Find joy at work matters a great deal in how you approach job and work day. I just finished reading an article about “How to rediscover joy at work” by Rebecca Newton, psychologist and leadership coach.

With the news today about record number of people leaving their health care jobs, I think finding ways to discover joy at work is more important than ever. 

To break through the doldrums, Newton describes four steps to take to rebuild our sense of professional joy:    

• Build your strengths into your day.  
• Focus on your professional growth.  
• Share your emotions with a trusted colleague.  
• Rebuild relationships through the work itself.

I think these are practical ways to help avoid workplace blahs. It might be a good idea to use these steps to reinvigorate your attitude toward work. They could be a good brainstorming platform to use on a chilly November afternoon. Just food for thought! 

Mayo Clinic also recognizes job burnout and its impact for employers and for employees. According to experts at Mayo, “job burnout is a special type of work-related stress — a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.”

There can be many reasons for burnout.  Some of them are medical and some of them are situational.  As Mayo suggests, “Burnout” isn’t a medical diagnosis. Some experts think that other conditions, such as depression, are behind burnout. Researchers point out that individual factors, such as personality traits and family life, influence who experiences job burnout.”

It is important to recognize when you are getting or are burned out. If you find you are becoming overly sensitive or critical at work or dread going to your job each day or have trouble even getting up to go to work, these are all symptoms of burnout. When you start showing frustration and annoyance with friends and colleagues, this is also a key indicator. Some of the same indicators of depression, like not enjoying activities or not sleeping well are also key indicators of job burnout.  Some people even feel physically sick or a complete lack of energy. Talking to a qualified mental health provider can be helpful and is recommended.  

There are real heath consequences for job burnout, so pursuing help is a critical step. Your health is important, so please take the time and effort to pursue some solutions. Exercise, sleep, meditation, mindfulness, writing in a journal and reaching out to friends are all steps that can be of assistance. There are also coaches that can help you take steps if you are having trouble getting started. Joy at work and joy in life is important. Don’t delay taking steps needed to improve your life.

Source: Job burnout: How to spot it and take action – Mayo Clinic