How to recover from job burnout
After all the job layoffs affecting so many people, you may feel lucky if you survived the job cuts and remained employed. Unfortunately, I am seeing a trend where companies are creating situations where employers expect employees to do the jobs of multiple people with the “help” of AI. Many times, the AI doesn’t make the job feel easier, and employees are exhausted and burned out.
If you are feeling the pain of burnout, here are some strategies and resources to help you:
Cover the basics
It can seem like toxic positivity when healthcare professionals remind you to get sleep, exercise, and commit to regular stress management practices, but these short-term strategies can help you protect your health while you implement a longer-term action plan for sustainability. This Mayo Clinic action guide about burnout offers an excellent guide to foundational steps.
Think small
People get so overwhelmed trying to do ambitious things to recover from burnout, they freeze and try nothing. I like this American Psychiatric Association article on well-being where they recommend “oasis moments” that take only five minutes to do.
Read fiction
Reading fiction can improve your well-being. As Mason Cooley said, “Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.” This is the most successful strategy used by my clients. Some read dystopian novels, and others choose “comfort reads,” but the common denominator is that they report the escape from their job stress is extremely helpful.
Find time alone or connect with others
If you are an introvert or have sensory overload, finding time to be alone might help you recover some energy. If you are an extravert, enjoying the company of others might help you feel better. The only way to know which is true for you is to experiment. The only way to know for sure what is reliably restorative for you is to collect data. An energy log is one way to do that and can be very revealing.
Spend time in nature
You don’t have to exercise to benefit from time spent in nature; you just have to be there. Any green space can work, and if there is water, that’s even better. Even watching water virtually can help promote feelings of calm.
Use your commute
If you have no other time to work on burnout recovery and you also have a commute, consider using that time to do self-study about what practical actions might help. I like podcasts. It may take some experimentation to find a podcast that doesn’t grate on your nerves by promoting hustle culture, so shop around. Here is a list to start: 7 podcasts to help you navigate burnout.
Learn something new
It might seem counterintuitive to add more to your plate when you are already too busy, but for some people, learning is like breathing air. If they aren’t learning, they become depressed. If this is you, negotiate with your employer to see if they will allow you to take on a different responsibility while delegating something you dislike doing to someone else. Because people like different things, your least favorite task may be someone else’s favorite one.
Make a plan
You will probably feel better if you have a plan to get to a better place than the situation that is causing burnout. Even if it takes a long time to make it happen, seeing progress toward the change can be satisfying and definitely better than feeling trapped and believing the terrible circumstances are permanent. If you are feeling too depleted and pessimistic to take action, a therapist or coach can provide support through this process.
