Feeling that end-of-year burnout? You're not alone

 A fatigued man. [iStockphoto]

The end of the year is upon us and figuratively speaking it is time to close those laptops, take a break spend some quality time with loved ones and participate in some leisure activities.

If you are experiencing exhaustion, trouble concentrating, procrastination, feeling overwhelmed, a drop in motivation and tiredness then these may be symptoms of what they call End-of-year burnout or fatigue. According to an article by Forbes, End-of-year burnout is fatigue that manifests itself in the workplace, typically in November and December. It's essentially a build-up of stress over time and is a common occurrence.

The good news is that End-of-year burnout can be managed just like any other stressor. Here are some ways you can manage End of Year Burn out.  

Self-Care

Self-care is one of the most effective ways of avoiding end-of-year fatigue. You can do this by prioritizing your mental health by getting enough sleep and giving yourself breaks during the day to catch up with family, friends or colleagues on other issues not work-related to unwind. You can work on your physical health by exercising regularly and eating healthy meals and don’t forget about feeding your emotional health by practicing acts such as meditation or mindfulness and yoga. Just taking time to focus on yourself and your well-being goes a long way in avoiding burnout.  

Plan Ahead

The reason we can feel so fatigued or overwhelmed is that the end of the year can have so many commitments and deadlines coming up quickly as the year draws to a close. A good way to avoid this is to set a plan to stay on track and to plan ahead in order to not feel too overwhelmed by it all. By prioritizing your projects based on urgency it gives you the flexibility to break down projects into smaller portions that give you time to work on your projects at a pace you feel comfortable with. The plan is to set realistic achievable goals that don’t overwhelm you. The more you plan ahead the easier it is to pace yourself as the days go by.   

Ask for help

The World Health Organisation (WHO) listed “Burnout” as an ‘occupational phenomenon’. They also noted that the lines between work and home life have become increasingly blurred and added that this is a problem that has only got worse since the pandemic. If you’re having a hard time coping with end-of-year burnout asking for help from your supervisor or your colleague or even from HR can alleviate that stress from your shoulders. Remember asking for help is not a sign of weakness. You can also seek professional help from a mental health practitioner if the burnout is getting too overwhelming as chronic stress may be a factor. You should also reach out to friends and family to gain support and understanding, this helps relieve the overwhelming feeling of isolation.

Learn to say No

Saying No to more work when you’re feeling overwhelmed is a skill that will keep you from reaching the point of burnout or will lighten the load. Assess your current load and what you can manage after you have planned out your workflow and if you can’t do it then politely decline. Remember that it’s better to do something right than do it in a rush just to get it done.

Rest

Lastly take time for yourself to give yourself time to relax, reflect and rejuvenate for the next year. Participate in pleasurable or relaxing activities. Spend time with your support system. Think back on the year you’ve had and assess it. How did it go? Appreciate yourself for making it through the year. Carve out time for other areas of life besides work. Now you can start on a clean slate for the next coming year with a recharged battery of energy.