It’s 16 weeks to Christmas and I am totally burnt out. How will I last that long?

Dear Aunty B,

It’s 16 weeks to Christmas and I am totally burnt out. How will I last that long?

Greg,

Clayton, Victoria

Dear Greg,

First, are you stressed out or suffering from burnout? They are two very different things.

In a nutshell, stress is all about feeling overloaded but there is a chance that things can get under control. Burnout makes you feel empty, beyond caring and helpless and is often the result of overwork and long-term stress. If you are suffering from burnout, 16 more weeks of work without a break is not an option. It is time to take action.

Stop thinking ‘Once I get through this week it will be fine’ because it never is. Trust me. I tried that and it doesn’t work. Stop what you are doing. You need renewal.

1. Make your health a priority
2. Get a medical checkup
3. Set realistic goals and have a realistic workload
4. Learn to say ‘no’
5. Learn to delegate
6. If you are in a customer/client-facing role, try and move out of the position in the short term while you recover
7. Identify triggers for stress
8. Pace yourself
9. Eat properly
10. Drink plenty of water
11. Take a lunch break
12. Aim for eight hour’s sleep each night
13. Avoid drugs and alcohol
14. Get some exercise (yes, horizontal folkdancing is excellent)
15. Build your support network
16. Talk to your family, friends and trusted associates about how you are feeling
17. Block off chunks of time in your diary for headspace
18. Commit to four week’s annual leave and stick to it
19. Look at changing your behaviour, not waiting for everything around you to change
20. Work towards a better balance between work and your personal life

Greg, if you do not see an immediate improvement, take some sick leave. Burnout doesn’t go away unless you deal with it.

Cheers,

Aunty B

FYI Burnout: Signs, Symptoms and Prevention https://www.helpguide.org/mental/burnout_signs_symptoms.htm