Avoid Burn-Out

Just recently, I came across this good advice: If you are working very hard, then you should take great care not to burn-out. Those in helping professions or positions that have significant inter personal contact are more susceptible e.g. customer service departments, health care etc.  You can avoid mental burn-out by ensuring that what you do remains fun: there is a limit to your mental energy that you should respect.  One of the first things that you should do is decrease the pressure on your self by slowing down your sense of time. Try out the following:

1. Do not work in front of the clock: When you have a clock staring at you or over you shoulder, your perception of time is that it goes by quickly. Hide the clock and work at your own pace. You will accomplish more in less time than if you monitor yourself. Of course, you still have to keep loose track of the time, ’cause have it from the horse’s mouth, your wife won’t like it if she has to wait for an hour with the entire week’s grocery at the shopping arcade.

2. Do not set unrealistic time frames: When you foresee a particular assignment to be an hour long it might take up to two. Examine the contingencies and allow enough time. After estimating the time it will take to do something, multiply that by 1.5 and you will have a more realistic time frame.

3. Avoid working under deadline pressure: Any time you face a deadline, time will seem to run faster. In some cases you can’t do anything about it but try to arrange time so that you don’t face the torment of deadlines as often and you will gain a greater sense of control over your time.