How Finding Balance in Life Can Prevent Career Burnout

Guest Article by George Mears from Brain Wellness

So many of us want to give 100 percent to everything we do — our careers, our families, our hobbies, etc. The problem is that giving 100 percent all the time leaves us with little energy left to care for ourselves. More often than not, the result is that you end up feeling burned out in your career and unhappy at home, which is never good.

Know When Burnout Means It’s Time for Change

If you’re reading this and thinking you’re past the point of prevention and already to the burnout stage, consider how you got here and whether you need a change. Perfection isn’t the goal, but there are a few primary factors that are essential for a fulfilling career. According to Elite Daily, you should at least be content at work, curious, challenged, and motivated.

 Feeling a lack of motivation and like your career isn’t rewarding is common for people who want to help others and feel like they aren’t doing that in their current jobs. Some of the best helping professions that are in high demand are mental health counselors, translators and interpreters, and speech pathologists. You may even be able to train for these careers while at your current job. 

Troubleshoot Issues at Work

When you’re starting to feel burnout, you may not need a career change but just need to make a few tweaks. Even when you’re in the right profession for you, if you don’t have a sense of engagement or community in your career, it’s probably not making you feel fulfilled. 

Depending on your work environment, these are things you may be able to change. Can you talk to your boss about your goals and ways you can feel more engaged? Or, work on developing a stronger sense of community among co-workers? Troubleshooting these issues can change your entire outlook and give you the connection to your career that’s been missing.

De-Stress Daily

Preventing burnout is partly about what goes on at work, but it has just as much to do with what you do in your spare time. No matter how busy you are with work and family, you need to do things to unwind and reduce stress every day. One of the best ways to do this is by spending time outdoors, especially when you’re doing something active at the same time. Having a hobby you enjoy and being in nature are two of the absolute best stress relievers. 

Consider giving biking or jogging a try, or get a little more outdoorsy with kayaking or hiking. Even if you need some new gear to do your hobby safely, the investment is worth it for your health and happiness. 

Raise your mood levels by taking a daily probiotic. Probiotics add to your body’s good bacteria which promotes gut health. When your gut is unhealthy, you may not be producing enough serotonin, which is a natural mood booster.  

Take Breaks (and Live in the Moment)

While we all need dedicated time to decompress, we also need regular breaks throughout the day. According to Medium, taking regular breaks is the number one way to stay successful, happy, and avoid burnout. This means taking short breaks at work and longer breaks on occasion by using those vacation days. If you’re a parent, it’s perfectly okay (and essential) to take breaks from your kids too. Everyone can experience burnout if they never get a break, no matter how much you love your job and your family.

Taking breaks is part of the equation, but the other part is to avoid distraction. We get stretched thin and are less productive when we let ourselves get distracted at work. The same is true for our breaks. When you live in the moment and appreciate your time off, you can return to work and family feeling refreshed. Everyone wants to achieve a strong work-life balance, but when that balance is off is when you run the risk of burnout. Making these changes can restore that balance and keep you operating at 100 percent.

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