When your new job or client isn’t so new, and the anticipation of getting to work every day is replaced by a sense of dread at the mere thought of your alarm clock, a depression has set in. Get it down fast with some quick ways to liven up your work.
Are you suffering from new job burnout?
Many young professionals, particularly young women, feel pressured to perform at their best at all times, to excel and prove themselves. As a result, many professional girls try too hard and end up feeling dissatisfied and frustrated without knowing why.
Assessment.com president and founder Henry Neils lists the common signs of early job burnout: fatigue or feeling burned out, anger toward people who make demands (such as your boss and co-workers), self-criticism, irritability, and feeling overwhelmed. all time. weather. If any of these sound like you, it’s time to take action and fall in love with your work all over again.
take some time off
Regardless of what’s going on at work, you need to take care of yourself. Even if you have a ton to do, make sure you set aside time in the day to get away from your desk and take your mind off work. A five-minute walk to the lobby and back, or even an extended bathroom break every hour, is enough to keep you from falling into the cube stupor.
feed your face
Setting aside time in the morning and in the middle of the day for a nutritious meal, even if it’s something small, will help boost your energy level by giving your brain the fuel it needs to get you through the day. Do you find it difficult to get up early enough to have a good breakfast or leave your desk at midday? Fresh and dried fruits are instant energy that you can carry in your bag or keep on your desk for those times when you’re not on the go.
Catch some ZZZ’s
Your mom has been telling you this for years, and it’s time to face the facts: You really do need a good night’s sleep. Many signs of exhaustion are also signs of severe sleep deprivation. According to a recent study by Dr. Pierre Phillip, published in 2004 in the Journal of Sleep Research, young adults seem to be more affected by lack of sleep than older adults.
While it’s tempting to stick to college hours, staying up late and getting less than the recommended eight hours of sleep each night can wreak havoc on your professional life. Research has shown that sleep deprivation not only affects your reaction times and judgment, it can also put you in a bad mood, meaning you can’t enjoy work, even if you love it.
Think first, then react
When your inbox is filling up and your to-do list is growing by the minute, it’s easy to overreact to innocuous office interactions. Although your boss may really want to make your life more difficult, it’s a safe bet that making you miserable is not his main motivation for his tasks. And it’s very likely that his co-workers aren’t consciously trying to annoy him. Keep in mind that his behavior may not be personal whenever he is tempted to criticize someone at work.
celebrate your success
Once you’ve mastered the day-to-day basics of your job, it’s easy to get caught up in what you still have to learn and focus on what still challenges you. Don’t get caught up in the cycle of negative self-talk. Use a race notebook or personal journal to record your wins at the office. Pat yourself on the back for the progress you’ve made on things that were difficult at first, and remember that tasks that seemed impossible just a few weeks ago are now second nature.
Remember what made you fall in love
When you start to feel frustrated and ready to quit, think about how excited you were when you got the job offer. Why did you want to work with your organization? What about the position that attracted you? When was the moment you knew it was the right job for you? Focus on the things that attracted you to the position in the first place, and you’ll begin to find them again in your everyday experiences.
* This article originally appeared on longed for Los Angeles in March 2005.