suddenly need you.
- You’re having frequent work dreams and nightmares.
If your only friends are your friends at work, it'll be more challenging to avoid work on evenings and weekends. If you do have coworkers as close friends, consider setting some boundaries around work talk.
Try to avoid getting drawn into office drama, as it will increase the time you spend talking and thinking about work.
- Use separate apps for work email and personal email so you don't accidentally look at work emails on your weekends.
- Move your email app into a harder-to-access folder so you don't open them out of habit.
- If you can't resist working in unscheduled hours, wait to send non-urgent emails until working hours.
- Inform your colleagues about your intention so they adjust their expectations.
If the nature of your industry is causing daily stress or you're putting in 80-hour weeks, and you still can't manage to complete your work, it might be worthwhile to change companies or careers. And that is fine.
Think about what you want your life to look like in a few years. Consider how you would feel if nothing changed.
After a productive and long day of work, remember to say yes to the activities that contribute to your overall well-being.
Eat something nourishing, move your body, do something relaxing to make you feel more human.
RELATED IDEAS
- Prioritise Nourishment. Get quality rest, eat food that will fuel your body's recovery, exercise gently, get fresh air and also nourish your heart.
- Acknowledge Your Part. Face the real reasons you burned out.
Build Some Guide Rails. Establish new boundaries. It's about knowing the difference between the things you’re willing to go the extra mile for when life demands it, and the things that mean enough to you for you to enforce your boundaries.
Don’t Do it Alone. You don't need to do everything yourself. It’s okay to seek support.
Give a Damn. Sometimes, being in a bad place can be the perfect opportunity to make some new choices.
Having people that you can vent to or ask for guidance is key to making any venture a success. Even if you choose to fly solo, surround yourself with people you can talk to, bounce ideas off of, and get genuine feedback from.
Scour your network for people in the same industry, reach out to mentors, and even ask close friends or co-workers for their honest opinions.
Remind yourself of items that don’t bring you joy, and contribute very little to your long-term goals.
This way, you’re unlikely to spend a lot of time doing time-sucking, non-rewarding work, freeing you up to do the work that does make you happy in the long run.