Work burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that is also marked by apathy and a misplaced sense of purpose or identity.

While work burnout is not necessarily an illness, it may lead to a need for some medical attention if you leave it unattended. This is because the long-term effects of burnout may only get worse, leading to other problems such as depression, substance abuse, high blood pressure, and so on.

In this article, we'll talk about six things you can do to beat work burnout.

1. Take Some Quality Time Off

One of the more common causes of burnout is a work-life imbalance. A work overload—with no time off to relax, pursue personal projects, spend time with family, or do other things that interest you—will very quickly lead to you feeling burned out or fatigued.

If you suspect that an unhealthy work-life balance is why you're feeling burned out, taking an effective and restorative break could be a great idea.

It doesn’t have to be very long, but it should be long enough for you to get away from work and find some peace of mind. This will also help you find some mental space and time to evaluate your situation.

2. Is Your Job or Career the Problem? Find Out

Are you feeling burned out by your job or career? Being able to tell the difference will guide your response.

An easy way to tell is by making a list of the things that excite you about your job and making another list of things that make you feel drained. If the things that excite you are generic things such as the actual work you do, you likely have a problem with the work environment but not the work itself.

If this is true for you, it may be one of several signs that it is time to change your job. On the other hand, if the work itself leaves you feeling drained or burned out even when you're away from the office, you might consider changing careers entirely.

Don't make any major decisions just yet, however. There may be other causes of—and remedies for—your work burnout.

3. Try a Few Basic Life Hacks

If work is stressing you out, it won't always be due to a job or career change. You might simply be stressed by something else, such as some challenge carrying on from your personal life to your work life, for example.

If this is you, you can try a few quick fixes to help you get through the difficult periods. Here are a few excellent, short-term solutions:

Engage in Daily Exercise

Exercise has tremendous potential to improve your moods on a day-to-day basis, according to the American Psychological Association. It does this by triggering the release of "feel-good hormones" such as endorphins and dopamine, which can help boost your moods for up to several hours after exercise.

The best part is, you don't even need to join the gym or go for five-mile runs. You can conveniently exercise from the comfort of your home or office using online apps that even offer personal trainers.

Drink a Healthy Amount of Morning Coffee

Among many benefits such as heart health, coffee is proven to help stimulate mental activity, which can be helpful for people who struggle to get going at work.

According to the National Coffee Association USA, one of the ways coffee works in combating depression and fatigue—two of the prevalent symptoms of work burnout—is by preventing brain receptors from binding with adenosine.

A cup or two of coffee in the morning will be enough to get you raring to go!

Aim for Adequate Sleep

Not getting enough sleep could very well be the reason why you're feeling burned out.

This Scientific American report on sleep deprivation talks about how a lack of sleep may lead to higher levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. In addition to other effects such as obesity, higher cortisol levels may then lead to the feeling of being burned out at work.

If you're having trouble getting optimal amounts of rest, there are a number of sleep tracking apps that may help.

4. Leverage Helpful Apps

Sleep tracking apps, as we've just shared above, can be a helpful way to combat work burnout. There are other apps that may also come in handy in combating work burnout.

In particular, there are lots of apps that help by offering tools that help you track your moods, leading to a better understanding of what might be causing you to feel burned out. For example, apps like Sanvello and MoodFit help you manage your moods and productivity.

Another alternative like the MindFi App helps to improve your productivity while helping you maintain a healthy work-life balance.

5. Seek Professional Help

In some cases, the root causes of work burnout may lie in deeper conditions such as depression or stress, which are best resolved with medical attention.

If you just can't place the source of your burnout, it may not even be related to work at all! You should consider seeking help from professional mental health therapists, career advisors, and so on. You can also join a support group online—on Facebook, for example.

Always keep in mind that there are many people out there battling work burnout on a daily basis, so don't hesitate to ask for help!

6. Focus on Small Changes

You probably can’t change everything all at once. Trying to make major changes all at once can often make the task seem overly challenging, and discouraging.

However, making little changes in your habits and routines can help. You can start by using one of the apps we've mentioned in the previous point if you need some help getting started.

You can take on a new hobby, join a sports club, learn a new skill, or stop an energy-draining activity. Whatever it is, start with small but decisive steps, and you'll notice major changes soon.

If You're Experiencing Work Burnout, Don't Give Up!

We live in an ever-evolving world, and you should feel free to evolve too. It’s never too late to make the changes required to bring you fulfillment from your work.

When you feel burned out from work, see if any of the steps above can help you recover, both mentally and physically. Remember to start small, and seek professional help if the feeling persists or appears to be severe.

If you're feeling burned out at work, remember to always put yourself first, especially your mental health.