5 Effective Ways to Overcome Burnout and Restore Work-Life Balance

So after weeks and months of scouring job boards, customizing your resume, submitting applications, and preparing for interviews, you’ve finally landed a full-time job. Congratulations! It’s an exciting time because the burden of unemployment has been lifted. Now you can start or continue the process of building your career and setting professional goals. For the first few months in your new role, things are smooth—until you realize that the energy and enthusiasm you had in the beginning have slowly faded and left you struggling to keep up. You’re dealing with burnout. 

There’s an unwritten rule for young professionals, especially when they start a new role, to prove themselves. It’s easy to assume that co-workers and managers with more experience have low expectations from you. Expectations that have to be negated. At least that’s how I felt in my first few roles. I felt the need to overcompensate for getting hired—even if that meant spreading myself too thin. If you relate to this, then you probably also know that this mindset often leads to burn out, resentment, and fatigue, which helps no one.  

Finding the right balance between hard work and overkill is essential, especially at the start of your career. It’s important to set a good precedent without being taken advantage of. I’m going to break down five tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance and show that not only is it possible to walk this fine line, but it is also extremely worth it. 

1. Understand What Burnout Is

In order to avoid burnout, you have to first understand what it is. That way you can recognize potential symptoms early enough and proactively combat them before they get worse. According to HelpGuide.org, burnout is “a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.” 

Burnout can manifest in a variety of ways, from physical symptoms like extreme fatigue, lowered immunity, and changes in appetite or sleep habits to emotional symptoms like lack of motivation, feelings of helplessness, failure and self-doubt, to behavioural symptoms including isolating oneself from others, withdrawing from responsibilities, and lashing out at others.

2. Set Boundaries

Your work hours are exactly that: work hours. Aside from that chunk of time dedicated to your professional responsibilities, the rest of your day should be spent on the personal aspects of your life. This can be harder to do if you’re a remote or hybrid worker. In that case, I recommend completely shutting down your work station once you’re off the clock. This means no computers or laptops on sleep mode, or work phones on vibrate. 

If you know you’ll be tempted to check in after work hours, then complete separation of your work and home devices will be helpful. It’s not a crime to say no, and you shouldn’t be guilt-tripped for upholding your boundaries. Remember, the work will still be there tomorrow.

Setting boundaries can look like any of the following:

• Saying no to a meeting request that is outside of your established work hours
• Declining an invitation to cover a shift last-minute
• Politely refusing to take on additional tasks when your workload is already full
• Communicating your availability clearly to colleagues and supervisors to prevent unrealistic expectations
• Asking for support or delegating tasks instead of trying to handle everything yourself

3. Prioritize Self-Care

I came across a saying recently that, in my opinion, encapsulates what every people-pleaser and over-extender should understand: Self-care isn’t selfish.

To develop a healthy work-life balance, it’s essential to pour into each dimension of your life with equal measure. Be mindful not to let the occupational dimension overshadow the others. There’s no perfect formula for achieving this, and of course, there will be times when one dimension requires more attention than another. Intentionality is key.

It could be as simple as incorporating small steps into your daily routine or practicing self-compassion and letting go of perfectionism.

Here are some other ways you can practice self-care and prevent burnout:

• Incorporate at least two fruits or vegetables into every meal
• Get at least 10 minutes of physical activity everyday e.g walking, weight training, swimming, dancing, etc)
• Invest in hobbies that fulfill you
• Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques e.g meditation, yoga, journaling

4. Build a Strong Support System

The importance of maintaining friendships and a healthy social life  can’t be stressed enough. A strong support system keeps you from unraveling when things become overwhelming. To avoid burnout, try to spend time with people that support and encourage you. A get together, a phone call, or even a text message with the right people can lift your spirits and keep you at ease. 

A support system can include more than your friends and family. For young professionals, having a mentor is an underrated relationship that can be invaluable as you build your career. I met my mentor during the first week of my job and immediately gravitated towards her because we shared similar life experiences and values. After several conversations with her, I knew that she was someone I wanted to learn from, and she has been generous enough to share her wisdom from over two decades in the industry. If there’s someone in your life whose career or life trajectory you admire, it wouldn’t hurt to ask them for the chance to hear their story. You’ll likely receive advice that will help you now or in the future.

Lastly, if it’s accessible to you, I highly recommend therapy as a way to prevent burnout. Therapy is wonderful because it helps you process experiences, ideas, and thoughts that your friends and family may not understand or accept without bias. Sometimes the best thing to do is talk to a licensed professional who can equip you with useful tools and mechanisms for daily living.

5. Recognize When It’s Time for a Change

There’s so much you can do to maintain a healthy work life balance and prevent burnout. Sometimes though, the best option may be to evaluate whether you need to move on from your current position. When you’ve exhausted all other options and it’s clear that your job or work environment is the biggest source of stress or anxiety in your life, consider how essential it is for you to remain in that position. If the pros don’t outweigh the cons, then you know it’s time for a change.

Conclusion

The early days of your career can be exciting; full of hope and endless possibilities. But to stay on the other side of burnout, a strong foundation of setting boundaries and maintaining good mental and physical habits is vital. It may be difficult to execute at first, especially if you have a tendency to people-please. Just remember that practice makes perfect, and your future self will be grateful that you set these standards early.