Are you sitting at your desk, but can’t seem to get anything done? Frustrated with your job and feeling angry or cynical about it? Find yourself getting impatient and irritable with co-workers or customers? Then you might be experiencing job burnout.
According to the Mayo Clinic, other symptoms of job burnout can include the lack of energy to be consistently productive and unexplained headaches or other physical complaints. Some of the symptoms could indicate certain health conditions, so the first step to determine if you have job burnout is to write down all your symptoms.
Because job burnout can be the result of many different factors, it’s also important to understand what causes the symptoms of burnout. For example:
- Lack of job control: “An inability to influence decisions that affect your job – such as your schedule, assignments or workload – could lead to job burnout,” says Mayo Clinic staffers. “So could a lack of the resources you need to do your work.”
- Unclear job expectations: Being unsure of what you’re required to accomplish in your job can add stress and confusion to your daily activities and contribute to burnout.
- Work environment that leads to increased stress levels: A dysfunctional work environment can increase stress levels and cause job burnout. According to the 2012 Workplace Survey by the American Psychological Association, 41% of employees report that they typically feel stressed out during the workday and only 58% report that they have the resources to manage work stress.
- Lack of physical activity: Sitting at your desk all day and obtaining little physical exercise can also contribute to increased stress levels, poor health and job burnout.
- Too much work and too little play: Spending most of your time working might help you out financially, but it can also be a cause of job burnout. Everyone needs some down time to unwind and play.
Now that you’ve written down your symptoms and reviewed the list of some of the main causes of job burnout, ask yourself some questions:
- Do I feel in control of my job? Do I have the necessary resources to do my job?
- Do I clearly understand my boss’ expectations of what I need to accomplish at work?
- Does the office culture and dynamics foster a positive working environment?
- Am I getting enough physical activity every day/week to feel good about myself and remain healthy?
- Am I scheduling enough “me” time to unwind and to spend time with family and friends?
If you answered “No” to any of these questions, then it’s time to create a plan to address that issue. For example, if you don’t clearly understand your job expectations, sit down with your manager to discuss this and to clearly define your goals and objectives for the year. If you aren’t regularly exercising, research to find local activities in which you can get involved, such as joining a gym, becoming part of a local running group, or signing yourself up for an exercise class you’ve never tried before.
The key to overcoming job burnout is to recognize the signs and symptoms, understand the causes, and then proactively take control of your job and your life – by creating action plans to overcome each issue you identified.
~ Lisa Quast, author of the recently released book, Secrets of a Hiring Manager Turned Career Coach: A Foolproof Guide to Getting the Job You Want. Every Time. Join me on Twitter @careerwomaninc
