A growing number of workers report a marked drop in energy and productivity at work. Tatyana Minaeva, a career counselor involved with Skillbox’s program “Conscious Career. How to find a job you love,” discussed burnout signs and recovery strategies in an interview with socialbites.ca. The goal was to help readers recognize burnout early and take constructive steps to rebound.
In a survey of more than a thousand participants conducted for a mobile app, Minaeva asked respondents if they were experiencing a decline in work activity. About 94 percent answered yes. Many admitted that periods of intense fatigue were coupled with impulsive, ungrounded self-diagnoses and sometimes long breaks from work—ranging from several months to two years—before feeling ready to return. This pattern suggests that people are becoming more deliberate about their finances and are building buffers that allow them to pause work longer, even as the broader trend points to more frequent episodes of energy depletion.
The expert notes that burnout is often triggered by sustained stress and heavy workloads without adequate breaks, a lack of days off or vacation time, and ongoing workplace pressures such as conflicts with colleagues. Personal re-evaluation of life goals and values also plays a role, pushing people to rethink what they want from work and life as a whole. These factors together can exhaust someone’s emotional, mental, and physical reserves.
Key indicators of burnout include a persistent irritability, physical and moral exhaustion that rest does not seem to alleviate, dwindling motivation, withdrawal from work and other areas of life, reduced productivity, a cynical outlook toward colleagues and customers, and a reluctance to engage with others. Recognizing even one of these symptoms should prompt immediate attention to rest and recovery, rather than allowing the problem to worsen.
Experts emphasize the importance of starting a recovery plan as soon as signs appear. The first step is to identify the exact causes of energy depletion and the activities that drain energy. With that clarity, it becomes possible to create a practical set of strategies for managing negative emotions and challenging situations.
Recommended steps include:
1. If feasible, consult with a psychologist to obtain a precise diagnosis and accelerate recovery from burnout. A professional can offer tailored guidance and techniques.
2. Focus on restoring resources—sleep, nutrition, social support, and meaningful activities—so energy can be rebuilt gradually.
3. Maintain an energy diary: note what saps energy and what increases it. If something drains, consider altering your approach or removing it from the routine to protect energy reserves.
4. Increase sleep duration and quality. Adequate rest improves cognitive function and work efficiency, often enabling better performance in less time.
5. Learn from others who have recovered from burnout by connecting with five individuals who have successfully navigated similar challenges.
6. If stress at work feels overwhelming, experiment with time management. Task quantity may stay the same, but how and when tasks are completed can change.
7. Celebrate incremental wins and acknowledge progress toward recovery, reinforcing positive momentum.
8. For some, it helps to build a small, sustainable routine that blends work with restorative activities, reducing the risk of relapse into burnout.
9. Employers and teams can contribute by fostering a supportive environment, clear communication, and reasonable expectations, which collectively lessen the strain that leads to burnout.
Previously, it was noted that anti-stress toys do not effectively alleviate stress, highlighting the need for broader, more meaningful interventions that address underlying causes rather than quick fixes. The overarching message is clear: burnout is not a personal failure but a signal that the current approach to work and life is unsustainable. Addressing it requires deliberate, sustained changes and a supportive network.