By Alan Gregory | November 7, 2019 | 3 minutes of reading
As the dreaded January peak season approaches, it is essential that you consider how to prepare to avoid it impacting your health and practice.
We are talking about burnout, recognized as an “occupational phenomenon” by the World Health Organization (WHO). It’s more than just “being stressed.”
Burnout can seriously disrupt your work life: more sick days, feeling exhausted, or losing interest in a job you once loved. Additionally, because burnout can last for months or even years, it can have disastrous consequences on the lives of those who suffer from it.
Accountants are clearly at risk, given the heavy workload, competing deadlines and the dreaded busy January period. So what can you do? Here are five key areas to consider to ensure you don’t become a victim. Prevention is better than cure.
1. Pay attention to early symptoms
Identifying the early signs of burnout is essential. The WHO has defined burnout and its characteristics as follows:
“[…] a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. It is characterized by three dimensions:
- feelings of lack of energy or exhaustion;
- increased mental distance from one’s work, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s work; And
- reduced professional efficiency.
High achievers and perfectionists may have a higher risk of suffering from burnout.
2. Cut back a little
Work less? It’s easier said than done, you hear yourself saying. But spending time away from the office can do wonders to help you mentally reset and reduce any feelings of burnout. Taking time off during peak season can be tricky. However, try to ensure that you make full use of your annual leave entitlement each year. If you think you’ll need a longer stay, check to see if your company has a policy allowing you to purchase additional vacation time.
3. Put yourself first
Are you not eating properly? You go to bed late ? Are you spending too much time sitting and not exercising?
These are all bad habits that are easy to fall into when faced with high stress levels and a difficult workload. Be careful though: these actions are a quick way to increase the risk of burnout.
Although improvements won’t happen overnight, try introducing more self-care into your daily routine. This might mean making a conscious effort to get a better night’s sleep, eating a balanced meal for dinner, or trying to get active several times a week. Even adopting one of these changes could improve your overall well-being.
4. A more flexible professional life
They say that change is as good as rest. Well, why not change your work routine by working from home or elsewhere on an odd day? Flexible working and a change of scenery can help reduce feelings of burnout.
Or, if you prefer to stay in the office, see if you can work flexible hours, perhaps arriving at work a little later and leaving earlier to avoid rush hours.
5. Seek help
If you get to a point where you feel burned out or close to being burned out, one of the best things you can do is ask for help. If a colleague, manager or even a partner is aware of your situation, they can put measures in place to support you in your recovery.
Professional accounting bodies can also help. For example, CABA offers free and confidential services to past and present members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) in areas as diverse as wellbeing, emotional support and development career, among others.
At IRIS, we are always looking for ways to help accountants and tax advisors simplify their tasks. Why not take a look at our cloud software for accountants to help simplify tasks like tax and accounting?