“If employees are not open about burnout, then their managers may not realize they are struggling, or even mistake their burnout for a lack of interest in work,” she said.
Communicating openly can also avoid a scenario in which an employee misses a deadline or performs poorly because he or she didn’t request the resources they needed to succeed, Larson noted.
Try setting some boundaries
Both employees and employers should set boundaries around the holidays so that expectations are crystal-clear for everyone, said Larson.
“It is always best for employees to involve their managers in discussions about how to balance their workloads.” (iStock / iStock)
“Deadlines around the holidays should be communicated as early as possible, so that employees can schedule their family commitments and travel plans around workplace demands,” continued Larson.
Communication is key for employees to prioritize their assignments before the end of the year, and some priorities might be obvious.
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“For instance, an end-of-year report that must be reviewed by senior leadership would typically take priority over an internal presentation with no set date,” said Larson.
“It is always best for employees to involve their managers in discussions about how to balance their workloads.”
Become a work ‘grinch’
You may have to go into “grinch” mode to stay focused on your work, said Emily Ballesteros, founder of Burnout Management, LLC, in Seattle, Washington, and author of the upcoming book “The Cure for Burnout: How to Find Balance and Reclaim Your Life” (Feb. 2024).
“If you have double your usual workload and you know you do your best work in a quiet space with no distractions, do everything in your power to lock yourself in a quiet space with no distractions,” Ballesteros told FOX Business.
You might tell others in your circle, “I’m going to need to be a bit of a hermit to get my to-do list done for the next few weeks,” experts suggest. (iStock / iStock)
Fielding unexpected calls, encountering household distractions or getting stuck in meetings you don’t really need to be a part of are examples of ways our productivity can be derailed during the day, said Ballesteros.
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If possible, she recommended telling others in your circle, “I’m going to need to be a bit of a hermit to get my to-do list done for the next few weeks. If I seem anti-social, it’s not you. It’s just what I have to do to wrap my work up on time.”
Keep an eye on the calendar
As the end of the year approaches, spend a short period of time each morning looking at your calendar and creating a must-do list for the day to determine how you will tackle your priorities, Ballesteros suggested.
Signs of burnout include increased stress, constant anxiety about work, and low energy or irritability.
