Burnout is a big deal. So much so that this past May, the World Health Organization classified burnout as an official workplace syndrome, resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.
This is a timely moment—a validation for people experiencing burnout, and a reminder to watch out for the signs of burnout before it sets in.
How can you set up self-care systems to keep up your best work and maintain balance as you say goodbye to summer?
Sleeping well, eating healthy, and exercising all come to mind. But you can also find relief in another unlikely place: learning.
Yes, finding time to learn in your already busy schedule may seem like an insurmountable challenge, but the data shows that learning can make the difference when work gets particularly intense.
Learning Beats Burnout
According to our recent research, 52% of professionals consider learning to be part of their self-care routine. And the majority of professionals (68%) say they are less likely to feel burnout when they are learning and growing in their roles.
They’re onto something.
Learning can be inspiring and motivating. It recharges your batteries and gives you a fresh reason to keep moving forward.
Recognize the Signs
The first step to beating burnout is to recognize the signs.
In his course “Avoiding Burnout” author and inspirational speaker Todd Dewett shares the typical signs of burnout, including:
Lack of productivity
Constant fatigue
Inability to focus and increased work-related errors
Loss of creativity
Poor eating habits
Substance abuse
Seeing work as a constant negative force
Whether you’re starting to notice some signs, or you’re simply looking to get proactive to prevent burnout, learning is a great place to start.
Get Back to Your Best Self with These Courses
Ready to nurture a positive and productive mindset? Try these short, inspiring courses to fuel your best self.
After getting burned out to the point of wanting to quit her job, Executive Coach Henna Inam discovered mindfulness, which “changed the course of her life.” She shares that with a regular mindfulness practice, she found the courage to pursue a meaningful career path, have more inspiration and success at work, and develop stronger relationships.
The premise of mindfulness is to be aware of what’s happening in the moment without any judgment. It’s simple, yet powerful—a quick practice you can fit into your day to relax, grow self-awareness, and handle stress with strength and grace.
Ready to recharge? Try these guided mindfulness exercises that take less than five minutes:
Morning Mindfulness (4m)
Calm the mind (4m)
Evening mindfulness (4m)
Grow self-awareness (3m)
Stressing as a blessing?
That’s right, says Heidi Hanna, PhD, a globally recognized stress and resilience expert. “Stress just gives us insight and information and even energy that we can use to make some sort of adjustment in order to make things better,” she shares.
If you’re ready to look at stress from a new perspective and use it to fuel positive change, check out Inam’s stress audit and three-step stress mastery framework:
Assess: get clear on what it is and where it’s coming from.
Appreciate: recognize that stress is trying to help you, not hurt you; and be grateful that you’re aware enough to notice it. If it’s too stressful to do that, find something else to appreciate, like the lunch you’re eating, the roof over your head, or the air you’re breathing. Gratitude shifts your brain chemistry, helping you to think more clearly and creatively, and problem solve more effectively.
Adjust: take one small action step to “reduce demand” (minimize the challenge you’re facing) and/or “increase your capacity” (recharge your own battery.)
What seem like small steps can have a big impact. With a little bit of time and practice, you’ll start feeling more confident, aware, and get back to nurturing your best self.
Topics: Productivity tips
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