11 Ways to Fight Burnout 🔥

NYC.🌇

Being in front of a computer all day. 💻

Subway delays.🚇

Winter. ❄️

Limited daylight. ⛅

Sitting. 💺

And more sitting. 💺

Commuting. 🚋

Unlimited Snacks. 🍕

Political unrest. ⚠️

Carbs everywhere, gluten!! 🍞

General world chaos. ⚡

There’s no doubt I love New York and I love being a Software Engineer. There’s infinite things to do and cool neighborhoods/restaurants/museums/random fun stuff to checkout all the time in NYC. In addition, I am constantly enamored by the myriad of learning opportunities and friendships software continues bringing into my life. With that said, as a Software Engineer in New York, I find myself constantly fighting burnout.

Sometimes I feel like I’m burning the candle at both ends when trying to balance working full time, challenging myself and learning new things, maintaining a social life, going to meetups, working out, family obligations, and getting adequate sleep. Keeping my overall happiness regularly in check requires a delicate balance.

As a result, I am becoming more self aware to acknowledge the concept of burnout, recognize the burnout signs in myself, and taking actionable steps to help prevent burning out.

Burnout is real.

Burnout is a psychological term referring to long-term exhaustion and diminished interest in work.1 The term came about in the 1970s when psychologist, Herbert Freudenberger, published a paper about the effects of work’s excessive demands. These effects, Freudenberger concluded, caused exhaustion and produced “physical symptoms such as headaches and sleeplessness, ‘quickness to anger,’ and closed thinking.”

Signs that you or someone you know may be burning out:

general fatigue / lack of energy
irritability
mood changes
depression
being disengaged
general unhappiness
problems sleeping

Steps to prevent burnout:

1. TREAT YO SELF

have a spa day
buy your favorite ice cream / snack / treat
buy an item on your Amazon wishlist
go to a Broadway show
check out a museum you have never been to; a lot of museums have a free day
go see stand up comedy
just do something special for yourself

2. Disconnect from Technology

“WHATT!!?!?!?!?! but software is my job and my gram feed be poppin right now.” I know, I get that, and it’s hard for me to put the phone down too. But, maybe it’s time for a digital detox? Studies have shown that disconnecting from technology helps you rest.

try not allowing electronics in your bedroom
try going without your phone for a certain period of time and access how you feel

3. Take a vacation

take a trip to a country you’ve never been to before. (Anyone interested in going to New Zealand?)
go on a hike
take a day trip
have a fun staycation

4. Meditate

take a meditation class

5. Workout

go to yoga
hit the gym
join a running group
go rock climbing
go for a long walk or bike ride
sign up for those dance lessons you’ve always wanted to take
go to a dance party

6. Get in touch with Nature

go camping
visit a botanical garden
take a walk in one of NYC’s many parks

join a new meetup group
try a cooking class
volunteer — what better way to lift your mood than to help others! Giving === a lot of getting :)
walk dogs at local shelters
help out at a soup kitchen
spend time with the elderly
teach kids how to code!
get out there and talk to people. There are so many people to connect with who have interesting stories to share

8. Work less

if possible, leave by a certain time each day no matter what, e.g. — by 5 p.m.
try not to bring work home with you

9. Attitude of gratitude

try to be mindful of your attitude
it helps sometimes to recognize how lucky we are. There are people who are going through severe struggles.
appreciate the little things in life
pay it forward

10. Get enough sleep

plan for days of rest — It’s okay to do nothing. In fact, doing nothing is sometimes amazing
be mindful of your caffeine intake. Limit or perhaps monitor it
remove electronics from the bedroom
try to get home earlier to make sure you have enough time to unwind and be in bed by a certain time
use a sleep tracker app — try to become more aware of your sleep patterns

11. Seek help

it’s okay to ask for help. Don’t be afraid to reach out to those around you for support.
educate yourself — There are plenty of resources at your fingertips about burnout and preventing it
go to therapy — There is never shame in seeking support and in learning or in self improvement

I hope this helps 💖.

Whenever I am feeling a possible burnout, I am always uplifted by thinking about the many things I can do to empower myself. Getting out there, trying new things, treating myself, etc., helps keep me in check when I find myself teetering on the brim of burnout. I can usually alleviate burnout by planning a vacation, planning enough fun activities for myself, and sometimes by slowing down when I am doing too much.

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Originally posted on the Stride Blog. Author: Linda Gonzalez