9 Ways to Overcome Burnout in Your Career
Feeling burnt out in your current role can be overwhelming, but expert advice can provide a lifeline. Industry leaders, including a Founder and a Career Services Coach, share their valuable insights on overcoming burnout. This article offers a preview of strategies such as taking micro-breaks during the day and understanding the 'why' behind burnout. Dive into the full list of nine actionable steps to rejuvenate your professional life.
- Take Micro-Breaks During the Day
- Have a Transparent Conversation
- Conduct an Energy Audit
- Reassess Priorities and Set Boundaries
- Implement a Structured Self-Care Approach
- Create Non-Negotiable Daily Breaks
- Evaluate the Root Cause of Burnout
- Focus on Physical and Mental Well-Being
- Understand the 'Why' Behind Burnout
Take Micro-Breaks During the Day
For clients who are feeling exhausted in their jobs, I always stress the importance of taking a moment to reflect on their well-being and goals. Burnout usually happens when people are overworked, don’t set clear boundaries, or feel that their work doesn’t match their personal values. I suggest that clients first acknowledge how they feel and understand that burnout is a sign that they need to take a break. One practical tip I often give is to take “micro-breaks” during the day—short, intentional pauses to recharge. This might mean stepping away from the desk for five minutes, doing some light stretching, or going for a short walk outside. These breaks help clear the mind, lower stress, and boost productivity when they return to their work. Over time, I also encourage clients to think about longer-term solutions, like reassessing their work-life balance, talking to their managers about their workload, or finding new positions that better match their interests and strengths.
Have a Transparent Conversation
If a client is feeling burnt out in their current role, I'd recommend a few different strategies, including: 1) Have a transparent conversation with the manager to share this and understand priorities of what can be shifted around; 2) Determine what aspects of the role are exhausting and what aspects enhance energy—is there a way to remove the more exhausting components?; 3) Be strict on the number of hours worked per day by not being available on the weekends or after work hours. By implementing a combination of all of this, ideally the burn-out will decrease.
Conduct an Energy Audit
From my experience working with countless founders, especially during my time at Spectup, burnout is something I've seen all too often in the startup world. I clearly remember feeling it myself during my N26 days, where the fast-paced fintech environment could be overwhelming at times. One founder I recently worked with was pulling 80-hour weeks trying to perfect his pitch deck while simultaneously running his company's operations—a recipe for disaster that I quickly helped him adjust. The most effective first step I recommend is what I call the "energy audit"—take a piece of paper and write down all your daily tasks, then mark each one as either energizing (green) or draining (red). This simple exercise helps identify which tasks you should potentially delegate or restructure.
At Spectup, we often help founders reorganize their workflows and responsibilities based on this audit, sometimes discovering they're spending too much time on tasks that could be handled by someone else or automated entirely. I usually suggest starting with delegating just one red task within the next week—it's small enough to feel manageable but significant enough to create real impact. The goal isn't to drastically change everything overnight, but rather to make incremental improvements that add up over time.
Reassess Priorities and Set Boundaries
When clients feel burnt-out, I suggest taking small, intentional breaks. Short breaks throughout the day help refresh the mind and reduce stress. Over time, these breaks can bring clarity and even inspire new ideas or approaches to their work.
Another tip is to reassess their priorities. Encourage them to identify which parts of their role align with their values and strengths. Often, burnout comes from tasks that don't feel meaningful. Focusing on fulfilling tasks can reignite their motivation.
Lastly, I recommend setting boundaries. Encourage clients to communicate their needs, whether it's with colleagues or supervisors. A simple step like establishing an end-of-day routine helps them mentally detach from work and regain a sense of balance.
Implement a Structured Self-Care Approach
When clients express feelings of burnout in their current roles, I advise them to implement a structured approach to prioritize self-care and set clear boundaries. This can involve scheduling regular breaks throughout their workday to recharge, as well as dedicating time each week for personal interests or relaxation. It's crucial to create an environment where they can focus on both their professional responsibilities and personal well-being.
I once worked with a client who was an executive at a tech company. She was overwhelmed, constantly juggling tight deadlines and endless meetings. One day, after a particularly grueling week, she shared how exhausted she felt. Together, we developed a plan for her to block off one hour each day to step away from her desk, whether for a walk, reading, or practicing mindfulness. Over time, this small change significantly improved her energy levels and overall job satisfaction.
