It’s no secret that Millenials are actually workaholics—but this tendency to be a “work martyr” has a debilitating side effect: burnout. Burnout is a type of job stress that comes with physical, mental, and/or emotional exhaustion and doubts about your competence or importance at work, and it can have a significant impact on employee productivity, performance, and overall happiness with their jobs.
But never fear! If you notice yourself starting to experience the symptoms of burnout, there are ways to get ahead of it. Here are three tips to avoid burnout and stay happy and productive on the job.
1. Switch up your lunch routine
It sounds simple, but something as simple as switching up where you go for lunch (or actually going to lunch, if you usually work through it), getting outside and taking a walk, or doing a quick lunchtime workout can do wonders for your health and motivation. You’ll come back to work feeling clear-headed and refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day.
2. Ask for new responsibilities
It may be counterintuitive, but asking for a new responsibility at work may help you feel like your work is more important or valued—one of the key indicators of burnout. Volunteering to help with an upcoming event, starting an office-wide incentive program, or even offering to help your boss with that report that’s due at the end of the week can help you feel like your work is more important and give you something to look forward to.
3. Take your vacation days
Millenials are more likely to forfeit their vacation time compared to other generations—24% of millennials gave up the time off they’d earned (compared to 19% of GenXers and 17% of Baby Boomers). But people who use their vacation days are happier and more productive at work. So book that cruise, plan a road trip, or even have a stay-cation with some cozy blankets and your Netflix queue. Your boss will (probably) thank you.
Have you experienced burnout on the job? What tactics helped you overcome it?