No matter how much you like your job and even feel appreciated at work, there are times when you just feel burned out, stressed and work seems like the last place you want to be. Maybe it is after a period of intense activity or the end of a big, important project. Or it might be that your last vacation is far back in the rearview mirror and your next one isn’t even yet on the horizon. Short periods of feeling tired and burned out are common for most people. This lack of motivation and enthusiasm can feel distressing to some people, but usually the work blahs come and go. Stress can definitely be a factor in work weariness. Still, stress isn’t all bad, in fact, stress can often motivate us to charge ahead. Yet, when stress becomes unrelenting and cumulative, it can have a negative impact on your quality of life and your health. If on the job stress is bringing you down, think about how you can manage it.
Are you putting off an unpleasant task?
Maybe tackling it will be hard short-term but remove it as a stressor long-term. Do you simply have too much work on your plate? The answer might be to delegate or collaborate. Offload a few tasks to others if possible and prioritize your workload. Similarly, it can be helpful to consider the difference between urgent and important. Sure, most work related things are important, but are they urgent? It’s all too easy to say yes to too many things, things your team or customers might be perfectly content to wait on if they know you are overloaded. Likewise, if there are elements of your job that really pound you down, consider how you can change the things you can and live with those you cannot.
Stephen Covey does a great job explaining this in the following video along with his Habit #3, "Putting First Things First"
Learn to recognize when you are feeling overwhelmed and over it and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Certainly you must continue to take care of your daily responsibilities and duties, but you can organize your time so you can concentrate on critical tasks. And if boredom is causing your burnout, consider trying to diversify your responsibilities and change things up a bit. Alternating large, long-term projects with those that will have immediate productive and gratifying results can also be helpful.
What else can you do to battle the work blahs?
Take short time outs during the work day to give you a quick boost. Go for a walk, return a phone call or check your favorite website. And use your vacation time, vacation time is a necessity to help you charge your batteries. Those among us who willing forgo this earned time off are usually the first to feel the burn out. Finally, outside of work, be sure to recharge your batteries with activities that “fill your tank.”
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