How to Avoid Burnout in Demanding Jobs like IT

Mar 29

If you work a high demand job like I do, you'll understand the threat of burnout.

I work in IT as a Systems Administrator. There are always projects, daily tasks, and emergencies that always seem to demand long hours. Over time I've learned the signs that I'm starting to get burned out. Believe it or not, I didn't quite understand what it was when I did finally burnout from my work.

I was tired, irritable, and quick to lose my patience.

Eventually I would end up taking some time off for one reason or another, such as a holiday or special event I had planned for earlier in the year. It was during that time off that I would realize how much I needed to get away from work.

Once I put the puzzle pieces together to understand the warning signs of burnout, I was able to have the opportunity to act before it became a problem. This is when I would put into practice some of my personal tools to avoid burnout.

Focus on what you can control. In IT there are emergencies and demands that popup seemingly at random. You can't keep these from happening, but you can control on how you react.

When faced with an unexpected outage, instead of letting the chaos overwhelm you, take a moment to yourself and think calmly of the first identifiable action you can take that might help assess or resolve the issue. Focusing on the specific tasks and actions you need to take, helps you find what you can control, leaving that helpless feeling behind.

Journaling and self-reflection can do wonders for mental health. This practice allows you to examine your thoughts and actions. During that process it can help you identify your own burnout triggers.

Everyday take a few minutes to write about your workday. Note what stresses you out and how you reacted. What could you have done differently? This is a tool that tends to be underappreciated in modern society.

Find meaning in what you do everyday. This includes the mundane. Consider the good and positive elements that your work brings to the world. In IT we server the end users providing and maintaining tools for their daily tasks. It is often a thankless job, and outages tend to bring negative attention to IT Teams. Remember that if it wasn't for you, the end users wouldn't have those tools available.

Set boundaries on your work time. IT work can easily bleed into personal time. The large projects, proof of concepts, acquisitions, etc… bring a lot of pressure to use time outside of regular work hours to get things done. It's important to set those boundaries to keep burnout at bay.

Anytime I start to feel burnout creeping up on me, I set times that I will not work past. In some occasions, I will not work beyond my scheduled work hours, unless there's an emergency that requires it. This tool has helped me to prevent burnout and even has reduced stress.

A tactic closely aligned with setting boundaries is prioritization and delegation. When you need to limit your time for your own mental and physical health, prioritizing what is the most important to handle will go a long way. Now add to this the delegation of tasks, you've provided more time to focus on your prioritized tasks and projects. Delegation also gives others on your team the power to help where they can.

This is quite important in the realm of delegation. It's okay to ask for help. If you have someone else on your team that has the skills, time and tools to assist, bring them in to help. It will reduce that weight on your shoulders, even if it's a smaller easier task. I find myself needing to relearn this lesson on a regular basis.

Take regular breaks. Just stepping away and taking your mind off of work can help reduce the chances of burnout. Schedule ten to fifteen minute breaks during those long sessions of work. It will also help to increase your efficiency in your work. Working in IT, we look at screens all day. These breaks also help to rest your eyes from focusing on your monitor for so long.

I often find myself in need of a short break when working long hours. It can be hard to just step away, but each time I decide to do it, I return back to work with more vigor, and I'm able to get more done.

If you don't already have any, find interests and hobbies outside of work. Something not related to technology (or your field of work) is even better. This forces your mind away from work letting that part of your brain to rest while activating other parts related to these interests and hobbies.

As someone who works in IT, I used to consider gaming as a hobby that was a great way to escape the work world. While it's better than nothing, I still found myself staring at a screen too much. I now find myself reading physical books, and writing in notebooks more often to avoid the screens. I also enjoy talking life and philosophy with my wonderful wife, and when the opportunity arises I'll do the same with my best friend. I'm always open to learning about new interests and hobbies. One of my favorite quotes comes from Aaron Rodgers, "Open to everything and attached to nothing."

Something that a lot of us tend to neglect, especially when working long hours is exercise and a healthy diet. These two give you more energy in the long run allowing you to do more, and handle stress better. Add a good nights sleep and you're putting yourself in a better physical state than the average person. This will also bring peak mental fortitude to help you avoid burning out.

Let's review the key items we've covered.

Focus on what you can control.

Don't let anything out of your control bother you. These things are a part of life.
Only focusing and working on the things you can control gives you a better perspective about what you can do, and where to put your effort.

Journaling and Self-Reflection.

Journaling helps you to examine and process your thoughts and actions.
This can help you identify potential burnout triggers.
It can lead to more mental stability. To paraphrase Anne Frank, "Paper is more patient than people."

Find meaning and purpose in what you do.

This includes the mundane.
Remember that what you're doing could be what others need, even if it's thankless.

Set Boundaries

Limit the amount of personal time you use for work.
Create a rule for yourself to not work past a certain time.
Example: I will not work beyond 7pm.
This allows you to disconnect and recharge.

Prioritize and Delegate.

Only focus on what needs to be done first.
Don't try to do everything yourself.
Ask for help, and task someone with duties that can reduce your work load.

Take Regular Breaks.

Make sure to take ten to fifteen minute breaks when possible.
Give yourself time to step away away to take your mind off of the task at hand.
Stretch and clear your head.

Cultivate Interests Outside of Work.

If you don't have any start a hobby not associated with work type duties.
Find interests that are opposite what you do everyday at work.

Exercise and Healthy Diet.

Exercise builds your health and stamina.
It also builds your mental fortitude
A healthy diet strengthens your body and mind with the proper nutrients that it needs.

Don't let work become an additional stressor to burn you out. These practices work in both your personal and professional life.

Life throws a lot at us.

Alex Stronach