Burnout is increasingly common, and if you’ve had a busy period of work where deadlines are constantly looming and your to-do list is never-ending, you may have experienced some of the symptoms. But ongoing fatigue can have a negative impact on your health and wellbeing, and businesses can see true value in ensuring that their staff avoid workplace fatigue. Here’s how to spot the signs and some tips on avoiding fatigue.
What are the symptoms of workplace fatigue?
Fatigue can be both physical and mental, and it’s distinct from just feeling tired. When someone is fatigued, they can feel drowsy, weak and even have a shortness of breath. Work fatigue is caused by a variety of ailments, from medical and psychological or a combination of the two. Individuals may not realise that they’re dealing with fatigue until their symptoms have worsened, making it difficult to work or carry out different tasks. Individuals struggling with fatigue may experience:
- Sleep deprivation
- Changes to the pace of work
- Inconsistent work schedules
- Sluggish coordination and reflexes
- Easily distracted
- Blurred vision
- More errors than usual
- Trouble making decisions
- Decreased output
- Tiredness that remains even after a good night’s sleep
How to treat work fatigue
Work fatigue is not only detrimental to one’s health, but it can also have negative consequences for businesses, so it needs to be handled seriously. There are ways to handle work fatigue to ease the burden of work schedules and improve your routine.
Improve your furniture set-up
One of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent fatigue and stay productive is to upgrade your work set-up and invest in good office furniture. Office workers tend to sit for long periods of the day, which can impact your productivity and can leave you feeling sluggish and drowsy. Ergonomic office chairs will support your posture and reduce stress, while a height-adjustable desk will encourage you to keep moving throughout the day which can keep your energy levels up and can help to alleviate fatigue.
Determine your most productive hours
You can learn a lot by paying attention to when you’re most productive during the day and building your routine around those hours. It enables you to achieve more without feeling the need to work at optimal levels for 8 hours a day. This way, you can optimise your day around when you’re naturally most productive.
Keep a healthy work balance
You’ll no doubt have heard about the importance of a healthy work-life balance but when you’re fatigued, it’s particularly important. Setting limits will ensure you don’t overwork yourself and you give your mind and body chance to relax and recuperate. Work should be limited to your work hours, so you have time to really unwind in the evenings and weekends. After you step aside from work, don’t check emails or carry on with work-related tasks, as you’re not giving your mind chance to switch off properly.
Take plenty of breaks
Part of a healthy work balance is making sure you’re resting throughout the day too. While that doesn’t mean you can take hours off at a time, regular breaks every half an hour or so will give you chance to balance out the stress and intensity of your work schedule. Whether it’s getting up for a walk around the office, making a cup of tea and chatting with a colleague for ten minutes or standing up to do some desk-based exercises to avoid sitting for too long, taking regular breaks can reinvigorate you and prevent fatigue from setting in.
Don’t multitask
When we multitask, we overwhelm our mind and body by trying to do more than we’re able. When you take on several tasks at once, you’re not really handling anything fully or giving it your full attention, since you’re flipping back and forth between various things. This can add to stress and tiredness, making you lose concentration and subsequently increase fatigue. Instead, focus on one task at a time and give it your full attention.
Final thoughts
Long periods of feeling exhausted through work can take its toll and can quickly progress to intense fatigue and burnout, which can be hard on your body. It’s essential that you take regular breaks, monitor your workload day to day and ensure that you’re working in a comfortable environment that’s been designed to enhance productivity and prevent stress on the body.
Ergonomic furniture and desks that can contribute towards a better way of working are beneficial to your work and general wellbeing. For more information about how heigh-adjustable desks could benefit you, get in touch with us today.
