It's a marathon, not a sprint - fighting burnout in full-time roles

A good friend recently sent me this -

And I laughed, then rolled my eyes in understanding. It had thousands of likes, meaning it made lots of people laugh. But it got me thinking, why is that feeling so relatable?

Burnout has become so common in the workplace these days that almost everyone can relate to it. No matter the industry. The never-ending race to handle priorities, exceed expectations, “do more with less” and constantly be available can take a toll on our mental and physical well-being. While this is just as true for freelancers or contract workers, full-time roles are also often stuck in a place of churn and burn. By its very nature, a full-time role has been determined as a business function that is permanently needed, therefore there will always be work for that role. Because of this, it's important to remember that a full-time job is not a sprint; it's a marathon. In this blog, we explore the concept of burnout, and its impact on our lives, and share effective strategies to prevent and fight burnout in full-time roles.

Understanding Burnout

Burnout is more than feeling tired or stressed. It is a state of complete physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by chronic workplace stress. It often manifests as fatigue, cynicism, decreased productivity, and a loss of interest or passion for work. Burnout can affect not only our professional lives but also our personal relationships and overall well-being. For more information and some amazing recommended resources for burnout, check out our quick guide.

Prioritizing Self-Care (easier said than done)

We seem to continually be bombarded with messages these days which tell us to ”prioritize self-care”, (a concept which is incredibly problematic in itself, as this article from the Guardian explores) but what does that actually mean? Better yet, what does it look like in practice? Below are some self-care strategies that can be applicable in supporting the workloads of a full-time role, with the caveat that these shouldn’t become more guilt to add to your to-do list:

• Establish Boundaries Reflect on where you feel the most stress in situations and identify if there are boundaries that could help you to avoid that. Is it that you need clear working hours so you can feel ‘off’ and recharge at other times? Is it that you need to block out time for focused work or for a break?
  

• Take Breaks Breaks are crucial for maintaining productivity and preventing burnout. Incorporate short breaks throughout the day even if it’s just to grab a drink. We know bouncing back to back in meetings isn’t good for us, as explored in this article, yet many of us are still doing it. Is this a boundary you could work on?
  

• Practice Mindfulness Mindfulness has also been commoditized in recent years, but you don’t need to spend money on an app subscription or a new journal to be more mindful. Meditation is an effective tool to manage stress and prevent burnout and it is essentially just giving yourself a few minutes to be present in your day. Is there a way you could incorporate a few moments of calm into your daily rituals?
  

• Prioritize Sleep We all know that sleep is important for us, and for anyone with sleep-related issues or small children, feel free to scoff at the thought of this point and move on, but is there a way you could prioritize sleep more? Maybe it’s setting screen time limits or being a bit stricter on your bedtime, if you can, try to find ways to prioritize sleep - it has a huge impact on overall well-being and better yet - it’s a free activity.
  

• Engage in Activities Outside of Work The thing that tends to happen when we are overwhelmed and bogged down with work, is that we have less personal time available and so we don’t feel like doing anything with it. However, making time for activities that bring you joy and fulfillment outside of your job can help you find new energy, feel refreshed or create a sense of balance and fulfillment that you need.

Building Supportive Relationships

“Real self-care - “is always going to involve other people”. It is about “connecting with other people who care about you as much as you care about them, and accepting their help and exchanging cheerleading”. It is also about “letting each other know that they don’t have to conform to the outside socially constructed ideals. You are already worthy of care and support just as you are.”

• Amelia Nagoski, the co-author of Burnout: Solve Your Stress Cycle

Fostering supportive relationships and enjoying connection with others is a critical element of self-care. Here are some tactics you can use to cultivate connection in your professional life:

• Connect with Colleagues Build strong relationships with your colleagues by engaging in open communication, collaboration, and mutual support. Foster a positive work environment where team members can lean on each other, share experiences, and provide assistance when needed.
  

• Seek a Mentor Finding a mentor can provide a fresh perspective on your work, offer career guidance, and help you navigate the complexities of your full-time role. They can offer you a valuable space for self-reflection and growth and offer their experience and guidance around common pitfalls and challenges.
  

• Seek Emotional Support Build your circle of trust and don't hesitate to reach out for emotional support when needed. Confide with friends, family, or trusted colleagues about your feelings and concerns. Venting, sharing experiences, and receiving comfort can be instrumental in preventing burnout.

Redefining Success

Lastly, it's important to redefine success in your full-time role. Recognize that your worth as an individual is not solely dependent on work achievements. Shift your focus from constantly striving for external validation to finding fulfillment in personal growth, meaningful relationships, and a healthy work-life balance.

Also, as you build seniority in your career, you can begin to work in areas of greater strategic importance to an organization, they can feel vast and slow compared to when you are building your career and you execute on deliverables and get the immediate gratification that fuels productivity and motivation. It’s important to redefine your success so you can feel a sense of achievement even when you have just moved the needle.

Take time to reflect on your values, aspirations, and what truly brings you joy. By aligning your professional life with your authentic self and setting realistic expectations, you can minimize burnout and create a more harmonious and fulfilling full-time career.

pg takeaway:

Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Prioritize continuous self-care, (in a way that is healthy, sustainable, useful and works for you); build supportive relationships, and redefine success to avoid feeling the continual churn and burn that comes with working full-time and trying to live a whole and full life. You got this.