How Busy Professionals Are Avoiding Burnout and Improving Fulfillment, All While Succeeding at Work and Home

Article by Dean Burgess

Image courtesy of Pexels

How Busy Professionals Are Avoiding Burnout and Improving Fulfillment, All While Succeeding at Work and Home

Burnout is widespread among professionals. In 2021, 52 percent of people experienced burnout, a dramatic increase to the 43 percent who felt that way before the pandemic.

Finding ways to avoid burnout and improve fulfillment seems daunting. This is especially true if succeeding personally and professionally is a priority, as juggling it all isn’t easy.

Fortunately, you can put yourself on the path toward something better, even if you’re struggling with burnout today. If you’d like to feel more fulfilled and excel at work and at home, Bring Me 2 Life shares some types that can help.

Focus on Passion, Not Just Engagement, in Your Career

Many people mistake engagement at work for passion. While engagement usually comes with some emotional commitment to your company’s success, it doesn’t mean that you find the work intrinsically rewarding. In some cases, engagement is boosted by extrinsic motivators alone. As a result, engaging in work might not leave you feeling fulfilled in the long run.

By focusing on your passion when designing your career, you set yourself up for intrinsic rewards. The work is meaningful on a deeper level, causing your motivation to excel to come from a place within yourself. As a result, you may feel more fulfilled, even when the work itself is challenging.

If your career doesn’t ignite your passion, heading in a new direction could be wise. Start by reflecting on what ignites your passion. Then, identify your relevant transferable skills, allowing you to determine what you already bring to the table that could help you transition.

Once you determine what you know, you can decide what skills you need to add to make your new career path viable. If you need to further your education, a doctoral degree could give you critical capabilities while distinguishing you from others in the field. Degree programs are available that cover multiple industries. Plus, with an online degree program, you can work full-time while furthering your education, allowing you to get moving in a different direction while maintaining an income.

Take Time Off to Practice Self-Care

Many busy professionals have trouble finding time for self-care. If you’re in that boat and also don’t use your paid time off from work regularly, consider scheduling a vacation to give yourself time for self-care.

Stepping away from the workplace to focus on your needs occasionally can be healthy. It’s a chance to rest and rejuvenate, as well as make yourself a priority.

While you don’t have to spend every moment purely on self-care, make sure it’s one of the primary purposes of your time away. Spend time engaging in your hobbies, volunteering for a cause that matters to you, or participating in any other activity that boosts your mood and recharges your energy levels. That way, when you head back to work, you’ll feel renewed.

Get Professional Help If Feelings of Burnout Persist

While many people have symptoms of burnout from time to time, if what you’re experiencing is persistent, getting professional help is wise. Many of those symptoms cross over with other mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. Plus, some physical symptoms of burnout like fatigue are also signs of other health conditions, such as anemia, heart disease, fibromyalgia, and more.

If your burnout symptoms disrupt your life, speak with a medical professional. They can make sure the cause isn’t physical. Then, they can develop a treatment plan, recommend a counselor, or take other steps to help you regain your footing and move toward a brighter tomorrow.