PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT – HOW TO SURVIVE IT?

The overload of professional and domestic duties and the lack of time to rest is a common cause of chronic fatigue, manifesting itself in problems with sleep, memory, and concentration.

Creativity and Professional Burnout

Have you ever wondered how being creative affects your well-being and willingness to work?

If not, you might be interested to know that in creative work, people actually regain energy rather than lose it.

The Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model shows that professional work is effective and enjoyable if it does not exceed our capabilities, but at the same time, it is not too easy. In short, demands must be appropriately matched to our predispositions. Referring to the model described above, innovation and the search for creative solutions make us effectively cope with the demands of the enterprise, appropriately utilizing our resources.

Research on occupational burnout

According to the results of the study ‘Bodymax Fatigue Diagnosis of Poles,’ those most at risk for such problems are people who, in addition to a large amount of work, are also studying or managing a household. Moreover, 86% of respondents admit that the biggest sources of their fatigue are related to work or study. The most challenging aspect of performing many tasks at once turns out to be the need for constant attention and making difficult decisions. Additionally, studies conducted on Americans have shown that more than half of them feel ‘overworked or overwhelmed at least some of the time.’ Meanwhile, 70% claim that they ‘often dream of another job.’ Do you feel the same way?

A break as a way to regain motivation and strength to continue duties

Remember, there is a high probability that if you change jobs and take on new challenges in another company, everything that causes your current fatigue may follow you. So before you decide to quit your job and look for a new one, take a break and regain your strength. A break – defined as a deliberate change in behavior – allows you to ‘pause for a moment’ and reflect, objectively assess the situation, change your attitude, thoughts, or emotions.

The most important aspect during a break is to answer the following questions:


• What can you do differently?
• How can you change your current situation or plan so that your current work aligns more with how you want to work and live?
• Are there boundaries that need to be established or responsibilities related to ownership or change?

The goal is to abandon daily activities and not focus on them, as they dominate your thoughts. You will simply have to savor the present moment, not think about any specific issues, and allow the answers to come.

3 steps to planning a break

1. Write briefly about your current situation – what is happening, what is not going as you would like, what challenges you face, and what actions you would like to take.

2. Set an intention. How do you want to come out of this break and how do you want to feel at the end of it? One study published in Psychological Science found that by distancing yourself from a challenge and adopting an observer’s perspective, you can strengthen your thoughts, leading you to insights and new solutions that had not occurred to you before.

3. Plan how much time you can take and what you will do. You may not know how you want to spend that time, so you can also develop your break in a spontaneous or natural way.

• Daily ‘mini’ breaks, sometimes taken several times a day, are a great way to start.
• You can also take breaks during work and get up from your desk every 90 minutes, going out for lunch, or taking a walk.
• If you have very little time, you can spend five minutes at your desk doing a simple breathing exercise: follow your breath, counting each slow inhale and exhale until you reach ten breaths.
• A break can also be an all-day activity. Visit a place that brings peace and joy to your daily life. Wherever you are, pay attention to the colors, textures, and surroundings. You might consider keeping a journal to document what you experience.
• If you have more time, consider taking a weekly break. Most of us understand the benefits of vacations, yet many do not take this time off, fearing loss of control over their work responsibilities when they are away.

Fear of vacation

According to a survey conducted by Creative Staffing Group in 2015, 72% of management would not take additional days off even if they were unlimited, yet about four in ten (39%) believe that productivity would increase if employees had more free time. The benefits of returning to work after a break often lead to greater creativity and less stress. Increasing dopamine levels in the body can help gain a new perspective on our situation, according to what neuroscience research suggests.

So if you are considering quitting your job, we encourage you to first stop and think for a moment before making that decision. If you feel burned out or overwhelmed professionally, a longer break over a few weeks that you should carve out for yourself is one of the options that can help you change your perspective. You might be pleasantly surprised and realize that all you need is a deliberate change in adjusting and experiencing different things.

Sources:

1. Poles are exhausted. Here are the reasons.; http://www.styl.pl/raporty/raport-nie-daj-sie-zmeczeniu/artykuly/news-polacy-sa-przemeczeni-oto-powody,nId,1922026

2. Reachael O’Meara, If you’re fed up with your job, try working more pauses into your day; May 16, 2018; https://innov8rs.co/news/youre-fed-job-try-working-pauses-day)

3. Dyląg, A., Łącała, Z. (2014). Innovation and stress, burnout, and professional engagement. Legal-Economic Studies, vol. XCII, pp. 243-261.