Stress in the workplace is normal and happens to almost everyone. However, those who can’t manage job stress may suffer more serious conditions later. As a professional, always be in control of your physical, mental, and emotional state. Hence, if you’re suffering from job burnout, regain your sanity and take back your life as you read this.
What Is Job Stress and Burnout?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines job or work-related stress as harmful physical and emotional responses. It occurs when the job doesn’t match the worker’s capabilities, resources, or needs. If not managed well, stress at work may cause poor health and even injury.
In contrast, Mayo Clinic argues job burnout as a special form of job stress. It’s a state of physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion mixed with doubts on the competence and value of work. Further, it’s a condition that results from prolonged exposure to stress.
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Tips on How to Rekindle Your Passion for Work
Don’t ignore the signs of job stress and attend to them before it evolves into mental burnout. Overcoming stress is hard, but keeping yourself motivated to work is even harder if you’re stuck in a routine. Therefore, if you lack the enthusiasm to work, apply these tips before it’s too late.
1. Break the routine.
Don’t be a slave of your list. Save time for yourself. Stay away from the perpetual cycle of grinding, pausing for two days to prepare, and then grinding again. Instead, be proactive and have silent moments alone. Besides, don’t worry if you’re productive or not to prevent boredom and invite innovations.
2. Build relationships in and outside work.
Maybe, limiting yourself to the same corporate circle makes everything mundane. Therefore, spend time with people from different cultures. The experience may refresh and free you from the routine. Likewise, keeping business relationships alone isn’t healthy. Otherwise, build real friendships and avoid work-related topics.
3. Find or be a mentor.
Find a role model or mentor others. This gives a sense of personal purpose. In addition, mentoring or finding a coach will help you discover and keep your passion from draining. In particular, it may push you to improve, not force you to improve.
4. Turn off that screen.
Stay away from stress. As you visit your Facebook account, it may stress you than going out or taking a break.
5. Stay fit.
Engage in a new hobby. Exercise or meditate. Aside from reviving yourself, proper diet and muscle-stretch will keep your life longer than staying in your cubicle for long hours. When you say fitness, it meant plenty of rest. Do you suppose your 5-hour-a-day sleep routine will keep you healthy? If not, then avoid it.
6. Stop thinking of changing careers.
Although sometimes the other way works, the best means to handle job burnout is to confront it. Likewise, it’s not yet time to dream of getting another job. Before you decide, however, study how you can fight it instead. The job market can be harsh to career changers sometimes.
You may not always find it easy to do what you love, but you can always learn to love what you do. With the tips above, learn to manage job stress and enjoy your career because it’s the secret to a happy professional life.
Do you know the secret to overcoming job stress? It’s work-life balance. To change your pace, why don’t you strengthen your network by building a better LinkedIn profile? This way, not only will you find or be a mentor, who knows, you’d find a way to your dream job.
