How to prevent workplace burnout

Are you part of the 79% of employees who experience workplace burnout? Or worse, the 35% who suffer from it to extreme levels? Burnout can be detrimental to your mental health, productivity and workplace satisfaction, so it’s important to take measures to prevent it or stop it in its tracks. Professionals working in accountancy and finance may be at an especially high risk of burnout during the busy season, so follow the below advice to improve your overall wellbeing in the workplace, not just for now, but all-year round.

Recognise the symptoms

Burnout is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” characterised by three key components: a drop in energy, increased negative feelings about work and a decline in efficiency. If you’re suffering from one or more of these symptoms, you could be on your way to – or already experiencing – workplace burnout. If this is the case, speak to your manager to see if they can make any accommodations that would help, such as reviewing your workload if it’s overwhelming or providing additional support.

Establish clear boundaries between your home and work life

Truly switching off from your workday is vital to stop any office stressors from bleeding into your personal life and to maintain a good work-life balance. If you often work into your evenings or weekends, consider what measures you can take to reclaim your free time. Prioritise your tasks during your workday, ensuring that anything urgent gets done during contracted hours. Then, save any less urgent tasks for another day, rather than working when you should be unwinding. It’s also a good idea to switch off email notifications outside of work hours to truly give your mind a break.

Focus on your wellbeing outside of the workplace

If you’re feeling stressed about work, it’s important to prioritise self-care outside of your day job to improve your overall wellbeing. This could include exercise, eating a more balanced diet, or making sure you get a good night’s rest by going to sleep earlier. You could also consider picking up a hobby in your spare time such as reading, gardening or going to a class with friends. The mental-health benefits of having a hobby may be more impactful than you think – in fact, a 2023 study by Nature Medicine found that people with hobbies reported improved health, increased happiness, reduced symptoms of depression and greater life satisfaction.

Take a break to recharge your batteries

Are you guilty of powering through your workday with little to no breaks? If so, you could be hurting your productivity, rather than helping it. Research shows that taking regular breaks throughout the day can reduce stress, decrease exhaustion and boost performance. And it’s not just breaks throughout the day that are important for your wellbeing. With the end of 2024 fast approaching, it would be a good idea to check if you have any annual leave entitlement remaining. Even if you don’t have any holiday plans, be sure to take all your remaining days off. After all, having some time to relax at home can do wonders for recharging your batteries and staving off burnout.

If you’re looking for further career advice, our accountancy and finance consultants can provide you with the tailored guidance and support you need. Visit our accountancy and finance jobseeker page for more information.