Did you know the first sign of professional burnout is a flurry of seeming productive activity and euphoria at work? This stage is followed by emotional detachment (aka “what do they all want from me?” phase) and the feeling of inefficiency. Although there are numerous cases of burnout outside of professional life, work leads to one of the most common types of mental and physical exhaustion.

This summer, the Drofa Comms team participated in not one but two masterclasses on how to detect and prevent burnout at work with our personal executive coach and growth hacker. Here are the main takeaways from our four-hour series of interactive masterclasses.

So, what is burnout?

Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by chronic stress and overworking. Interestingly, burnout varies from person to person. For some, ten different symptoms of burnout look like a pretty bearable workflow, and for others, even a couple of symptoms seem intolerable. Perfectionists, people with a high sense of responsibility, and those who prioritise the comfort of others burn out fastest. But do not worry; there are effective ways to avert it.

How to prevent burnout at work? 

1. Set clear boundaries. Clearly define for yourself when (and where) you rest and work. And let your co-workers know by booking time slots in your calendar for lunch or even a 15-minute break. If you work from home, you may find it helpful to separate the “office” from the personal space where you rest, even changing your attire. 

💡 The Drofa Comms team introduced a “day of silence” with no calls or meetings on Wednesdays, so there is time to focus on current tasks and not be disturbed.

2. Incorporate physical exercises. Sports are good for your mental health; nothing new here. Yoga, cardio, self-massaging – anything counts as long as you feel like doing it. 

💡 Our founders are working closely with certified personal trainers to introduce video tutorials on several practical exercises that will help our teammates.

3. Explore your “Sunday syndrome”. Have you ever asked yourself: Why am I reluctant to start a new week? What is so scary about Mondays? Can it be an early morning meeting you anticipated the whole weekend? Make sure you analyse your week and come up with solutions how to fight your “Sunday syndrome”.

💡 We at Drofa Comms try to avoid major deadlines set on Mondays and focus on meetings, brainstorming, and planning on the first day of the week.

4. Write down a daily self-care plan. It can be a little thing like taking extra time to read a book you started, cooking a meal you saw on the Internet or taking a bath. Create a plan that includes at least one self-care activity a day.

💡We value the time of rest and have a fixed lunch break, encouraging colleagues to book time in their calendars and avoid working during this hour.

5. Turn off your PR mind. This one goes for you, our PR colleagues. Turns out burnout levels are higher among professionals communicating with people as their job. Make sure you isolate yourself from the news after work. The news flow will never end, but your mental health should have barriers.

💡This year, we incorporated regular “work-fun balance” team meetings, finishing the Friday with varying games and online activities. And the team gives such great feedback: we are having a blast getting to know each other better.