Steps to take when you’re feeling burned out

If you woke up this morning feeling exhausted, stressed and wondering how you can possibly make it through a long day at work, you’re not alone.

An increasing number of employees feel that way and don’t know what to do about it. Burnout — that troubled feeling of physical or mental collapse from overwork or stress — is going to be a huge problem for companies and their workers in 2017.

Already, 95 percent of human resource leaders say burnout is the No. 1 culprit of turnover, according to a new study of 614 HR officials conducted by Kronos Inc., a Massachusettsbased workforce management solutions firm, and Future Workplace, a New York talent management firm. Although burnout is a problem at companies of all sizes, larger organizations reported more of a problem, particularly those companies with more than 2,500 employees.

For some employees, burnout stems from a perception of unfair pay, unreasonable workload or working too many hours. For others, it is the result of poor management, a negative workplace culture or insufficient technology to do their jobs, the survey shows.

Many companies are well aware that a high percentage of their employees are burnt out and ready to bolt. However, organizations reported in the survey that they have too many competing priorities to focus on fixing the issue in 2017 and lack executive support for improvements.

But there is a way out.

Overcoming burnout, and the fatigue, irritability and exhaustion that are symptoms of it, starts with breaking the cycle of destructive behavior. Stop and think how you got to your current state of burnout. Have you mismanaged your time, failed to delegate or allowed your work to take an emotional toll? Is your burnout the fault of your employer’s unfair expectations, lack of guidance and scant praise or appreciation? Is your profession one with high stakes and you’re failing to take the necessary breaks?

Once you pinpoint the cause, “don’t accept burnout as the way things are,” said Shari Roth, a leadership coach with Capital Idea in Weston, Fla. “Take action.”

Make time for a oneonone with a manager instead of agreeing to unreasonable demands, drowning in expectations and enduring the frustration of not getting anywhere, Roth suggested. “Get clear on what’s important and develop a plan together. A lot of people don’t get feedback, don’t feel valued and don’t feel that their work is making a difference, and that’s where the burnout comes from.”

Another cure for burnout is training. Some people have jumped into manager positions without any knowhow and need help with leadership skills. Others need help managing excessive stress. Roth suggested asking for training, or if the budget is tight, speak to peer managers or outside professionals for guidance.

“A lot of coping with burnout is knowing what you can change and what you cannot change,” said Juan Sanchez, professor of management and international business at Florida International University in Miami. “When you have the overwhelming feeling you can’t get results, it is time to make a change.”

Not all burnout can be eliminated, but much of it can be avoided. Companies can use metrics such as vacation use or technology that tracks schedules to know who is at risk. They can also encourage more managers to become models for how their team can achieve work/life balance. Sanchez is optimistic that despite survey findings, wise companies will give workers more resources and support in 2017: “Talent is becoming more important. If you treat your people as a mechanical, expendable unit, you do pay a price — and so will your employees.”