Millennials and Burnout: What You Can Do
Monday, August 22, 2016 - Joe Kiedinger
Myself, along with a few fellow Prophiteers, were fortunate enough to recently attend a “Lunch N’ Learn” networking and speaking event hosted by Current Young Professionals of the Greater Green Bay Chamber. Tanja Schneider, a Wisconsin native and certified life, business and leadership coach with Designed Success, LLC, spoke on the topic of Millennials and what they can do to avoid burnout and get more satisfaction from their life.
I’ve condensed her presentation, “5 Simple Secrets Millennials Know That Help Them Avoid Burnout”, to a few quick-to-digest takeaways.
What is “burnout” and how is it different from stress?
The American Psychological Association’s David Ballard, PsyD describes job burnout as “an extended period of time where someone experiences exhaustion and a lack of interest in things, resulting in a decline in their job performance.”
While stress is a physical reaction your body goes through when it’s overwhelmed, burnout is a mental breakdown that results from being stressed for an extended period. Being burned-out can cause lack of motivation, frustration, trouble concentrating, tuning out family and friends, and no longer being able to perform well at work.
Millennials have higher levels of clinical anxiety, stress and depression than any other generation, oftentimes burning out before they reach the age of 30. The line between work life and personal life is blurred, with many in this generation not maintaining a healthy balance between the two. So how can Millennials effectively maintain this lifestyle without it having a negative effect on oneself?
1. Determine what you want out of life and why
It’s important to figure out what you want to get out of life. Do you have a mission or want to make an impact on people? How do you see yourself living the rest of your life? It’s important to set some attainable short- and long-term goals for yourself, and work towards those goals every day.
2. Set your daily priorities
You might have a gigantic laundry list of things you want to get done, but you don’t have enough time in the day to realistically tackle everything. Each day you should decide upon five things you know you can complete which will make you feel productive and have a real impact.
3. Take “you” time to regenerate
Like the old proverb says, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. Having time for yourself lets you decompress and get into a healthier state of mind. Make sure you spend your vacation days, have date nights, and go out with friends. Even simple things like meditating or taking short breaks throughout the day can have profound effects on your well-being.
4. Get organized
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, taking a few minutes to get organized can calm your nerves. Tidy up your workspace, organize your calendar, and straighten out your thoughts.
5. Reward yourself
After accomplishing a goal or reaching a milestone, treat yourself to a small reward. You work hard and smart…you deserve it!
We’ve been on the topic of Millennials a lot lately, but we’re not getting burned out yet! Be sure to check out some of our recent interviews or download our free e-book!
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