Christmas! New Year! Year End!
They are exciting words in their own right, but when it comes to business they can also bring a lot of stress and pressure.
In fact, the last few months of the year are often the most stressful. Businesses rush to meet end of year deadlines before closing down for the holidays or are frantically preparing for increased sales and trying to squeeze everything in.
With increased pressure and workload, on top of piling personal demands, that precious work/life balance - evasive at the best of the times - can go right out the window and burnout sets in.
Fortunately, a stressed and crazy workplace doesn’t have to be part of the annual Christmas tradition. With some simple techniques and a bit of preparation, everyone can end the year in a relatively relaxed way.
Here are our top tips to beat burnout at your workplace:
Beating The End Of Year Burnout At Your Workplace
Prioritise
With increasing workload, fast-approaching deadlines, understaffing due to leave and all the other pressures of the end of the year, it is more important than ever to prioritise, streamline and delegate.
Take some time out to figure out which jobs really can’t wait. Then, figure out the quickest and most efficient way to get them done. Put all those other little jobs on the back burner momentarily. Or, if the option is there, consider hiring a temp or outsourcing some of those little jobs to relieve the pressure and allow your team to focus on the key tasks.
Clarify where the bulk of the work lies and delegate accordingly.
Have Meaningful Break Time
It can be tempting to power through the day to achieve as much as possible. But skipping lunch and pushing through will leave you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. No matter how busy you are, schedule your breaks and stick to them.
Keep any and all work out of your breaks to give your mind time to relax and rejuvenate. It can be a great idea to get out of the office for lunch. It will give you the chance to get some fresh air and find a quiet spot to relax for a few minutes. By the time you head back to your desk, you will feel refreshed and will be able to accomplish a whole lot more.
Maintain A Positive Work Culture
During busy and stressful times, people may become less polite, more snappy, and generally a lot less pleasant to be around. You can’t control how other people handle stress, but you can control your own attitude. Try to be patient and kind with your team - even when you are feeling the opposite.
If people are abrupt or rude, try not to take it personally and react in the same way. Understand that they are probably feeling the pressure, and do what you can to either support them, boost them, or give them a wide berth!
Stress is usually the major culprit behind these spontaneous changes in attitude. So, instead of letting stress take hold at your workplace, why not empower your team to handle stress in a healthy way? Here at Wellbeing Workshop we offer a Stress Management session. Let our qualified experts inspire your staff with science backed ways to better manage stress.
Knowing how to manage stress, set limits, problem-solve, engage in self-care and take time out is vital for preventing an end of year burnout.
Take A Breath… Or Three
Your breath has the power to regulate your stress levels and mood. If you are feeling emotional or tense, take a beat. Stop what you are doing and take three long, slow breathes deep into your diaphragm. Focus only on the passage of air in and out of your body.
You will instantly feel calmer and be able to focus better on the task at hand. The joy of this technique is that it doesn’t have to take long and you can do it pretty much anywhere. Consider combining the breathing with affirmations or phrases that calm and lift your mood further.
Let It Out
If you bottle your stress up, it can release in unexpected and unpleasant ways. It can also manifest as health issues.
So, if you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed then find a constructive way to release the feeling. You can do this by sharing your concerns with a manager or colleague, taking the time to meditate, practice gratitude, or simply hit the gym for a boxfit class, or pound the pavement on a long run to expend that energy.
End of year burnout can have a negative impact on your team members, but also on your business. Avoid this feeling of stress and pressure by introducing some workplace wellbeing techniques.
Get in touch with us here at Wellbeing Workshop to see how we can help you beat the end of year burnout at your workplace.
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