Unfortunately, burnout is something that most of us can say we’ve experienced at some point in our lives, and some more than others. A recent survey found that 84% of millennials have felt burnout at work, a number that rises above the already-high 77% of all respondents who have felt work burnout. 

 

While it seems that work is the biggest source of burnout, this feeling of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion can be brought on also by:

 

• Parenting
• Romantic relationships
• Caretaking
• And more

 

Burnout can take a massive toll on your mood and your mental health, so it’s important to understand the triggers of burnout and potential solutions to help you get back on track. 

 

What causes burnout?

Being in a state of burnout is one that may feel familiar, but not in the friendly-familiar kind of way. 

 

There are a few different things you may be doing to bring about that burnout, so let’s take a look at them. 

 

1. Lack of work/life balance

There are times at work when the work/life balance is great – you’re putting in your time at work but also finding time to enjoy your life outside of work.

 

Then, there are those times at work when the scales are completely off and you find yourself drowning in a workload that has you on a direct flight to burnout land. 

 

Workloads that are off-balance like that once in a while may not lead to burnout, but if you find yourself chronically facing the poor work life balance, then you’re sure to hit that burnout wall. 

 

2. Lack of control

Whether it’s in your work life or your personal life, a lack of control can lead you to burnout. 

 

This can be a result of not being able to have a say in big decisions, not feeling like your voice is heard by others, not having access to resources to make the right decisions, and more. 

 

When it comes to work, this can look like a boss that expects you to be on-call 24/7 and has no boundaries. 

 

When it comes to life, this can look like a romantic partner who expects you to be with them 24/7 and leaves you no time for yourself. 

 

These both result in the feeling that you have a lack of control over your own life. 

 

3. Lack of community

While it’s important to take care of yourself first and foremost, we as humans are not meant to survive and thrive being completely solitary. In order to be happy and healthy, we need other people; we need community. 

 

Thus, if you find yourself lacking community or in a community whose values and lifestyles don’t align with yours, chances are good you’ll hit the burnout wall. 

 

4. Lack of acknowledgement

As social beings, acknowledgement is important to maintaining that primal feeling of acceptance and connection. 

 

And, if you are constantly contributing to work, friends, and/or family without receiving acknowledgement, it can leave you feeling like life just isn’t fair. 

 

5. Disregarding physical and mental health

Sometimes life gets busy and in those times often physical and mental health are the first things to fall by the wayside. 

 

However, by taking the focus off of your physical and mental health, you run the risk of reaching burnout, especially if you’re putting all your focus on work. 

 

How to reduce burnout

Chances are good that some of the above burnout triggers resonated with you and if so, you’ve come to the right place. 

 

We are here to share ways in which you can fix those feelings of burnout that bring your mood down. 

 

For workload burnout . . . 

If you find yourself in job burnout territory often, then you want to try a few different things:

 

• Planning your projects
• Delegating tasks for others to do
• Prioritizing what needs to be done now versus what can wait
• Remembering that done is better than perfect
• Saying “no”

For lack of control burnout . . .

Take a moment to think about what is causing you to feel out of control. Once you’ve sorted that out, it’s time to come up with a solution to that lack of control (that is often triggered by others).

 

So, if it’s your boss that causing you to feel that lack of control, then have a conversation with him or her and set boundaries on what times you are available. Try normal work hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and see how that goes. You may need to negotiate from there, but at least it will clearly show your boss where you need a break.

 

And, if it’s a personal relationship, you also want to have a conversation about what boundaries you need to set. Or, you may choose to cut ties with that person if the burnout continues. 

 

For lack of community burnout . . .

If you find yourself without a community or in a community whose values don’t align with yours, then try some meetup groups or go to some events to meet more people. 

 

If your lack of community exists at work, then the solution looks a bit different; you don’t want to quit your job just to find new colleagues that you enjoy better. Instead, try to find new ways of getting to know your colleagues, or minimizing the amount of time you spend with them. 

 

For lack of acknowledgement burnout . . . 

The first step in facing your burnout related to lack of acknowledgement is to speak up. Some people may have no idea that you’re feeling that way, so find a cool, calm, and collected way to share with them that you’re feeling hurt that they aren’t seeing your contributions. 

 

For the disregarding physical and mental health burnout . . .

It can be hard to balance work life, social life, exercise, healthy eating, and good morning and night rituals, so we understand you may have points in your life where your physical and mental health struggles. 

 

However, your physical and mental health should always be your number one priority. One way to ensure your health is a priority is to schedule workouts into your week. Treat them like a work meeting and like they are just as important because they are to your overall well-being. 

 

Another way to lower the risk of burnout is to meditate and take supplements that help to support your mood. 

 

Supplements to help fix burnout

There are a handful of different supplements you can take to help your mental and mood health. 

 

1. Vitamin B. This helps your brain more successfully synthesize serotonin, which plays a major role in your mood. 
2. Omega-3 fatty acids. These support healthy neurotransmitter signalling which helps to support a balanced mood. 
3. Magnesium. This aids with sleep and cognition so that you don’t reach burnout as quickly and easily.
4. Probiotics. This healthy bacteria has been proven to support emotional cognition. 
5. GABA. This neurotransmitter helps you to feel calmer and more relaxed, which is key in times of burnout. 

Summary

Burnout in both work and life is a common occurrence, but it doesn’t have to be. 

 

If you find yourself in a burnout spiral, here are a few things you can do:

 

• Plan better
• Delegate tasks for others to do
• Prioritize
• Done is better than perfect
• Say “no”
• Set boundaries
• Find new ways to interact
• Communicate clearly
• Schedule exercise
• Take supplements
• Vitamin B
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Magnesium
• Probiotics
• GABA