So you’ve landed your dream job and have been putting in the hours for some time.
How hard can you push before you get burned out, or will you get burned out at all?
No matter how much we love what we do, every person has a limit to how much work they can do before they begin to plateau, fatigue, or burn out.
The question is then how can you recognize the warning signs in yourself or your employees, and what can you do to combat it?
All of us have an off day now and then, and nobody can put out a maximum workload all the time. However, if you notice productivity or quality of work has declined over a long period of time, it may be burnout.
Something equally hazardous is the worker who continues to put out good work, but has lost passion or enjoyment for their work. If a worker who normally enjoys what they do seems to be just putting in the hours, he or she may be experiencing burnout.
Finally, and easiest to recognize, is when a worker expresses to supervisor or coworker that they are burned out.
Supervisors listen to your staff! Early intervention can prevent you from losing a quality worker.
Once burnout has been recognized in yourself, or an employee, it is critical that it is addressed. Sometimes all an employee needs is a short break. If it is a more serious case, it may be necessary for some kind of larger scale change, either in the type of work the employee is doing, or a change in duties or responsibilities.
Often additional training or a conference can help to relight the fire and help a worker recapture why they love doing their job in the first place.
If nothing is working for a long period of time, it may be time to consider a more permanent change in venue. While this sort of decision should not be made quickly or lightly, it is important for workers to have fulfillment in what they are doing.
Above all else make sure to practice self care daily, it is the healthiest way to manage a healthy work life balance!
