Burnout: What’s at Stake and What Can You Do About It?

a group of matches with one burnt out against a pink background

Are you running low on energy, constantly exhausted, irritable, and feel like you’re spreading yourself too thin? You might be experiencing burnout, and you’re not alone. 42% of women and 35% of men have reported feeling burnt out in the last year. 

Burnout isn’t as simple as just feeling stressed. In fact, the World Health Organization recognizes burnout as an official medical diagnosis. Burnout is a prolonged state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion typically caused by mismanaged stress, namely in the workplace. 

[Related: Case Study: How One Mom Got Back Her Time]

The term burnout has traditionally been associated with high-stakes occupational positions, such as doctors, nurses, business executives, and first responders. However, recently burnout has been recognized to affect other individuals as well, particularly caretakers, teachers, and single parents. 

Here’s how to recognize the symptoms of burnout, and how to fight it.

Symptoms of Burnout

Are you suffering from burnout? Review the following symptoms. 

You may be experiencing:

  • Constant mental and physical exhaustion 
  • Daily tasks that seem consistently overwhelming or extremely dull
  • Muscle aches and frequent headaches
  • Lowered immune system and frequent illness
  • Change in appetite or sleep habits
  • Feelings of failure and self-doubt
  • Loss of motivation
  • An increasingly cynical or pessimistic attitude about life
  • Decreased satisfaction

If you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, you might be experiencing burnout. 

[Related: Five Things to Do With the Time Your Personal Assistant Saves You]

Effects of Burnout

Left untreated, burnout can cause long-standing changes to your mental and physical health. 

Physical Effects of Burnout

Physically, when stress reaches an all-time high, your immune system can suffer, leaving you more susceptible to flus and colds. The exhaustion your body feels from the stress can make getting out of bed in the morning and falling asleep at night more difficult. 

Mental Effects of Burnout

Mentally extended burnout can negatively impact your relationships with friends and family. Prolonged and untreated stress can make it hard to regulate emotions like sadness, anger, and guilt. Panic and anxiety attacks are not uncommon with those suffering from burnout.

[Related: Compassion Fatigue and How to Easer the Symptoms]

How to Fight Burnout 

Don’t let burnout get the best of you! If you focus on making just a few changes you can better deal with burnout and feel happier and healthier.

Outsource Unpleasant Tasks

One main way to fight burnout is to outsource some unpleasant tasks and get your time back. We’ve mentioned this before, but time-saving investments like rideshare services, food delivery, and cleaning services can help you regain time and feel more in control of your day-to-day life.

Establish Work and Personal Life Boundaries

Think about your workload and how available you make yourself during non-work hours. Especially if you tend to be a people-pleaser, reducing your workload and establishing firmer boundaries between work and personal life can help reduce stress and provide some relief. 

Take Time for Yourself

Taking time for yourself is essential to fighting burnout, but it can be a lot harder than it sounds, especially if you’re used to putting yourself last. Without self-care, you won’t be as focused and you won’t have the energy to help others and get work done throughout the day. The cycle of burnout will continue. 

Simple things such as reserving an evening or two a week for just yourself, taking a few minutes each morning and evening to meditate, or letting someone else take care of you through spa treatments or eating at a restaurant can all help nourish your well-being.

[Related: Our Advice for Getting Started With Your Personal Assistant]

Engage in Healthy Diet and Exercise

After a long day, grabbing fast food on the way home and skipping an evening workout sounds like it’ll solve your unhappiness. And in the moment? It might. But engaging in healthier habits will make you feel a lot better, happier, and more energized in the long-run.

Studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise can increase well-being and decrease psychological distress, perceived stress, and emotional exhaustion. Eating healthy doesn’t hurt either, with nutrition reports indicating that fast food consumption is directly related to burnout.

[Related: Overcoming Stress: A Guide to Better Communication Within the Home]

How Pepper’s Personal Assistants Can Help

Pepper’s Personal Assistants is an incredible resource for empowering you to fight burnout and feel happier. Hiring a personal assistant to take care of things like meal planning, paying the bills, grocery shopping, and crossing things off of your to-do list will help you avoid the dreaded burn-out. Interested? Visit our website to learn more about our services.

We’re ready to help you regain your time and increase your happiness. Our personal assistants offer long-term, recurring household support in the Puget Sound Area. 

Contact us today to get started.


Featured image via Pexels

Related Blogs

Pepper’s Personal Assistant Reviews

See what it’s really like to work with a Pepper’s personal assistant!

A True Game-Changer

“Having Mary as my personal assistant has been a game-changer. I don’t have to think about laundry or the cat litter—she handles all those daily tasks I’d rather not do. She’s proactive, assertive in all the right ways, and totally in control of every detail. I’d rate her a 5 out of 5, no question!”

Brian T.

Proactive, Reliable, Caring Support

“Sarah has been such a reliable support—always proactive, spotting things that need to be done before I even ask, and taking care of them. She has such a positive attitude and is constantly looking for ways to add value and make things easier. And I love how much happier and more spoiled my dogs are thanks to her care. I barely have to think about her day-to-day, and I mean that in the best way possible!”

K.W.

Exceptional Home Management

“Bernice is simply amazing—I just can’t say enough good things about her. She excels at physical tasks and knows my habits so well that she can anticipate my needs without me even saying anything. As a house manager, she’s exceptional; she takes care of all those little things that I wouldn’t even think of. Over time, we’ve developed a wonderful rhythm, and it’s such a relief to have someone who just knows what needs to be done and does it effortlessly.”

J.H.

