If you’re feeling exhaustion, alienation from work activities and/or a decrease in work performance, you may be experiencing burnout. Burnout is what happens when your stress comes to a tipping point, leaving you exhausted and unproductive. People were experiencing burnout even before 2020. But now that this year brought so many extreme circumstances, people are dealing with more stressors. How can you avoid burnout at a time like this? Many people suggest taking time off of work to recharge your batteries. Bold TV’s Julia Sun and Philip Michael discuss vacation days and productivity.
Recharge your batteries to reverse burnout
If you’re burned out, it’s time to pause. Staying in your normal work schedule could damage your mental and physical health. So take some time off of work. And only you know how much time you need. Do you need a personal day? Or do you need a week to refresh? Sometimes a change of pace and scenery can spark your creativity and clear your mind. If you don’t want to plan an involved vacation with flights and hotels, check out this article for tips on how to vacation without venturing too far from home. Unplugging from your routine could be just what your body needs.
Unlimited vacation days vs. set paid time off
Try not to let your vacation days add to your pressure instead of helping it. There are a few work situations that could worsen your burnout. First is unlimited vacation time. Some studies show that giving employees unlimited vacation days leads to higher productivity and fewer days out of the office. But if you’re more of a structured person, this freedom may cause you to work more and never ask for time off. You may never get around to that vacation. A second situation is when companies provide a set amount of vacation time for their employees. But what if you leave your vacation days until the last minute but can’t use them because work needs your attention? What if you had to use your vacation time early in the year and can’t use it later for self-care? Remember that if you’re burned out, you can’t step up for your friends, family or co-workers. Figure out what you need!
