Tips For Avoiding Burnout

Burnout is at an all-time high across industries today. For all it’s advantages, when not handled intentionally, remote working can blur the boundaries between professional and personal life. The pandemic increased burnout, taking a toll on workers’ mental and physical health.

For Healthcare IT contractors, demanding workloads, long hours and tight project deadlines further escalate the risk of burnout.

The good news is, there are small tips contractors can incorporate into their daily routines to help reduce burnout.

The WorldHealth Organization (WHO) classifies burnout as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” According to WHO the symptoms of burnout include:

• Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion
• Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job
• Reduced professional efficacy

 These symptoms are unfortunately very familiar to many workers in our industry and beyond.

 A survey of more than 30,000 IT professionals across 33 counties by mental wellbeing platform Yerbo found that two in five workers surveyed showed a high risk of burnout. Survey data also revealed that 62% of the tech workforce with high burnout risk felt physically and emotionally drained, 43% felt less engaged in their work and 51%felt like they were achieving less than they should.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some tips that can effectively help IT professionals destress and avoid the risk of burnout: ‍

Stay active

Take time during the day to get up and move around. Going for a brisk walk, doing some stretching, going up and down stairs, and alternating between sitting and standing are just a few ways to say active during working hours that are beneficial for mental health and wellbeing.

Meditate

Meditation is a calming way to take a short mental break from work. Studies show that mindfulness practices like meditation can reduce stress, boost working memory and sharpen focus. Guided meditation apps provide a helpful way to practice meditation for a few minutes each day.

Eat healthy

Resisting the temptations of junk food and fueling up with healthy alternatives can reduce stress and rejuvenate a tired mind and body. Incorporating dark leafy greens, whole grains and lean proteins into a diet can increase concentration, improve performance and productivity and even help promote a good night’s sleep. This article written by a registered dietitian featured on the Today website is a helpful resource on foods to eat to fight burnout.

Be realistic

Set a workload which realistically factors in the time needed to dedicate to each client and project. Taking on too many clients, projects and deadlines is a surefire way to ramp up stress levels and trigger burnout.

Recharge

To lower stress levels and keep burnout at bay, make time to engage in a favorite activity. Pursuing hobbies, creative outlets and activities such as reading, hiking, painting, and cooking take the focus off work and are a great way to disconnect and destress.

Leverage technology

While this tip might seem counterintuitive, technology can mitigate the time consuming, frustrating, exhausting, and burnout inducing process of finding work. Talent platform technology like Abra brings relevant jobs opportunities directly to healthcare IT contractors, taking the stress and uncertainty out finding the next assignment.

Join Abra today to avoid job search burnout. It's fast and free to get started!

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