How to Beat Job Burnout

If you finished off 2016 feeling bored, discouraged, stressed, or unenthusiastic about your job, you’re not alone. A recent Gallup survey found that only 32% of employees were engaged at work, 50.8% were “not engaged,” and 17.2% were “actively disengaged.”
It’s time for a change. In between updating your resume and seeing what jobs are out there, here’s what you can do right now to beat job burnout and make your current situation more bearable until your new awesome gig comes through.

How to Beat Job Burnout

Fire and rehire yourself: 

You know the saying, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone (they paved paradise and put up a parking lot),” or “You always want what you can’t have?” You are likely to find a new appreciation for your job if you think you no longer have it. Seriously, try this exercise from Lisa DiVirgilio, marketing director of the Chicago-based human resource management system, Kin HR. 

“Fire yourself. Go home, and pretend your job is done. Everything you’ve been working on, both good and bad, is over,” says Divirgilio. She says to think about the things you would have done differently if you were rehired for the role and provided a fresh start. Write down your answers to her recommended prompts such as the projects you’d accomplish, the changes you’d make, the goals you’d set, and the projects or tasks you’d discard since they weren’t providing value.

Now time for step two: Rehire yourself the next day and act like it’s your first day at a new job. “Ask for a meeting with your boss and explain your new objectives. You don’t have to tell him the practice you just put yourself through, but he will be sure to notice your new initiative, innovation, and motivation.” Consider this a much-needed “reset” to bash job burnout.

Reflect on the past:

“The best way to reignite passion in your job is to revisit three key moments: the interview, your worst day at work, and your favorite day at work,” says David Mitroff, CEO and founder of the San Francisco-based business development firm, Piedmont Avenue Consulting. Why revisit those specific moments? Good question. “Re-evaluating how you felt during these occasions, and why you feel that way, can explain why you feel burned out,” Mitroff explains. Your excitement during the interview will remind you why you wanted the job, your least favorite day can help you respond better in the future, and your favorite work memory will help you focus on what you like about your job. “Understanding these three moments is the first step in re-positioning yourself to feel excited about your job for the new year,” he says. Cheers to that! 

Focus on what you can control: 

Unfortunately, you can’t control the fact that Jim from marketing always sends emails after midnight (and expects a reply!), your boss always gives you a new project at 4:59 pm, or the fact that someone keeps microwaving fish. But you’ll feel better and squash job burnout when you focus on what you can control. “One part of feeling energized is having clearly articulated, measurable goals that are within your control to achieve. Those last few words are particularly important: within your control to achieve,” says Leigh Steere, co-founder of the Boulder-based management training tool, Managing People Better.

Steere gives the example of someone who hopes to be promoted. She notes that you can’t control the final decision, but you can control the steps you take to show your value such as talking to your manager to get feedback on how you can improve and finding out what you can do to be considered for the role. “People tend to feel burnout when they don’t feel control over their circumstances. Advocate for what you want and need, instead of simply getting caught up in the flow of other people’s requests and stress,” says Steere. “If you know what you want and need, you can make better decisions about what to say yes and no to.” 

Create career-focused New Year’s resolutions:

Start with an honest self-assessment followed by some goal setting. (Similar to your other New Year’s resolutions sans working out and drinking more green juice.) Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, president and CEO of the Florida-based resume consulting company Great Resumes Fast says to ask yourself questions such as: What excites me about this position?  How can I improve? What are my weaknesses? What are my opportunities for improvement? She recommends using the list to identify action-oriented opportunities to learn and improve such as taking a class, reading relevant books, or getting a certification. “Investing in your own career growth will generate excitement and enthusiasm when you’re feeling burned out,” says Hernandez. “It will also give you something fun to look forward to and an opportunity to show your employer you are interested in progress and growth in your career, which is a great case for a promotion the next time an opportunity pops up.” 

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