Recovering from burnout without quitting your job is possible, but it's certainly not easy. By taking these steps to rest and reset, as well as learning how to set and communicate boundaries, you can overcome burnout and find greater satisfaction in your career.
Making the decision to step away from a job is not always easy or feasible. But when your physical or emotional well-being is suffering and your stress isn't eased by the occasional mental health day, experts say it's generally best to start looking elsewhere. Just be sure to give it some thought before rage quitting.
Habitual Burnout. The final stage of burnout is habitual burnout. This means that the symptoms of burnout are so embedded in your life that you are likely to experience a significant ongoing mental, physical or emotional problem, as opposed to occasionally experiencing stress or burnout.
How Long Does Burnout Last? It takes an average time of three months to a year to recover from burnout. How long your burnout lasts will depend on your level of emotional exhaustion and physical fatigue, as well as if you experience any relapses or periods of stagnant recovery.
It's essential to replenish your physical and emotional energy, along with your capacity to focus, by prioritizing good sleep habits, nutrition, exercise, social connection, and practices that promote equanimity and well-being, like meditating, journaling, and enjoying nature.
Yes, doing something you hate every day can take a toll on your body, but a dislike of your job is less likely to manifest itself in your body the same way true burnout would. If symptoms like headaches, backaches, panic attacks, or stomach issues are weighing you down, it's likely burnout that you're dealing with.
Unfortunately, while you can't be fired for burnout, you can be fired for poor job performance. It may feel nerve-wracking, but protecting your job may mean speaking to a manager or human resources professional. They can help you navigate what your options and rights are.
If your stress is impacting your health, you may want to resign immediately so you can focus on getting help. Otherwise, giving notice can help preserve your professional reputation. Assess your current situation and decide which option is best for you, then clearly state your last day in your resignation letter.
Physical symptoms will become intense, leading to chronic headaches, stomach issues and gastrointestinal problems. Friends and family members may also notice behavioral changes. If left untreated, burnout can become a part of your everyday life and eventually lead to anxiety or depression.
Job change can increase your levels of burnout! While there are a lot of causes of burnout, one study found that changing jobs is one of them! For the first two years after a job change, burnout increases before stabilizing.
It is displayed in hostility, anger, frustration, and an inability to effectively cope with these negative emotions. Chronic stress that goes on for months or longer should be addressed with self-help relaxation techniques to prevent an escalation to mental health issues.
The problem with burnout, then, is that our bodily systems become deprioritised for too long, and as a result we can experience additional physical symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fainting, heart palpitations and chest and muscle pain, among other things.
Consider taking time off to hit your "reset" button
If you're not able to take time off, consider taking breaks at work. Bouncing between demanding projects or assignments can perpetuate burnout, so try to remember to go for a walk or practice breathing exercises between tasks.
Since burnout affects people differently, recovery time hinges on how a person experiences work-related exhaustion. Because of this variation, recovery time can take anywhere from a few weeks to several years.
While a week away from the office can certainly feel restorative, a vacation is not a cure for the stress, exhaustion, and negative feelings associated with burnout.
Stenlund and co-workers showed that around two thirds of clinical burnout patients reported mental fatigue and physical fatigue 3 years after seeking care [13].
Burnout is when a person reaches a state of total mental, physical and emotional exhaustion and it has some similar signs and symptoms to a nervous breakdown. Your doctor can prescribe medicines for many mental health conditions, and refer you to other healthcare professionals, such as psychologists or psychiatrists.