Do you ever feel like you’re dragging yourself to work every morning? Are you struggling to find joy in the tasks that you do at work? You could be experiencing employee burnout, and you’re not alone.
In fact, an employee burnout survey by Indeed published in March 2021 says 52 percent of respondents felt it. And let’s not keep the pandemic out of the equation as the survey results clearly point to an employee burnout-COVID-19 connection. Two-thirds of respondents said their burnout only got worse over the pandemic.
What are employee burnout symptoms, and most importantly, what can you do to solve them? To answer that, let’s discuss the various types of burnout in detail.
Overload
Ideally, a person in pursuit of career advancement would feel happy about mastering their field. This entails learning more about the job each day and taking on tasks and duties that allow one to grow.
However, there are times when those tasks pile up, and there’s not enough time or physical and mental energy to get everything done. This may be the case when team members resign and the tasks fall on the shoulders of the remaining employees.
Other times, duties that are way too heavy can overwhelm a person, especially if they don’t have the right training and preparation for it. When this happens, one feels emotionally exhausted and burned out.
No Challenges
In contrast to the first type of employee burnout, not having enough challenges at work can also deplete one’s energy. After all, it’s the constant growth at work that makes people stay and do their best every day. When work is repetitive, you can be bored and feel like you’re on a dead-end job.
This situation stems from the lack of learning and growth opportunities. Workers who feel under-challenged at work often find excitement through other projects. This may be the reason why you’ll find some people working on side-hustles or projects while on the clock.
Neglect
Let’s be honest – it’s hard to take care of someone whom you feel doesn’t care for you anyway. The same goes for your company. It’s difficult to be concerned about the company’s growth when you feel like you’re neglected or under-appreciated. In fact, if such is the case, you’ll jump off the very moment you find another career opportunity without even looking back.
Financial Stress
It’s hard to enjoy what you do for a living when there’s the constant pressure of making ends meet. The stress becomes heavier when bills stack up – and this is the case for many workers amid the pandemic.
According to employee burnout statistics from Purchasing Power®, eight out of ten workers’ whole partners or spouses got laid off during the pandemic said money is tighter than ever. It’s easy to feel burned out when you’re the breadwinner and feel like everything depends on you.
What to Do if You’re Burned Out
The types of burnout above aren’t mutually exclusive. Depending on your situation, you may experience a mix of one, two, or even all of the types at once. If you still aren’t sure if you’re burned out, or you’re simply tired and in need of a relaxing weekend, here are the symptoms of employee burnout:
- Physical symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches, or headaches
- Being overwhelmed by tasks and feeling like your efforts are futile
- Negative outlook towards work
- Having a short temper with workmates
Fortunately, there are employee burnout solutions that may improve your situation. The first of which is to adopt a healthy work-life balance. Try to keep clear boundaries between your tasks and your personal life. That way, you’ll have enough downtime to relax and enough brainpower to concentrate on tasks when at work.
Communication is also key when it comes to letting your superiors know if something’s up. Reach out and let them know whether you feel overworked, neglected, or you feel like you’ll want to take on more responsibilities at work.
