Near the end of the year, many employees may suffer from what is called “job burnout.” Job burnout can happen when you are feeling unmotivated or downright miserable in your job, even though you may normally find your work fulfilling. It’s important to be able to recognize job burnout because it may end up causing some serious mental health issues in the long run.

The Symptoms of Job Burnout:

According to careercast.com the symptoms of job burnout may be subjected but not limited to:
  • A feeling of inner emptiness that may be filled by overeating or heavy drinking.
  • Feeling hopeless, indifferent, exhausted, and clinically depressed.
  • Physical and emotional collapse with potential for self-destructive behavior.
Burnout can look different for everyone. In these cases, you have to listen closely to what your mind is telling you. Do not ignore these signs if you are showing them. If you are feeling a general sense of unhappiness and lack of motivation, you are probably suffering from job burnout.

So, what can you do about it?

We have a previous blog that can offer a few tips to handle stress in the workplace that you can read here, but job burnout may require more attention than feeling stressed at work would. The first step is self-awareness and if you’ve decided that you show some or all of the symptoms that we’ve listed, you’re already past the first step!

Seek Help

Reach out to a mental health professional or talk about your burnout with a friend or family member. You should not have to go through your feelings alone. If you have a good relationship with your supervisor, it wouldn’t hurt to talk with them about what your feeling. Maybe there is something they can do.

Consider a Career Change

Take a piece of paper and write down lists of pros and cons about your job. Maybe work is more stressful depending on the time of year, but maybe it’s time for you to try something new. No matter who you are, there is no problem with learning something new and changing your career. We have advice available if you’re debating changing your career that you can read about here. 

Don’t Lose Your Job Over Your Burnout

If burnout is causing a serious lack of productivity, it’s time to do something about it. The last thing you want is to lose your job because you didn’t tell anyone or do anything about your burnout. You will feel a lot worse if your burnout causes the termination of your employment.

Be honest and forgiving of yourself when it comes to job burnout. A lot of people struggle with burnout, so just know that you aren’t alone.

Don’t think that burnout from your job will necessarily be the same on a new job. You can start your search to a new opportunity here.