Over 59% of Millennials experience burnout today (Indeed). I was one of these Millennials who recently fell victim to burnout, which is why I stepped away from social media over the last week.
Symptoms of Burnout:
- Decline in work performance
- Poor sleep
- Apathy
- Increased anxiety
- Irritability
- Struggling relationships
- Dysregulated eating
- Low mood
These symptoms can escalate into a mental health crisis and I have known professionals and students who have ended up in the ER. I was fortunate to recognize my signs and immediately took a mental health week to focus on my personal needs and reset. During this time I stepped away from social media and dialed down my work. I focused on healthy daily habits, including quality sleep, good nutrition, socializing, exercise, meditation, and self-reflection. In addition, I spent time understanding what caused my burnout and prioritized changes I needed to make moving forward.
What causes burnout?
Some of the simple causes of burnout are working an unsustainable amount of hours each day, feeling unsupported by your team, lack of autonomy, and unreasonable time constraints.
Let’s change this statistic!
So what can you do to prevent burnout?
- Monitor burnout with a monthly burnout innovatory.
- Make sure you are taking care of the basics (sleep, nutrition, exercise, family/social time, self-care).
- Have a clear start and stop to your work day.
- Use your Ultradian Rhythm to structure work blocks and breaks.
What is the quickest way to prevent and recover from burnout?
My number one suggestion is to work with a trained professional in productivity. As an Executive Flow Coach, I have helped several individuals catch early symptoms of burnout and quickly reboot. In addition, I have worked with companies to educate their employees on burnout prevention.
If you are worried about burnout for yourself or your employees I am here as a resource. I know what it feels like to be alone and struggling. We are all human and I am here for you!