Exceeding Expectations Every Day

“My PA has truly exceeded my expectations. I really enjoy coming home now because everything in my home is something I know and love. She’s helped me with tasks I didn’t even know where to begin, and her ability to do the background work and present options has been invaluable. She has made it possible for me to manage things without feeling overwhelmed, and it’s been a game changer for me!”

W.W.

Bringing Joy and Efficiency

“My PA Tess is proactive and handles everything beautifully, from small tasks that bring joy to big projects like planning trips. She balances recurring tasks with high-priority work, and everything gets done perfectly. I didn’t realize how much joy small things like making the bed could bring until Tess started doing them. She has truly made a difference in our home, bringing both efficiency and a level of organization and joy we didn’t realize we needed.”

K.H.

Support That Makes a Difference

“Having Missa as a PA has taken me from daily treading water to swimming to the shore. I’ve gone from never quite keeping up with things to actually having extra energy to do more. She has been a tremendous help, reducing my stress and allowing me to rest and recover. The support I receive is perfect; Missa is a 5 out of 5 in meeting all my needs. I’ve already recommended Pepper’s to a few friends because having extra help makes all the difference.”

Kathy M.

Back-to-School Unmatched Support

“Having Jay as my personal assistant has been fantastic. She helps me tackle projects that were just looming over my head and has built a great rapport with my teenage son. She’s helped my son pick out his back-to-school wardrobe and coached him through decisions — I couldn’t ask for better support. I sometimes think about when I could handle everything on my own, but now I can’t imagine doing it without Jay’s help.”

R.B.

PA to the Rescue

“I am very satisfied with my personal assistant. The biggest relief is knowing that when things get hectic with work my PA is there to help us from lighting on fire, especially when one of us is traveling.”

Ana V.

Dream PA Experience

“I am very satisfied; My PA has everything dialed in and the schedule works really well and is flexible when needed. Honestly: My PA and I click very well, I love it, it’s a dream!”

Jodi K.

Stress-Free Travel

“One of the massive benefits of having a PA is during travel disruptions. When flights are delayed, the kids are upset, and you’re stuck in customs, coming home to a stocked fridge and a prepared meal eliminates the need for a late-night milk run. You don’t realize the stress these tasks add until you have someone to handle them for you.”

A.S.

11/10!

“My PA is incredible—an 11 out of 10—really thoughtful, thorough, intuitive. She is professional but friendly; she has just been great. A couple of times because of things going on with her calendar, Kandis has been flexible—coming 15 minutes later to drop the dog off at puppy play. She has been really great.”

Libby

Thoughtful and Detail-Oriented

“My PA is a thoughtful and discerning assistant. She pays attention to details in our home and makes great suggestions for how to improve and optimize our lives. We trust her judgment, and she communicates proactively and frequently. She is always on-site on time and patient with my unpredictable schedule. We communicate frequently, but she’s also very efficient in how we communicate. Great work!”

Client

Super Happy!

“[I] really do think Kandis is setting the bar! Having a new person come into your house can go either way. [I’m] very grateful for the time and energy and people that Pepper’s has. It’s a big step; no suggestions around onboarding. [I’m] really happy that we were able to board Kandis quickly; super happy for the West Seattle support.”

Libby

Organizing Superhero

“My PA is really good at organizing; it’s one of her superpowers. Some of the simple reorganizing things that she has done have made a big impact. She organized all the cat stuff in the garage and took the initiative on her own. She’s bright and cheery—no moaning, whining. Very great.”

Emma

One of the Best Decisions I’ve Made

“I just wanted to take a few minutes to tell you how much I have appreciated working with all of the Pepper’s staff. My assistant is so generous and thoughtful — she brings value to every interaction. I can’t remember a time when I’ve hired anyone with such a professional and high standard of customer service. Working with you all has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in a very long time!”

Libby

10/10 for Sure!

“Missa is a 10/10 for sure! She has been wonderful, and we check in regularly. I’m comfortable communicating with her about questions or requests, and she’s always been very responsive and also seems comfortable checking in if she has any questions for me. [The] biggest help remains pet care and household chores support, plus the help with one-off projects that come up. Missa has all kinds of skills she brings, (e.g., she’s currently putting together a ‘cat highway’ for the living room rafters).”

Homeowner

My Quality of Life Has Improved

“I used to spend every weekend and every evening doing chores and running errands. Now, I’m able to spend the time that I need to on my business, and then I get to enjoy my home and my life and the precious unstructured time that I have. The truth is, my quality of life has improved by having a Pepper’s household assistant here.”

Libby

Takes Initiative

“I want to mention what a fantastic personal assistant Billie is to me. We were on vacation last week, and she managed my household and vendors flawlessly. I even had her redecorate my office, and I gave her very little direction other than just to make it nice and functional, and, my goodness, did she ever! She takes initiative in my house in so many other ways but does not overstep or overspend. To strike that balance is really something unique and special. I feel really lucky to have her.”

Anura

I’m Blown Away

“[I’m] blown away by how much better the house looks already :)”

Graham

Kind, Caring, and Proactive

“My PA is a very caring person. I was incredibly ill last year, and my PA connected the dots that the washing machine had a lot of mold and thought the black specs on my clothes were from that. On her own time, my PA sent me an article about the impact of mold/washing machines. It was so kind of her.”

Emma

Goes Above and Beyond

“My PA has gone above and beyond. She’s organized my laundry room while keeping on top of laundry, which made it much easier to stay on top of stuff. She’s always ready to jump in and tackle items. It made this holiday season way less stressful.”

Andrea