How to Recover From Burnout Without Quitting Your Job

Jul 12, 2022

Are you at a point in your career where dragging yourself out of bed seems like an impossible task? We have days when we feel helpless, cynical, detached, exhausted, and unappreciated from unending demands that we have to meet. This excessive and prolonged stress can lead us to a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion called burnout.

When you’re burned out, you begin to lose interest and motivation to remain in your current job. It drains your energy and makes you unproductive, leaving you feeling like you have nothing more to give and that you’re better off quitting.

Here are six ways to overcome burnout without having to quit your job.

1. Acknowledge your burnout

The first step to overcoming burnout is to acknowledge it. Because if you don’t accept it for what it is, chances are, you won’t even bother to try and deal with it. Pretending that everything is fine, even when they’re not, will only make matters worse. Learn to recognize your feelings, understand what stresses you out, then adjust your behavior accordingly.

2. Reframe your mindset

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Once you acknowledge that you’ve reached burnout, remind yourself why you started that career path in the first place. Reframing your mindset allows you to view your current situation in a more positive light. Burnout may cause you to focus on things in your work that are frustrating, unbearable, and stressful. But if you change your perspective and challenge those negative thoughts, you’ll feel more resilient and optimistic in the face of stress.

3. Take some time off

If you're considering quitting your job, why not take some time off instead? You will achieve the same goal of detaching yourself from your work environment without having to compromise the future of your career. Taking a vacation can help you unwind and forget about the stresses of work for a while. A break could be all you need to regain that lost passion crucial to overcoming burnout.

4. Know your limits

While it’s okay to be confident and show your boss that you’re more than capable of accomplishing a particular job, taking on more than you can handle is a surefire way of getting burnt out. Agreeing to do every task could tip you over the edge of your capacity, causing you to resent your boss or your work. Be honest with yourself or to your boss, and learn when to say NO without being insubordinate.

5. Maintain a social life

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Maintaining your social life can be an excellent way to de-stress and enjoy life with friends and family. Sometimes it helps to talk to someone you trust about what you’re going through. It also helps to forget about work-related stuff and simply appreciate the pleasure of being in the company of your loved ones. That said, be sure to create time for your social life — waiting for the right time usually never comes.

6. Set boundaries

Finally, when you’re hanging out with friends or traveling on vacation, enjoy yourself and forget about work. When you’re at home with your family, spend your time there intentionally. Setting boundaries means you will not let your burnout worry you when you’re away from work.

Conclusion

Burnout is real, which is why you shouldn’t try to dismiss or ignore it. Instead, try to acknowledge your burnout and implement the other five strategies in this article to help you overcome it.

And while quitting your job can open new doors of opportunities, it shouldn’t be your first option. You can find a new job or career elsewhere, but you may also end up in the same situation you were trying to leave. With the right mindset, you can always recover from burnout without giving up on your chosen career.