Identifying the causes and taking care of yourself mentally, emotionally and physically can help you prevent and address burnout.

Burnout can make you feel powerless, hopeless, drained and frustrated. And while it can be caused by chronic stress, the condition has important differences.

"The signs and symptoms of burnout are similar to those of stress, but burnout includes emotional exhaustion and an increasingly negative attitude toward your work and, perhaps, your life," says Susan Martin, president of Business Sanity in New York. "Often, burnout is a feeling that you're no longer able to manage and perform the tasks and situations your job requires."

Since burnout doesn't happen overnight, it's important to recognize early symptoms and take action before the problem becomes a liability.

Some burnout signs include:

• Dreading Monday morning because you have to return to work
• Regularly experiencing low energy levels at work
• Becoming more cynical or bitter about your job, boss or the company
• Being easily annoyed or irritated by coworkers
• Becoming envious of friends or family who are happy in their work
• Caring less about doing a good job

Cool Down
If you feel you're starting to burn, these strategies can help you cool down.

• Take care of yourself. If you're run down, you'll burn out faster. Make sure you get enough sleep, eat right, exercise and de-stress on a regular basis. Set aside time to be alone and do something you enjoy.

  "Ask yourself, ‘What recharges my batteries?' Maybe you long for time to read a good novel or return to a favorite but long forgotten hobby," says Martin. "Then schedule time to do it every week."

• Think out of the box. If work has become a chore or you're in a rut, find new, innovative ways to do mundane tasks, improve your performance or tweak what you do best and make it even better.
• Establish realistic expectations for what you can and can't accomplish. If you find you're driving yourself or your employees too hard, learn to let go of unrealistic expectations.
• Improve your time-management skills. "Paying more attention to how you manage your time and priorities can help prevent and reverse the overload that often contributes to burnout," says Martin.
• Hone your coping skills. Develop skills for dealing with stress, such as muscle relaxation techniques, mental imagery and positive self-talk.

  "If you get stuck, consider finding a professional, such as a therapist or life coach, to help you," says Martin.

• Nurture your closest relationships, such as those with your partner, children and friends. These relationships can help restore energy and alleviate feelings of being underappreciated.
• Laugh, smile and enjoy the ride. Life is too short to worry and be serious all the time. Find ways to make your work fun and enjoyable.
• Address your dissatisfaction at work. Talk with a supervisor to explore options that may alleviate your stress.
• Value yourself by establishing firm boundaries and limits. Learn how to do it in a way that's clear and consistent.

  "Don't give away too much of your time," says Martin. "Let people know your policies and procedures, and learn how to say ‘I'm unable to take on anything else at this time unless I can let some of my other obligations go.'

Barbara Floria spoke with Susan Martin, president of Business Sanity in New York. For more information, visit www.business-sanity.com.

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