Working endless hours to get a project across the line coupled with the feeling of underappreciation only leads to a deadly cocktail called Burnout. Preventing burnout is of course better than the cure but most large-scale projects move at such a pace that there is no room to pause and reflect on the prevention, so the cure becomes ever more important.
Identifying burnout is the key to the start of recovery. Over the years of working in extremely tough projects I've seen people go through burnout without knowing it. This happens more than people think and in my opinion results in a rapid decline in mental and physical health. Unlike stress, people will keep on pushing forward towards chronic burnout — however, pushing through is not the solution.
Early signs of burnout include:
- Physical and emotional exhaustion
- Cynicism and detachment
- Feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment
If you start to detect the signs of burnout it's important that they are addressed. No one should go to work feeling unappreciated, detached or overtired as this is no benefit to the company or the employee.
So how do you address Burnout?
If your relationship with your manager is such that you can be open and express your feelings of burnout then do so. The process of expressing your burnout symptoms and getting it off your chest will help. Most companies these days are open to the discussion and willing to help wherever possible. If your relationship is such that you don't feel comfortable opening up, then a more tactful conversation needs to be had. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness — in my opinion it's quite the opposite, as the person asking is showing that they care and want to do a good job.
Make sure you are getting enough sleep and taking in vitamins. During burnout most people will stop taking care of themselves — it's easier to order a takeaway instead of cooking a wholesome meal. Vitamins work wonders so make sure you are getting them via your food or by supplements.
Take a break whilst at work — it's surprising what a good walk around the block can do to blow the cobwebs away. Breaking your day up can be more productive, especially when we are tired and burning out as it seems as if there is no end to the drudgery.
Avoid Alcohol! Believe it or not turning to a drink in order to "switch off" is not the answer. Alcohol is after all a depressant, so having brain frazzle and being depressed makes the burnout cocktail more potent.
Addressing the above steps will lead to an uplift in mood and take away some of the anxiety surrounding the feelings of inadequacy or underappreciation. There is nothing more important than talking to someone if this situation occurs.
Avoiding burnout altogether
As a Manager it's important that you help your team members manage their workloads to avoid burnout. It's important that you recognise the signs to help avoid your team members suffering and it's also important that you recognise the signs so you yourself do not fall victim to it. Manage your teams' wellbeing by giving back, asking how they are and taking an interest. Get the Fun back into the workplace, unpack the problem to achieve a happy productive team.