Why Burnout is Real, How to Combat it and Take Back Your Work / Life Balance
We live in an age of limitless productivity. The never-ending onslaught of new apps and programs designed to help us get more done means that work never really ends.
And while these innovations and the change in the way we work have revolutionized industries, there have been some unintended consequences.
As burnout rates and resignations surge, we have some easy to implement tips to restore balance, increase productivity and take back your time.
In the digital age, work is omnipresent and no longer constrained by the walls of the office. Bosses can reach employees on vacation in the middle of the jungle with questions and deadlines. As one of my clients can attest, Bali just isn’t the escape it used to be.
And while this reach has led to record profits and efficiency, there is a human cost to this endless work cycle.
An indeed.com report found that 52% of respondents reported feeling of burnout during the course of the past year
As the world recovers from the global pandemic, people have started to reevaluate the balance between work and personal time in their lives. News reports of the “Great Resignation” are evidence that workers are feeling burned out and underappreciated in a world in which work has crept into every corner of their lives.
As the way people work has changed, the boundaries between work and personal life have shifted forever.
As I write these words sitting on a plane traveling for the holidays I acknowledge that there are advantages to these changes, but there must also be healthy and established boundaries between work and personal time.
Whereas in previous generations the boundary between work and home was defined by physical space, in our new world, this boundary must be defined by choice.
All this might sound like despair, but the transition in how we work presents a unique opportunity for people to take back control of the boundaries between work and personal life.
As physical boundaries have dissolved, it is essential to create both boundaries of time and choice to take back balance.
We have found the following steps help our clients in creating boundaries and avoiding burnout
Step 1: Create personal Boundaries
Taking into account the explicit work expectations in your contract such as work hours, deadlines etc. create set working and non-working hours in your schedule. Take the step to block off non-work time as you would meetings or other important tasks in your calendar.
Check out how we suggest planning you balanced week in this video
Step 2: Communicate these boundaries
Let your employer and others know when you will and won’t be available. There is often fear that setting boundaries will lead to issues with higher ups, but we have found in working with our clients on this issue, that as long as communication is clear and productivity is high there are few issues after the initial conversation.
Step 3: Enforce these boundaries
You will often be tempted to step outside the boundaries you have set for yourself and employers will by nature, assuredly push for more work outside of set times. To combat this, adhere to your working hours and use tools such as turning off notifications and certain times and putting time locks on technology for things like checking email or messages.
Step 4: Check in with yourself
Setting boundaries on work time should help you feel more recharged and actually excited to do your work. It is important in this process to check in with yourself to make sure the boundaries you are setting are serving you. If you have established clear boundaries on your work / life balance and continue to feel overwhelmed then it may be time to consider a change in role.
The “Great Resignation” is a testament to a shift in the balance between employer and employee. People are voting with their time and choice to feel more appreciated and find balance in their lives. And while this may just seem like a moment in time to some, it feels more to us like the proverbial canary in the coal mine for a generation of workers that feels as though their boundaries between work and personal time have dissolved.
All is not lost though as people ultimately have the power to vote when, how and for whom they work. Start first, by setting boundaries on your time to take back the balance that leads to a happier, healthier life.
We at Virtuo believe that finding synergy between work, growth and play is essential for people to feel fulfilled and encourage our clients to take the steps listed above to create space between how they earn a living and how they live their life.
If you’re struggling to find a balance between work, life and health then we want to help. Click the link below for a free consultation with one of our coaches who can help you take back your health and your time.
