The year is quickly coming to an end, and you may be in a hurry to start anew with the beginning of 2009. But, right now you have an opportunity to finish strong, giving you a better chance for a smooth start next year. Here are three ways you can make the most out of your time before heading home for the holidays.

Prioritize your assignments. Figure out what projects are most important to complete now, which ones are simple and due soon, and which ones require more time or energy but are due later on. Make sure to write each deadline on a calendar, and then pencil in when you’ll actually work on each project. This will help you clearly see if you have enough time to complete all of your projects or if you need to ask for help to get them done on time.

Schedule a break. The end of the year can be hectic and sometimes stressful when you’re juggling holidays, shopping, parties, and vacations in addition to your workload. So, after you list all of your tasks on your calendar, look to see if you can squeeze in some time for yourself. Whether it’s setting a lunch date with an old friend, spending an afternoon at the park, or taking a day off to relax, plan some alone time to help you de-stress. This will help you refocus on your priorities at work and complete them on time when you return to the office.

Keep a positive attitude. Staying positive through the end of the year can help you focus on your tasks and get each job done well. A poor attitude will just make your tasks seem overwhelming, so try to stay upbeat. Even though times may be stressful as you’re trying to finish up your annual projects, keeping a positive attitude will help you – and your co-workers – enjoy the rest of the year. 

Before you know it, the end of the year will be here. So, use these three tips now to help you enjoy the last few weeks of the year while still getting your work done on time.

We know what job burnout is and what causes it. So if you recognize that you’re in that state, you can finally address your situation. Try using these tips to help you break away from burnout.

Avoid boredom – Jobs and tasks can get boring after awhile if you let them. If a job offers little challenge or becomes incredibly uninteresting after a while, job burnout can set in. To combat this, talk to your boss about a possible role rotation or for new assignments and responsibilities. Also, put the monotonous tasks together and get them out of the way at the beginning of the day. This will free up the rest of the day for you to do things you enjoy working on, as well as prevent the constant dread of anticipating the unwanted tasks.

Don’t overwork – People who have a tough time saying “no” to anything work-related leave themselves exposed to the threat of job burnout. Although you try to project the sense that you’re a team player and take on others tasks, you can quickly begin to feel like a doormat being stepped on. It’s OK to help a colleague when the need arises, but learn to say “no” when you need to so your workload is manageable.

Leave work at the office – Bringing the stresses of work back home only compounds your problems. Take your time away from the office to recharge your mind and focus attaining on a great work-life balance – especially on the relationships closest to you. Joining a community organization or increasing your social life can help offset the constant worries at work.

Exercise and stay healthy – You may wonder why your health is a concern for your work-life, but a major sign of job burnout is chronic fatigue. Exercise and a healthy diet will help you keep your energy supply ample while making it through another day.

Take a vacation – Sometimes the best remedy is to just get away from the work scene for awhile, so remove yourself completely from it. Take a trip if you can afford it, or go on your own “stay-cation.” Everyone – from the president of a company to a secretary to someone who’s self-employed – needs a little time away from work.

Make a career change – If you are truly feeling miserable and everything that you’ve tried has only been a quick fix, realize it may be time for a change. You don’t have to be stuck in a rut at the same job. A career change – or simply switching departments within the same company – can infuse you with new vigor. If you simply don’t know where to start, try a staffing agency. Through taking a variety of temporary assignments, you can experience different fields of work. And if you do find a job you like, many temporary positions lead to permanent work.

Though it may seem impossible to escape burnout, try using these tips and see what happens. Make the effort now to get out of job burnout, and you’ll be happier and healthier sooner than you think.

Do you know your burnout level or if you’re in danger of job burnout. The impact to job burnout can grow exponentially and burn you out well before you realize it. By knowing the signs and symptoms in advance of burnout, you can avoid or prevent further damage.

Stress vs. Burnout
While unrelenting stress can contribute to burnout, stress alone isn’t the same as burnout. To be able to tackle your misery head on, it’s important to be able to differentiate between the two to identify if you’re experiencing job burnout or just stress.

With stress, there is an overwhelming feeling and an inability to cope. Stress primarily deals with “too much” – too much piled on, too much to do, too much to handle. The effects of stress often lead to psychological and physical issues, such as heart problems and high blood pressure.

On the other hand, job burnout is about “not enough.” As a result of unrelenting stress, someone burned out feels empty, has little to no motivation, and simply doesn’t care. The effects of burnout translate to emotional issues, such as apathy and depression.

One important difference between job burnout and stress is that you’re usually aware of stressful situations, but job burnout can be present for weeks or months before you notice it. When experiencing workplace stress, you tend to care too much, but with burnout, there is a constant pessimistic attitude. This is usually how you can differentiate a few bad workdays from job burnout.

Causes of Professional Burnout
Constant stress isn’t the only attributing factor to job burnout. When you dealt with stress in school, friends were readily available and “the light at the end of the tunnel” (graduation) was always in sight. In the professional world, the next step is hard to visualize. Unrealistic goals – whether set by you or by others – and the inability to constantly achieve them can result in job burnout. Even if employees enjoy the work that they do, they’re at risk when they feel underappreciated and underpaid. Matters out of their control also cause professional burnout including – being pushed around by the office bully, undermined by co-workers, or micromanaged by your boss.

Though these factors can contribute to burnout, there’s no one combination. It’s different for everyone. However, there are some tried and true solutions for dealing with it. Don’t miss our next post to learn more.

Job burnout can be hard to handle. Not only is it emotionally exhausting, it can impact your health and performance as well. So, how do you know when it’s the real deal? Ask yourself the following questions to find out.

• Are you more cynical, negative, critical, or sarcastic at work?
• Do you have to drag yourself to work and have trouble starting once you get there?
• Do you lack the energy to stay consistently productive?
• Do you no longer feel satisfaction from your achievements or do you question the value of the tasks that you perform?
• Are you feeling under-compensated for your work?
• Are you disillusioned about your career?
• Are you constantly fatigued?
• Do you lose your temper easily?
• Are you thinking about a career change?
• Do you feel overwhelmed or stressed most of the time?
• Do you feel like you have little or no control over things at work or at home?
• Are you just “going through the motions” to get through your shift?

If you’ve answered yes to four or more of the questions, chances are, you’re bound for job burnout if you’re not already there. In our next blog, we’ll discuss tactics to avoid and deal with professional burnout.