To effectively address burnout, I encourage clients to assess their workloads and identify specific tasks or meetings that can be delegated or eliminated. They can also benefit from communicating their needs with their team or supervisor, seeking support when necessary. By establishing a routine that includes dedicated time for self-care, they can foster a healthier work-life balance and enhance their productivity.
The effectiveness of this approach is evident in numerous studies linking burnout to decreased performance and increased turnover rates. Organizations that support their employees in taking breaks and practicing self-care see higher morale and engagement. By adopting these strategies, clients can not only mitigate burnout but also create a sustainable path toward personal and professional fulfillment.
Create Non-Negotiable Daily Breaks
One of the first steps I advise for anyone feeling burnt-out is to create some boundaries that allow for real rest, even if it's just for a short period each day. Start by identifying a non-negotiable break in your schedule—whether it's 15 minutes to step outside or a half-hour to disconnect from screens. This small, consistent habit helps recharge your energy and refocus your mind, giving you the space to think clearly about what you need in both your role and career.
Evaluate the Root Cause of Burnout
Hi,
I'm Fawad Langah, a Director General at Best Diplomats organization specializing in leadership, business, global affairs, and international relations. With years of experience writing on these topics, I can provide valuable insights to help navigate complex issues with clarity and confidence.
Here is my answer:
To the clients who come to me complaining about burnout, I recommend that, first of all, they step back and evaluate their situation. The key to managing it is to know precisely what causes burnout—the workload, lack of support, or lack of clear goals.
To begin with, get to the bottom of the problem. The first thing that any person must do, whether an engineer, a doctor, a teacher, or an administrator, who is asked to solve a problem is to find out the root cause of the problem.
An intervention I suggest is to set proper boundaries. Remind them to establish certain working hours and abide by them to the end. This will enhance a healthy work-life balance. They should also ensure that they spend time on some form of entertainment or relaxation, which could be working out, reading, playing, or even spending time with friends and family.
Besides that, they are advised to practice mindfulness or meditation to keep their minds calm and stress-free. Calm breathing exercises can be performed by anyone at any given time, and they help improve focus immensely.
In this way, the clients can gradually reclaim their energy and concentration. However, they should understand that, whether from fellow teachers or formal professional development, they are not too weak to ask for assistance.
It does not mean they have to suffer alone or that some preliminary actions would not result in an enhanced quality of working life.
I hope my response proves helpful! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need additional insights. And, of course, feel free to adjust my answer to suit your style and tone.
Best regards,
Fawad Langah
My Website: https://bestdiplomats.org/
Email: fawad.langah@bestdiplomats.org
Focus on Physical and Mental Well-Being
When clients come to us feeling burnt-out, my primary advice is to focus on recalibrating both their physical and mental well-being, starting with manageable, consistent changes. Burnout often manifests in physical tension, poor posture, and lack of movement, which only compounds stress levels. I encourage clients to introduce restorative activities into their daily routines, like short, frequent breaks for movement or stretching, to reset both body and mind. In my experience, prioritizing even ten minutes of intentional movement can be incredibly effective. For example, I worked with a client in a high-stress corporate role who was experiencing chronic neck pain and fatigue. By integrating posture-focused exercises and short stretching routines every hour, she noticed a significant reduction in both pain and mental fog within weeks. Her energy improved as well, empowering her to be more productive without feeling drained.
Over the years, I've seen just how powerful these small interventions can be, thanks to my background in physiotherapy and musculoskeletal health. My training enables me to pinpoint physical strains linked to burnout and offer tailored strategies that clients can easily incorporate into busy schedules. For clients like this one, implementing daily micro-breaks and posture checks laid the foundation for lasting change. This approach not only alleviated her immediate discomfort but also gave her a sustainable toolset for managing stress at work, transforming how she approached her role. The outcome was a testament to how targeted physical adjustments can address the deeper impact of burnout, leading to greater well-being and resilience in the workplace.
Understand the 'Why' Behind Burnout
The advice that I give my clients is simple but really powerful. I tell them that they need to understand the "why" before they start thinking about next steps. Are they burnt-out because stress outside of work is affecting time at work? Do they hate their boss? Do they want to make more money? If they can answer the 'why,' action steps will follow. Sometimes figuring out why we feel a certain way is more important than throwing random steps out to fix it. You can't fix a broken engine with new tires!
