Burnout-Busting Tips

In the 1999 cult classic Office Space, the main characters steal a printer, stomp on it and hit it with a baseball bat to express their frustrations with work.

Don't worry—we're not condoning a heist or human-on-printer violence like in the movie. However, it is important to recognize the signs of burnout—a state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. This can be caused by work, school, or even caretaking.

A recent poll discovered that 25% of working parents feel burned out, but the problem doesn't stop with mom and dad. The American Psychological Association reports that 31% of teenagers feel overwhelmed, too.

While life can be stressful, burnout is more serious and comes with changes in behavior, such as:

• Altered sleeping habits
• Ambivalence
• Feeling emotionally or physically depleted
• Headaches
• Increased irritability
• Loss of appetite
• Social isolation

Burned-out people are also sick more often, as stress lowers the immune system, and they may use drugs or alcohol to cope with their emotions.

So, how can you re-balance if you or a loved one is headed down the "ready to beat up the printer" path? Some ways include:

Battling loneliness: Not only can loneliness increase our risk for premature death by 26%, but studies have also found a link between it and burnout. That's why making friends at work is important—even if you're working from home. Studies show that people with a work best friend are happier, perform better on the job and feel more creative.

Prioritizing self-care. If you don't get plenty of exercise, nutritious food and sleep, you will start your day in a deficit. As they say, "You can't pour from an empty cup." Despite living in a "hustle culture" that demands you to be productive 24/7, recharging your batteries to manage your stress levels is important.

Encouraging open communication. While that doesn't mean unloading all your problems on your family, having an open dialogue is important. Set a good example by asking for help with the workload and encourage your partner, children and even colleagues to do the same. Simply acknowledging the feelings of stress out loud can help.

Setting boundaries. You don't have to say "yes" to everything. Sometimes, ambition, fear or guilt make us take on more than we can handle. Then, we have no time left for hobbies, family, friends and other things that bring us joy. So, don't think of it as saying "no" to someone. It's saying "yes" to giving yourself a break when your plate is full.

Using a schedule. Our ability to focus may be as little as 8.25 seconds, but 40 minutes is the cap for how long we can concentrate. If you're trying to power through for longer than that, you're losing steam. That's why children and adults alike should set a schedule. Use a timer to adhere to your limits for certain tasks, then take a five-minute break.

Remember, taking care of yourself, and encouraging your family to do the same, is the best way to avoid prolonged stress.

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