With many workers returning to the office, given the reduction in COVID-19 cases, adjusting to the different environment is not always easy. Some workers have reported suffering from burnout or stress-related illnesses.
This is not only a return-to-office factor, since many self-employed people such as business owners or freelancers are also often susceptible to burnout due to long working hours.
For many employees, work and life have become intertwined, which does not help to balance the feelings of stress. To aid those in this situation, Digital Journal connected with Private Rehab Clinic Delamere to share tips on how people can tackle burnout when self-employed and the common signs.
To tackle burnout:
Set Goals and Priorities
Having a mountain of work, with no plan in place to move forward can sometimes feel overwhelming. It can help to take a step back to assess which of your tasks need prioritising, and which ones will help you to achieve your goals.
Speak to Your Colleagues or Clients
Being honest with the people that you are working with or for, about your mental health can often make things a lot a lot easier. You may be surprised at how understanding other people are of your situation.
By being open with others, you will have a better understanding of what to expect from each other, meaning that you will have a stronger professional relationship going forward.
Ask for Help
Never be afraid to ask for help if you feel that your stress is becoming too much to handle and you start to show signs of burnout. Getting external advice through counselling or therapy can give you a new perspective on a situation to guide you through any problems.
If you do not feel comfortable with counselling, then simply reaching out to friends and family can be enough to help you talk through your problems.
Schedule Time-Off
Sometimes when work life is becoming too stressful, all you need to do is take a short break from it all. Returning to work after a much-needed break can give a person a more positive mindset.
Those who are self-employed are often in charge of their own schedule and can overlook the need to take holidays. In fact, some surveys have shown that nearly one in ten business owners go up to five years without taking a holiday.
Consider Changing Things
If your line of work is causing you constant stress and it feels that there truly is no way out, then it may be worth considering if you are genuinely following the right career path for you.
It may be the case that you do not need to change your career path altogether, but that your daily work routine simply needs to be altered. Consider making small changes such as your place of work. If you are stuck in an office or at home all day, you may benefit from finding a co-working space or coffee shop to work in.
Sometimes changes can be as simple as investing in new equipment or simply taking more regular breaks from your working day. By implementing these small changes you are less likely to burnout from stress.
Put Self-Care First
Work-life can be demanding, especially for any self-employed people who are under pressure to meet deadlines for various clients. However, when we demand too much of ourselves, it can be damaging to our physical and mental health.
Remind yourself that you come first. Maintaining a healthy sleeping and eating pattern, while keeping up a rewarding social life and strong relationships is more important to your mental well-being than anything you do while on the clock.
In a companion article, the signs of burnout are discussed.
